Employment confusion

[andrewducker]

When I was unemployed for about 18 months back in 1994-95 (just after graduating), I was sent on a few training courses, and put into unpaid work placements. Is this actually different to what's currently being proposed?

I'm not trying to snark - I'm actively confused as to whether this is in any way a new thing.

Comments

[octopoid-horror.livejournal.com]

If some people think they are "too good" for certain kinds of work, I'd say that they deserve to do jobs that they don't want to. None of the kinds of job people might get "forced" into are objectively degrading. People work for councils and apply for those kind of jobs. They just want more people doing them. Hell, when I finished university, I spent a year unemployed because I didn't want to take a minimum wage job in a fast food place or whatever, and couldn't find anything else. With hindsight, I was just being a snooty twat and there was no reason not to do so, other than my own personal prejudices. There's nothing wrong with doing a job that isn't what you're wanting to do if you can't find anything else.

People from a church nearby to where I live go out and do that kind of thing sometimes. I don't imagine that all of them find it degrading.

And if you see someone who is ostensibly working for the council planting trees or picking up litter, how will you know if they are a genuine council employee or someone who is long-term unemployed unless they make them wear special clothes (which I think would be an odd thing to do)

[robhu.livejournal.com]

One of the repeated criticisms I saw of the Tory government on LJ before this happened was the fear that they'd expect unemployed LJers like them to do degrading work rather than be on the dole. The example that was repeatedly given of degrading work was working at Tescos.