I am really beginning to familiarise myself with the place.
Yesterday I was given a choice, arrive 20 minutes before appointment and kill time, or arrive 2 minutes late. I picked the latter, pancakes is just not something you can easily pass on. In reality the bus was 10 minutes late meaning when I dashed into the job centre I was pushing the 15 minute mark.
I rushed upstairs, handed over my form and waited... for 45 minutes. Whether it is something the job centre does intentionally I do not know but I was seriously unimpressed. I have been late once in 15 weeks and yet this made me susceptible to being stuck at the back.
Whilst passing the time I took to watching others. I understand that life can be hard for some people who are unemployed and that are used to a different culture and upbringing, but that still does not excuse them from having a little respect.
Two guys waiting for their appointment were talking loudly about fighting, they both wore hats and were obviously after the gangster look. At four different points, their phones rang, ringtones on full volume. At another they fell around on the floor laughing. They were a general annoyance to all around them, and also the job centre staff trying to get through appointments. Yet no staff said anything to them.
If it was up to me I would kick them out. Tell them to come back when they are willing to treat the Job Centre with a little respect. And yet here I was being forced to wait 45 minutes because I had been late.
When I finally got to the desk to be seen it was embarrasing. The guy handed me the sign on sheet virtually straight away. Since I had questions I asked if he had read my job record sheet to which he stated not yet. He then answered all the questions with the help of the forms by his side, including a leaflet on volunteering. It seems that you can volunteer for as many hours of volunteering as you like... wait for it...so long as the number of hours you do doesnt effect your entitlement to benefit.
Possibly the most pointless sentence I have seen in a long time. It gets better, "for more information contact job centre plus. You can also ask about a leaflet on volunteering"
Wonderful advice there for the volunteering leaflet from Job Centre Plus
* SIGH *
Not their finest week in my eyes.
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