The practice of graduates seeking internships in the most sought-after areas of employment has been controversially copied by the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) in a scheme of unpaid work placements for jobseekers.
It was intended to provide a positive addition to the sparse CVs of unemployed young people but has resulted in claims of exploitation.
The line between working without pay to gain vital experience and unpaid work that provides no benefit for the worker can easily be crossed. A Jobcentre Plus advert for permanent workers at a Tesco store in exchange for expenses and Jobseeker's Allowance did just that, prompting an angry protest at a branch opposite the House of Commons at the weekend. This appears to have been a genuine mistake but the incident is an important litmus test for the Coalition Government's policy of unpaid Mandatory Work Activity (MWA) placements of up to eight weeks for claimants.
Public are entitled to know firms with unpaid workers
The practice of graduates seeking internships in the most sought-after areas of employment has been controversially copied by the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) in a scheme of unpaid work placements for jobseekers.
It was intended to provide a positive addition to the sparse CVs of unemployed young people but has resulted in claims of exploitation.
The line between working without pay to gain vital experience and unpaid work that provides no benefit for the worker can easily be crossed. A Jobcentre Plus advert for permanent workers at a Tesco store in exchange for expenses and Jobseeker's Allowance did just that, prompting an angry protest at a branch opposite the House of Commons at the weekend. This appears to have been a genuine mistake but the incident is an important litmus test for the Coalition Government's policy of unpaid Mandatory Work Activity (MWA) placements of up to eight weeks for claimants.
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Don't show me this again.