Using Jobcentre Plus Services

Work Trials

A Work Trial is a Jobcentre Plus service that lets you try out a potential employee at no cost to your business, before you decide whether to make them a job offer.

A Work Trial gives you time to find out how well suited a person is to the job, your company culture and workforce, as well as giving the potential employee the time to decide if a job is right for them. More than half of all jobs beginning with a Work Trial have led to the candidate being offered a job for the longer term.

A Work Trial is suitable for:

• most permanent jobs over 16 hours a week that are expected to last at least three months
• temporary jobs lasting at least three months

The person must meet certain eligibility criteria which will be checked by Jobcentre Plus. They will continue to receive their benefit, plus some expenses which Jobcentre Plus will pay.

What can Work Trials do for my business?

Work Trials are particularly successful in industries that typically have high staff turnover rates. High staff turnover can be due to a range of factors, including working conditions and hours.

The main business benefits of Work Trials are:

• they give you the time to be sure that you have the right person for the job
• they are free, there are no wage costs associated with them and Jobcentre Plus pays the person’s benefit during the trial
• you won’t have to fill in any tax and National Insurance paperwork until you’re sure you have the right person for the job

How to arrange a Work Trial

You can arrange to offer your vacancy as a Work Trial when you first contact Jobcentre Plus with the vacancy details. If you have already contacted Jobcentre Plus about a vacancy that you would now like to offer as a Work Trial, speak to your local contact to discuss your options.

A person looking for work may also ask their adviser whether your vacancy might be available as a Work Trial. If the adviser agrees, they will attach a brief Work Trials cover note to their application or CV.

If you decide to offer a vacancy as a Work Trial, you will need to sign a standard agreement with Jobcentre Plus. Once this is signed, you will be able to offer as many vacancies as Work Trials as you wish.

Using Jobcentre Plus Services

Support for your business from Jobcentre Plus

Jobcentre Plus offers a range of support to help your business operate during the recession. Its free services can help your business to deal with the challenges posed by an uncertain economic climate.

Vacancy advertising service

The free vacancy advertising service from Jobcentre Plus can help you to advertise a vacancy quickly and effectively – either online or over the phone – so that it reaches thousands of candidates who are looking for an opportunity to work.

Jobcentre Plus can also give general advertisement advice such as the appropriate wording for your vacancy.

Small Business Recruitment Service

• professional, modern and free vacancy advertising services to get jobs noticed by the right people
• handling all applications,sifting, pre interviewing, arranging interviews and sending regret letters
• Services that offer wider support for filling vacancies and longer term partnership working opportunities
• Local Employment Partnerships with employers and Jobcentre Plus working together to unlock the talent available in the local community

Employer Direct online

Employer Direct online is a free service that enables you to manage your recruitment needs at a time that’s convenient to you. Becoming an approved user means you can register, check, update or remove vacancies at anytime.

If you use the Employer Direct online service, your vacancy will:

• appear on the Jobcentre Plus website
• feature on the Jobcentre Plus national network of touch screen terminals
• be accessible via a phone-matching service

You can also use Employer Direct, which is a free telephone service enabling you to work with an adviser to identify your requirements.

How Jobcentre Plus can help your business

Did you know that as a valued customer of Jobcentre Plus you could receive practical and financial support if you consider employing our customers?

£1000 cash back on your new recruit

To help make your next recruitment decision an easy one, Jobcentre Plus is offering £1000 for every eligible person who has been claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance for six months or more.

Thousands of eligible candidates looking for work want you to notice their potential and may refer to the £1000 in their letter of application, as part of their CV, on your application forms, or during your recruitment process.

You may be recruiting a few people this year or you may be looking to bring 12 or more new people into your business. Either way the process for making a claim is quick and easy

In-work training, worth up to £1,500, may also be available through our partners to help you get the most from your new recruits