The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the acting chief executive of Jobcentre Plus, Mel Groves. I have asked him to provide the hon. Member with the information requested.
Letter from Mel Groves:
The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions has asked me to reply to your question asking what guidance is given to jobcentres on procedures to ensure that job advertisements placed with them are genuine. This is something that falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Acting Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
The following guidance is provided to Jobcentre Plus staff when handling vacancies from employers to ensure they are genuine. When advertising with Jobcentre Plus employers must provide us with:
a full and clear job description (which is lawful and unambiguous to our customers)
a rate of pay equal to or more than that stated in the National Minimum Wage Act
a guarantee that all other terms and conditions of employment are lawful; and
an assurance that all jobs are available on an open and fair basis to jobseeking customers using our services.
To ensure wherever possible that the employers and their vacancies are genuine we also require:
a full postal address
a landline telephone number
contact name, position with the company and direct telephone number
the type of business they are involved in
the number of employees they have at the individual site; and
a verbal/written National Minimum Wage assurance.
To ensure vacancies advertised by recruitment agencies are genuine, the recruitment agency must sign a service level agreement agreeing to the terms under which Jobcentre Plus will advertise their vacancies. This agreement specifies that all vacancies must be genuine and the agency must supply details of the employer on whose behalf they are advertising.
Jobcentre Plus also contacts all employers 48 hours after their vacancy was advertised to discuss the vacancy and this provides additional assurance that the employer and vacancy are genuine.