summertrain wrote: Does the volunteer work have to be of the JSA's advisor's choosing, or could you suggest a place that you know would use your services?
The problem is that the Government have nominated organisations that are pimping free labour on schemes like these.
I question the legality of the recent changes to the WRAG, which have made it not dissimilar to JSA. It is no longer an option to The Support group, and to be put in the WRAG, in my opinion is to have failed the WCA. In fact, there are some aspects of JSA that are preferable. I especially question the use of it to conveyor belt some really quite poorly people into unpaid labour. Did a bill or amendment to the 2012 WCA bill come before Parliament, as it seems it appeared all of a sudden.
As I understand it, the volunteering must be mutually agreed, so providing the JC+ advisor is happy with the claimants suggestion then there should be no issue.
Volunteering has always been an acceptable practice under the ESA Regulations, I am not aware of there needing to be changes to the legislation, for this practice to be included to included as part of Work Related Activity.
Gordon
