Friday 17 February 2012

TK Maxx joins retailers quitting unpaid work scheme for jobseekers


Clothing store chain joins Sainbury's and Waterstone's in pulling out as Poundland reviews its policy after human rights case

A central plank in the government's unemployment strategy has suffered another set back after another high street retailer confirmed that it had withdrawn from using unpaid benefit claimants to work in its stores.

The discount clothing store TK Maxx has said it no longer supports the Department of Work and Pensions' work experience schemes in which jobseekers can have their benefits removed if they do not work unpaid for up to 30 hours a week. TK Maxx said: "We take our responsibilities as a retailer and employer very seriously and work with a number of bodies that help people get into work. We do not currently support compulsory non-paid work experience in our business."

Tesco faced criticism and abuse after a link to a jobcentre advert was posted on Twitter appearing to show it hiring for a permanent role as a night shift worker for which it would pay only jobseeker's allowance as a wage.

Tesco, the UK's largest private employer which made over £3.5bn profit last April, said that it had taken on 1,400 such claimants in the last four months amounting to 168,000 hours of unpaid work assuming all participants in the scheme work for 30hrs a week.


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