Getting a job in retail as a disabled/neurodiverse middle aged adult?
Above.
I'll be 50 in April, I've been doing volunteer work since 1990, yet despite a 2 page CV of experience and qualifications, I can't get a job because of the fact that for various reasons, which are completely legit, I can't work evenings or weekends which are pretty much mandatory in retail.
Would there be a way round this under that "reasonable adjustments" nonsense? Excuse my cynicism but I've been saying for most of the last 16 years that the Equality Act 2010 is a total fail because the Tories never enforced it and neither does Labour, and apparently Deform UK (yeh) wants to remove it?!
I'm on UC and enhanced rate PIP so I can only work up to 16 hours a week, which is also proving to be a major barrier to my employment prospects.
It's been suggested that I go back into the voluntary sector to get some up to date relevant experience, but I've been told more than once that voluntary work doesn't count as actual work on my CV because I don't get paid for it.
Comments
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Hi @SheffieldMan1976, Have you considered the charity (retail) sector ? Whilst it might not be your ideal retail environment, there may be more opportunities in, hopefully, a more inclusive environment.
Sue Ryder for instance tend to still offer part time (15/16 hours over 7 days) and are more flexible than many, even with their interview process including providing interview questions in advance; virtual interviews etc. They may be more amenable to Mon to Fri hours and are, I think, c 9am to 5pm. I don't have personal experience of them, only know having talked to staff.
Since the NI increases and government lowering the NI thresholds, I think that's negatively affected employers recruiting for part time roles, so the charity sector could be a more accommodating option worth exploring, but for paid employment.
Sorry this doesn't exactly answer your question about reasonable adjustments. If the charity sector is not your preference it might be worth you still contacting the type of retail you are interested in and checking them out.
I negotiated 'reasonable adjustments' in my nursing job from 5 to 3 working days and with a later start time and earlier finishing time (I was unable to drive at certain hours and had to get a bus/restricted timetable). It didn't work in the end anyway because of my illness as I couldn't get less than 10 hours a day, and was NHS.
You could possibly contact someone like ACAS to get advice on how best to approach it with potential employers (I think there may be advice on this website but not sure if it's related to reasonable adjustments).
Wishing you all the very best though in whatever you decide to do.
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"I'm on UC and enhanced rate PIP so I can only work up to 16 hours a week, which is also proving to be a major barrier to my employment prospects."
That isn't true. The 16 hours maximum only applies to ESA.
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Good morning @SheffieldMan1976. As @OverlyAnxious mentions, on UC you are not restricted to a set number of hours you can work.
@Santosha12 has offered some great advice already but I also wondered if you've tried using any of Scope's free employment services?
As an aside, experience from volunteer work is absolutely valid. I know not everywhere may be the same, but as a hiring manager myself, I take everything into consideration, including hobbies, volunteer work, lived experience and of course paid employment.
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Hi @ SheffieldMan1976
It is worth remembering that working over 16 hours could trigger a review of your entitlement to LCWRA as you could be considered as not having LCWRA if you are able to work a significant number of hours. I'm not saying this would be the case but it's worth investigating.
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As mentioned by both OverlyAnxious & Adrian_Scope you can work any number of hours (not up to 16) a week. Only if the work you do contradicts the reason you have been found to have LCWRA might this have an impact when you're next reviewed.
Do try Scope's employment services which Adrian has linked to above (only heard good things about their 'Support to Work').
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Hi @ chiarieds,
That's an interesting point and one that I would imagine the benefits department would make very difficult to navigate. It was just a word of caution because lets face it, it doesn't take much to rock the boat and create suspicion even when everything is completely legitimate and genuine. Any change can trigger a review and people need to be aware of that and be prepared. You only need to look at all of the benefit related forums to see how much stress and pressure people are under the minute they have to enter the benefits arena.
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I've worked in nearly all the Charity shops in Hillsborough, Sheffield including both the British Heart Foundation shops, MIND, Sue Ryder, I've also worked in both the Oxfam shops in Town (West St and King St), I applied to go back to the West St one last year and for some reason they said I wasn't suitable for their shop! Eh?!
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@ SheffieldMan1976,
What?????
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I can't work in a charity shop, as the ones i applied for, the stockroom was either up or downstairs. They can't help everyone i suppose.
I briefly worked in one, on the understanding i could just stay by the till, but the reality was somewhat different, and the manager lost her temper with me being useless every time anything needed moved or fetched.
These sre businesses at the end of the day, not daycare centres. That was how she explained it to me anyway! ( I omitted the industrial language she enforced her point with 🙄).
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I hope you find something that suits you and fits with what you need; I just thought of Hillsborough Stadium like in a kiosk or shop but guess they'll be evenings and weekends. Would somewhere like B & Q be worth exploring? The one near me take on older people (I know you're not old 😊😁 so not being insulting), but they may have more flexible, inclusive recruitment practices.
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Its very telling isn't it that even some 'Charities' ( who should know better) are unsupportive, unhelpful, unkind and non inclusive, it doesn't set a very good example for employers (the ones who pay their employees). I realise that volunteers still have to be matched to a suitable role and sometimes things don't work out but people are giving up their time, free of charge, doing something that helps to make it possible for the Charity to support people, volunteers who are ill and/or have a disability, people who are putting others before themselves and the very least they deserve is respect.
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I recently applied to B&Q, but got rejected due to the evenings and weekends being mandatory issue.
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