London – Charedi Man Triumphs After Being Denied Unemployment Benefits By UK Over Shabbos Observence

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    London – A charedi UK man has been awarded back-pay of over £1,500 from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) after being wrongly denied unemployment benefits for over six months, The Jewish Chronicle reports (http://bit.ly/12Jpkwb).

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    Sabbath-observant Jacob Slinger, 19, of Greater Manchester, had been told he was not entitled to receive the benefits because he was not available to work on Friday afternoons and Saturday. DWP determined this requirement was “not reasonable” since job seekers must be available to work for a minimum of 35 hours. But Mr. Slinger said he was willing to work up to 53 hours a week, excluding shabbos, thereby exceeding the requisite amount of time.

    At the hearing, tribunal judge David Hewitt reversed the DWP’s decision saying the agency had erred in their decision, and urged other Jewish job seekers who were denied the £56.80-per-week benefit to come forward.

    “Mr. Slinger has demonstrated that, even within the restraints he has set himself, he has reasonable prospects of securing employment and he is both available for and actively seeking work,” Mr. Hewitt said. “If my understanding is correct, their original decision is found to be wrong. If people have been turned down for these reasons, they should make an appeal to this tribunal.”

    A DWP spokesperson said, “We will look at this judgment carefully and consider if we need to make any changes to the guidance given to Jobcentre Plus staff.”


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    10 Comments
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    10 years ago

    Is Saturday a normal workday there? Here in America you are expected to work Monday-Friday.
    And there is no reason he can’t work on Friday afternoon, except on a couple of Shabbosim in the winter time. Be like the rest of Frum society that works until about 2 hours before Shabbos.

    Mark Levin
    Mark Levin
    10 years ago

    4 & 5,

    You are most certainly correct. Thank you!

    I used London zmanim because i had those available to me at the time.

    proud-mo-israeli
    proud-mo-israeli
    10 years ago

    you’re all missing the point anyway. He proved that he CAN work 53 hours a week. In today’s world, a lot of work can be done from home too so he can work even more if needed.
    He is to be congratulated. It’s not common to find a 19 year old hareidi that is prepared to work (unless he is lying). In Israel, you would never see this as taking government handouts is the norm & a lifestyle for them.

    newtransplant
    newtransplant
    10 years ago

    1. Someone who titled this seems to think thaty London and Manchester are the same or that Manchester is inj London. Manchester and London are both located in England which is part of Great Britain or the United Kingdom.
    2. The earliest Shabbos here is 3.26, Shabbos Chanuka you need more time of course.
    Boruch Hashem this young man has set a precedent for everyone. Yom Tov used to be a problem in my day.

    X5078
    X5078
    10 years ago

    What an abuse of the system.

    I know Jacob Slinger. In reference to the ‘poverty’ claim, he bought a MacBook and an iPad last September.

    Regarding the charedi claim, he’s not Jewish! He even called himself Muslim a year ago.

    I’m just floored that Slinger is seen as a poster boy for UK discrimination against Jews.