Just to tell you what happened to my friend with Seetec. She is now dead two months. She was in Seetec and got diagnosed with cancer. She had to go to Galway from Leitrim for treatment.  Anyhow she missed appointments but always sent letter in relation dates of her treatment etc.. They ended up cutting her off and she had no dole for two weeks until we got it sorted. We got her on long term illness money after that. But aren’t they so cruel!  They said whoever was dealing with her didn't see the letters she sent in and told dole she was missing appointments with them

UnitedPeople partial reply:  Sadly not the first case we have heard of people with cancer being treated rotten. One of the founding members of UP was in the exact same situation. He too was hounded despite he too explain that he was beyond a point of recovery, in the process of dying.

From: M S.

Subject: Seetec

I'm currently on Seetec programme, being told to attend every week now, being forced to go to minimum wage jobs. I was a finance manager was earning over 90k. These jobs are all minimum wage, which results in a take home €343 per week. I currently receive €237 per week. If I’m forced to take one of these mind numbing jobs I will after travel and lunch costs of €60 Euro minimum. I will also have to pay for my monthly prescription of €128 as I have just qualified for a medical card. I will be worse off than I am now, in a position that is an entry level and of no interest to me. Whilst I spend over 50 hrs in work and travel. It has a severe impact on my seeking a job with a living wage. Is there anything I can do? It's affecting my mental health. I also have a €51k personal debt, which I couldn't even possibly begin to pay on the minimum wage.

Thank you.

Subject: Seetec Scam

Hi, I was made do a 22 month gateway scam. I was in xxxxx library, I was hidden away in a back room. I had to implement a RFID system (self service scanning) which entailed counting every book in the library, then I had to put a sticker on every single book, then I had to scan every single book onto the computer.

When that was done I was made check every single book again, about 13 thousand books plus I had to dust the shelves as I was going along. During my time there, there was 13 different people working in the library from RCC. None of them bar one, lived in xxxxx - and she retired while I was there.

The Library had to close on 3 days because they had no staff to cover. I was never once let step foot behind the library counter. The staff clearly didn’t want me there. I was born and breed in xxxxx. I have a degree in business management. When that scam finishes straight away I was put on Seetec, even though I was told in the dole office I wouldn’t have to do it because I just finished a 22 month gateway scam.

I don’t drive. I live on €193 per week, no money to eat and these people expect me to travel to Carrick on Shannon for this shit. Having to beg someone for lifts cos the bus and train times don’t coincide. One of the Seetec people said Seetec get €600 euro per person on their books from the government. The whole town of xxxxx has to go to Carrick for this shit. All taken off the live register to make the unemployment figures look good.

xxxxx is a derelict town. There are no jobs. It’s worse now than the 80’s when I had to emigrate to England for 10 yrs. Seetec want me to take any job. I am a 50 year old woman.

They are starting to put the pressure on now, telling us we will have to take any job even if it’s not what we want. Beggars can’t be choosers kind of thing. Would I consider bar work or a part-time cleaning job?  I asked about doing a community scheme instead and was told I can’t.

They would lose their commission.

This is all a big scam. FG, FF and Labour have totally ruined our country. How many Seetec offices are there all over the country? How many people are on them? It’s terrible.

I have seen really old men there. They have not a clue what’s going on. They know nothing about CV’s or computers.  Really sad!

Hi there,

I was recently referred to Seetec and I went along because I felt I had to. I'm not happy my personal info was passed on to them and I feel I'm being pushed into jobs I don't want already when I'm above qualified with a Masters for these jobs. I want to get something I studied. Can I refuse to participate because the Social Protection handed my info over without consent?

I want to add that I do suffer with a condition called trigeminal neuralgia/facial pain, so when I'm having a bad attack it prevents me from talking and eating etc. It started about 4 years ago.

They are trying to put me in customer service roles which requires a lot of talking and it's not possible for me weeks or months at a time when having a bad attack.

My medication helps take the edge of it to be able to function but that's about it. Can I request certain positions because of this? I have lots of consultant letters to back this up and had MRI and CT scans to see what's causing it.

Regards

Hi,

I read your article about Seetec. I was called on to the programme as soon as I graduated college, they didn't even give me enough time to collect my results and look for a job independently. I'm finishing up now in September. They have done absolutely nothing but waste my time then threaten to cut my money because they failed to send out appointments. I have received a letter from the Department of Social Protection regarding reviewing Seetec and what they do.

I'm gladly going to bring up some points you have brought up in your article about Seetec. I think the points you have brought up need to be highlighted and answers given. With no thanks to Seetec, I have found a job. They didn't help with my CV, there was nothing they could do.

I asked about work experience, they didn't have a clue. They had no idea about local transport, then proceeded to joke about "Getting people off their hands and shipping them that way".

I know several other people who have been/are on this programme and everyone says the same. Utter waste of time and money.

I have to pay €30 for a taxi up and back when I have appointments. This is €30 out of the €100 I get. They won't give me the money back as I don't drive my own car. I can't tell you how much of a scam this programme is. It's disgusting.

Thank you for posting this article, it was very informative and I will be sharing it to everyone I know. Keep up the good work.

I was put on this recently and I applied for widow’s pension to which I'm entitled to. I brought in the letter of confirmation of my application and the girl said I still have to go in there as planned until I receive my widows pension which could take 3 months.

I can't believe it! What a waste of my time and not to mention I did all that on my last course through VTOS. If I don't turn up my money will be cut. An absolute disgrace.

I went in to Social Protection to talk to someone about it and I couldn't as they told me that once you're transferred to Seetec they are in charge of you and not Social Protection and I didn't give Social Protection that approval.

To me it seems very wrong, it seems like Seetec owns you once they get your details.

I also know this other girl who's on the same course as me through VTOS and some days she has to go to Seetec and she's only in for 5 minutes but if she doesn't go her money is cut, that's the treat anyway.

It's basically taking advantage of vulnerable people.

I have two kids still dependent on me so I can't cope with that treat of cutting my money off.

That's why I decided to go on widow’s pension, even though I'm less off money wise as they won't pay children dependents on non-contributory widow’s pension, which to me is also very unjust.

Where can I go to stop Social Protection giving away my private data?

I am a plumber by trade and a plumber’s union member for 40 years. I just finished scam-gate on 27 of January and I was working for Fingal council for 22 months Just one question I would like to know. Why were we told there was a good chance of getting a job with council by Social Protection and the staff that told us they were not taking any? Why were we lied to? Now I find I am on another scam “JobPath” and a 30-year-old employee from Seetec knows what’s best for me and I am 60 years of age. It beggars believe!

I am just about sick of it and its bad enough taking a job at €10 an hour but why am I not given the same perks as any person coming to my country?

I'm completely frustrated with JobPath, so much so I have today gone to my local TD to complain. DSP says JobPath has funding available for courses I need, yet JobPath say they have no funding. I could be working tomorrow but JobPath is blocking me any way I turn.

I am disgusted to learn about Seetec and my personal data being handed over. I was only unemployed for 3 weeks when I was 'invited' to attend JobPath. I am beyond pissed-off!

I am currently on a Seetec course and have attended their office in Carrick on Shannon 3 times thus far.

On the 1st day we were sat in a room and shown some details on how Seetec works. The facilitator told us we would not hold a fire drill as there was no need! After this, the same facilitator wrote down my details. Their computer system was down.

My 2nd visit entailed giving all my details again to Catherine (different facilitator) as they had not put them on the system yet! This was some weeks after my first meeting. However, I came home and emailed my cv to Catherine.

For my 3rd and latest visit last week I had yet another facilitator, Heather I think. Catherine was rushing out and though I requested she send on my cv to Heather, a further 5 minutes later she left without sending it. I repeated much of the same as the other 2 occasions and she made an appointment to see me 27th March next.

This is a con!!! 3 visits on and no one had read my cv!

Joan Burton is a disgrace for allowing this!

I was called into Seetec nearly one year ago and now my year is nearly up. They are telling me I have to go to an interview in Swords.

The job is telephone sales for BT. It's called Convergy. I told her I am not at all interested in this job but she insists I go - and then to add insult, she emails that there is a €30 voucher for Dunnes Stores up for grabs, to whoever bags an interview first.

I'm just so bloody angry. Just got letter to attend Seetec and knew nothing about it. I was attending Intreo. I feel they are bullying me into taking up a job just to make them look good. Who gave Intreo the right to give my personal information to them anyway? Anyone the same problem? I feel so stressed over all this.

Hi there,

I had huge problems with my local SW Office but before Seetec were employed.

They treat people like criminals. I’ve gotten written requests to attend info sessions. When I called to say I couldn’t make it, I was told the letter wasn’t mandatory even though it said it was. I was told I was eligible for Springboard and did two days of course entry assessments. When I asked to be processed I was told I wasn’t eligible and that I’m a liar.

That course turned out to be a scam. I was suspended for pointing out that student complaints were being ignored and co-ordinators admitted it was designed to exponentially increase student numbers with no proper course structure.

The next course I attempted was falsely advertised as a specialist qualification but was one level below one I have already. I was refused leave to miss more than three practical sessions over a two-week timeframe to give birth, deal with a potential c-section and requests to present my qualification a level higher fell on deaf ears.

I queried paying for private course and was refused the stipend unless I had a definite job offer at the end. Other offices were baffled and told me they don’t put that stipulation on jobseekers. Any attempts I’ve ever made to call out SW on targeting or questionable or policy flouting resulted in receiving a threatening letter from them.

I reported them for two serious data protection breaches and the commissioner’s office issued a generic response and ultimately were threatened by the department to back off.

Advocacy agencies have been warned by them not to challenge them which I find very disturbing.

I’ve had instances whereby what was said in verbal meetings in their offices was denied by inspectors and emails sent were ridiculously 'polite' in contrast so I couldn’t prove what had been said.

A FOI request for my file very conveniently omits any record whatsoever of any cooperation on my part or efforts to stay in continuous employment. Legally sound verbal statements I have given have been were documented in an obscure way to make me look bad and other pertinent information was omitted or ignored to conveniently adversely affect my situation.

I can’t fathom how government staff can paint one picture of their policies and procedures and behave in an entirely different manner!

I recently read your article on Seetec and can confirm they are intimidating bullies. As for been out of work over a year, to be contacted, not a hope.

I wasn't out of work a month and was so called “invited” in but in the next lines threatened my welfare cut if I didn't comply.

What a joke of a system! I am on it now four months and have to go in every 2 weeks for meetings. I can find my own jobs thanks. I have got many of interviews myself. So far they roped me to one which I found was very badly paid and was told it was based 15 mins from me - but the job in fact is over an hour and a half away.

Anyways besides all that nonsense, I am getting phone calls every day from them, sometimes up to four a day. I have giving up answering as I think you will find it’s harassment and putting a lot of strain on my sanity.

So every two weeks I have an appointment but in the meantime ‘we will ring you every day’. No thank you. So when I was last in today, the woman says she's been trying to call me and I said “Oh, okay” and she continues “Is there something wrong with your phone?” I said “No”.

She looks in disgust so I asked her “Why were you calling?” and she replied “To check up on you”. So at this point my blood was boiling.

I don’t think I need a babysitter. I have and still am getting my own interviews on my own accord. Is there anything that people can do to stop these bullies and who is the voice of us? I just thought I would share my experience. I am sure there are others out there.

Dear Sir or Madam,

I was with interest I read your article re Seetec.  I would like to share my experience of Turas Nua with you. 

I received an invitation letter to attend Turas Nua in either May or June and had been attending for a short while when I got a job offer in August, so I signed off the dole and have not been in receipt of any welfare payment since. 

Yet. I still was receiving phone calls from Turas Nua wanting to know if I was still working full time and asking for my employer’s registration number. 

So two weeks ago I e-mailed them telling them that I did not need their help and if I did then I would contact them.  I received an e-mail from a lady called xxxxxxx xxxxxx telling me that if I would not give Turas Nua updates on my current circumstances then they would contact my employer directly and ask them because they are entitled to do this. 

When I read this I was furious because for obvious reasons I don't want my employer or colleagues knowing my business and again I repeat I am NOT on any Social Protection payment nor did Turas Nua find me this employment so what right have this private organisation to contact my employer to find out anything about me?

I rang xxxxxxx xxxxxx telling her that she or Turas Nuas has no business to do any such thing, I was no longer unemployed and how dare she even suggest such a thing.  She told me that at my initial meeting with Turas Nua I had signed forms giving them permission to contact a future employer.  I didn't recall doing any such thing and asked her to send me proof.

However, as it turns out I had signed such a form at meeting with Turas Nua, and yes, while I realise it was my own stupidity not to read what I was signing, the thought never crossed my mind I might be signing such a thing, I was handed forms and told to sign here and then there etc, and I only signed forms because I was told that failure to comply could result in my Social Protection payment getting cut off so anything I signed was under duress. 

I really don't know whether to laugh or cry at this organisations bully-boy tactics.  God knows it can be soul destroying enough being unemployed without being subjected to such behaviour and I am not even unemployed anymore. 

I have no idea if this has happened to anyone else, although I have a feeling it has happened with quite a few others, but I just wanted to share what has happened to me and my experience of Turas Nua with you.

Regards,

Subject: I left the UK because of Seetec.

This is a criminal organisation using bully-boy tactics. They will invent appointments you didn't attend and will treat you as a cretin when you produce the letter pointing to the different date when you did attend.

Their 'training' amounts to keeping you penned doing job searches which you could perfectly well do from home. If you show a hostile attitude you will get sanctioned.

Pity they have followed me across the Irish Sea. Shame on Joan Burton too; how did she ever get into the Labour party?

Subject: Turas Nua

Hi, my partner has been forced also onto this job scheme, but the funny thing is that he was badly injured in February. His finger chopped off on his first day of work by a brick, after almost 8 months hospital, they decided finger was dead and an operation was carried out to remove finger and also part of his knuckle as highly damaged. This excuse of job placement has done nothing but HOUND a man on sick certs and illness benefit since February and still continue to do so even though only last Friday he was placed on monthly benefit certs. They had him yet again *invited* for a meeting with bold writing or your money will be cut. Makes me laugh so much as he cannot even work, yet medical certs, hospitals notes, nothing matters to these people. They continue to hound a man on illness benefit since February to this day (12/10/2016)

Thanks for reading

Subject: Seetec Harassment

My partner has been unceremoniously harassed and bullied by Seetec since being 'invited' to take part in their programme. There was no choice but for him to take part, under threat of having his payment stopped (we have two young children, this was not taken into account.).

I find it disturbing that they have been given access to what should be private information, and meetings with them take place in an open shared space with other client’s present, so everyone can hear each other talking. My partner is deeply uncomfortable with this, as am I.

It seems like the most flagrant disrespect, and undermines clients' right to privacy in personal matters. It is clear that those on welfare in this country are being treated as sub human, and their personal issues and reasons for being unemployed are irrelevant.

The worst thing for me is that when my partner had initial dealing with Seetec, he was quite open to working with them and in getting help to get out if his situation and make genuine progress. Since then the nature of those dealings has progressively deteriorated, with him being treated like a child who must do what they tell him to do...or else.

I began to suspect that they were getting some sort of commission for clients getting off welfare, and upon the smallest bit of research my suspicions have been confirmed. It is yet another shameful turn in Irish politics to allow this to happen, and proof, if we needed it, that the politicians who have engineered this move are morally bankrupt with no interest in developing a proper vision that would advance the needs of the Irish people and our culture.

I recently decided to go a course which I can do while on jobseekers. I have been in Seetec since March going through the motions, but saw this course (nothing to do with Seetec) on coaching etc. I really, really want to do it. They almost did not allow me do it but the condition is, if they offer me a job I have to quit the course and cannot further myself. I am very annoyed and depressed over this. I also have to continue in Seetec applying for jobs while I do the course. Is there anything I can do?

Subject: Seetec bullying and threats

Constant threats and a barrage of requirements. When supplied, they informed me it wasn’t acceptable and I needed (to give) more and more and more...

They are nothing more than bullies. I even over hear a manager ask a member of staff ‘how many he had on his book’ and he should increase it and turn over more to make it look better. As a person who has a lifetime in sales I was amazed to hear people been used as a product list.

Seetec have cut my job seekers payment even though I gave them a doctor’s note to say “Due to a frozen shoulder I’m unfit for work”.

JOINT COMMITTEE ON SOCIAL PROTECTION  - Thursday, 20 October 2016

Deputy Denise Mitchell: …I want to touch on sanctions and travel. Who determines what is a reasonable distance and what sanctions will be taken? Is it indirectly a private company that decides ultimately whether the sanctions apply?

I want to touch on the rules of governance on JobPath as well. What conditions govern the procedures of the programme? Is there any code of practice, for instance, within the private companies relating to vulnerable persons? What auditing process takes place?

I have a few concerns about the private companies operating the programme. In a case I have seen, for instance, I had a 62 year old lady come to see me who is on the programme. She found herself very distressed. She went to see her adviser and she was given a sheet with 15 vacant slots on it to which she had to go and present. She then had to bring that sheet back so that it could be said she had looked for employment. It had to be stamped by employers. This was her second occasion to do this. At that age, she felt it was a little degrading to be knocking at the door of places. I took the day to go with her. We got only two signatures and two stamps because companies now do not have management available.

I'm completely frustrated with JobPath, so much so I have today gone to my local TD to complain. DSP says JobPath has funding available for courses I need yet JobPath say they have no funding. I could be working tomorrow but JobPath is blocking me any way I turn. I am disgusted to learn about Seetec and my personal data being handed over. I was only unemployed for 3 weeks when I was 'invited' to attend JobPath. I am beyond pissed-off!

Hi, I was called today for the 4th time to the Seetec office in Sligo. A girl who I initially met 3 weeks ago seemed nice enough today she was very different. Arrogant and patronising. I have to travel into Sligo from 24km away they don't care, I wanted to claim travel costs today as I only receive 12 Euros since December before that I would receive 60 Euros a wee. This raise came when my husband’s work had no overtime and he was back on minimum wage again.

They seem to be very sales oriented almost pushing me to do CV prep and Interview skill I am trained in teaching this I don't need it I told them this already and they keep pushing me to do it.

It is costing me more money to travel in. I have applied to over 20 jobs this week alone everything from cleaning to Microbiologist which I have a degree in. I am also a qualified English teacher. I was treated appallingly today, I so my job search there once a week its exactly the same as at home, indeed jobbio, jobs.ie and Sligo jobs there is nothing different. It is an absolute joke, they are wasting my time.

I am doing job interviews that I organise myself as I am highly professional and hope to get the hell away from asap. I have excellent computer skills and they still push me to do this shite that they have. I am so disgusted by this as I KNOW SEETEC is a for profit organisation and I want to take this further. Can you guys help me. I’m this close to signing off completely and leaving myself in an awful situation but I can’t cope with these people.

UnitedPeople replied to the person and in part of that reply, we invited them to the September 23^rd 2017 Dublin conference. They in turn, replied back to UnitedPeople…

 Thank you for the invitation, I wish I could attend however, because of the bullying I received from Seetec I signed off, I just couldn’t take it anymore. I traveled 50km into my meetings, never received any travel expenses I was in receipt of €140 a week, they said I would only receive travel expenses when I attended for bi-weekly appointment, with someone who was a little patronising so and so.

No privacy everyone could hear all your business. The people in there are not qualified to tell other people what to do with their lives. I know one of the guys worked in retails for 20 years and now he’s telling people what they are doing wrong that they can’t find work. The North West has pure muck for work but do they care?

I know people that were placed in full time jobs working for €300 a week. I have no faith in this country any more. Seetec in Sligo don’t care about the people, they want subsidies. The more asses in seats, the more they receive from our corrupt government.

I have no money but I have peace.

Kind regards

I’m engaged in the scheme but don't want to be. My partner works full time and had done for 13 years. I have been working 3 days per week for a year. We also have two young children and I suffer from anxiety and depression - and this is just making me worse. I was 10 minutes late for an appointment this morning which was for 9.30am. Because I had to take my kids to school, I was made feel like absolute crap. The woman was so ignorant. I'm 31 years of age and when I left I cried. Why do I have to do this when myself and my partner both work?