McDonalds or the Dole?

Question

If you found yourself in a hole in between jobs and had to choose between signing on the dole or working in MaccyD's as a stopgap what would you choose?

Proponents of low skilled immigration claim we "need" immigrants to do these jobs, as British people wont' "do" them and would prefer to sign on. This is untrue.

My other half worked in MaccyD's for quite a while when he first came to Wales and was looking for a "proper" job - to him it was a matter of pride. He hates claiming benefits and prefers to work even if its crap work.

Plus

1) a crappy job is better money than dole - 40 hours at £5.35 ph = £200-ish per week + tax credits. Dole is £57 per week.

2) Its always easier to get a job when you already have a job. Even a crap one.

3) Even a low status, burger-flipping job looks better on your CV than *gaps* in your employment history, and provides some basic "skills" (customer service, cash handling etc) which you can dress up.

What would you do?

The Dole = British slang for Unemployment Benefit (or "Jobseekers Allowance" and its now called), sort of like your Welfare System I imagine. Its a benefit that can be claimed by those out of work.

jibbarjabar - I had no idea minimum wage was so low in the USA. Its currently £5.35 per hour here but goes up yearly (not by much though!) Still 40 hours a week at Min wage will give you about £200 and with Tax credits of about £30-£40 you could take home around £210 per week (after tax, you won't pay much on that amount). Much better than £57 per week Jobseekers!

Answer 1

The thing you are missing here is, along with claiming Dole comes free housing and no council tax to pay !! So from there point of view they would be worse off flipping Burgers !! I'm not saying I agree but this is fact and if you have kids your set for the next 16 years, So you can see why some people wont do it !! :)

Answer 2

I agree with you, I´d rather keep my dignity and remain in some form of employment. The reasons you have mentioned are all valid, especially the point about long-term unemployment, prospective employers will always be put off by this - I believe it is known as the ´scarring effect´.

"Low status" work isn´t demeaning in my opinion, I´d certainly never look down on anybody who does an honest day´s work. When I was at university I had many menial jobs - I worked as a kitchen porter, for example, with ex-cons. Whilst it wasn´t the most pleasant job I have had, it makes me appreciate the work I do now.

I believe there should be a welfare state, however, I believe that we should discourage welfare dependency. The Japanese model is the one I find the most interesting - if you claim welfare the government will find you work. I understand the government even employs people to pass the money/receipt between the driver and the booth operator at tolls on the motorways!

Answer 3

I used to work in mcdonalds when i was about 15. I lasted 2 weeks. I could not stand the smell and being constantly shouted at in that pseudo military amercian style of management. So, having had the experience, whether I worked there again, it would depend on my level of desparation. If I was out of a job but had been previously on quite good money so had either savings or a back up fund, or even some overdraft or credit card monies, AND was expecting to start someting in a few weeks, I wouldnt bother. However, If I didnt have anything to fall back on and my unemployement was going to be ongoing, I would have to find a job anywhere in order to live, so yes, if it was my only option I would. I do believe that there are jobs that 'british' people wont do and largely they are in the cleaning and public service or hospitality industries.

Answer 4

10/10
Thats the spirit.
I would cancel the welfare state overnight.
I believe if you haven't paid in you can't take out.
I also believe that between the ages of 18 and 60 you can only claim for 10 years and thats it.
Then you could double the amount of benefit for those who deserve it.
I would ban people from having more than 3 kids.
etc etc etc.
I have a massive problem with single mums caning benefits and people of colour with 7 kids.
Who will never work and end up in jail.
I use to feel sorry for the unemployed as ive been there myself.
But you have people who don't want to work and thats wrong when you are young.

Answer 5

I would work. I have been in that situation before. almost 5 years ago I was laid off of my job. I could have drawn unemployment insurance for several months. But I took a job that paid less than I had been making and had no health insurance benefits.
If I hadnt taken that job I wouldnt have been in the right place at the right time to be able to get the job I have now.
I worked the job I had to take for a year, and then went to the job I have no now and im doing great.

And as far as teh McDonald's and minimum wage, well anywhere in teh USA I have been at least, McDonalds pays higher than minimum wage. with low unemployment they have to. Its not like its a huge amount of money but its something. And who is going to want to hire someone who has been sitting on their butt when they could have been working at something at least.

Answer 6

I work and its cos I was on the dole for 6 months before
a) I got SO BORED!
and
b) I was paid by income support the money I was owed.

They dont pay you immediatly- they do pay up eventually but it takes so long and back payment arrives in a cheque which adds days to you getting money into you account. Make sure your in credit with the bank or your overdraft limit is ok as they dont pay bank fees or overdraft interests.

On the good side- housing benefit if you dont work and council tax benefit of you dont work make it certain you can live and have a roof over your head, you just then only have to worry about how far you can make £57 a week spread for food, electrics, tv licence, travel and going out

Mc donalds -you must really love their food, the wage if you do it full time is 9K a year, (minus tax) and this meand you have to get help with housing -though you will still be paying some amonut towards your rent and council tax.
All in all, it works of worse to get working minimum wage unless you have someone pay your rent/you live with your parents.

I can only offer you the advice I follow- I work in a minimum wage job at river island, I can only do up to 16 hours a week before I loose my council tax and housing benefit and have 22% tax to pay as oppose to 10% tax which I currently pay from my wages.
I can earn about £80 a week but then you have to take off tax for 16 hours a wek, I have this insted of income support.
Or I can work 4 hours a week and still be allowed to get income support in full (The first £20 of your earning is not taken into accout)

Be aware that when I last worked over 16 hours they didnt take into account th fact I was loosing 22% tax and so I actually lost the money as they had me paying rent and council tax and not recieving income support, I lost out.

Trying to argue this with income support is SO frustratinf, it becomes like a full time job and you begin to wonder how you will ever find work again as all you time is taken up waiting on the phone for answers about money they owe you, and waiting on hold and being passed through to dead lines or them loosing your claim...

Mcdonalds is dull and tireing from what I hear (river island is not much better I can promise you) but at least I go home knowing money is in the bank and I can shout at my manager when it doesnt, not a brown plastic handset!

Answer 7

I agree with you and commend the attitude of your other half in taking a job whilst he waited for the right job for him to come along
It's a shame that in these present times too many people will opt for unemployment benefit topped up with family credits .
The welfare state was set up to ensure those living in poverty and who could not work , or find work had some standard of living
Nowadays the government points to low unemployment ( and to be fair more jobs in the economy) but conveniently glosses over the ridiculously high level of those on incapacity benefit .

Answer 8

Take the blasted job in McD and get out of it ASAP the same as most other people. If an employer queiries it tell himstraight. I'd say he would prefer that to someone content to sit around on benefits

Answer 9

McDonalds always, any job (within reason) is better than none as u dont become idle and u have a social network at work and a routine. Scrounging off the dole when u dont need to is pretty low

Answer 10

Well if you are under 20 mcdonalds is fine..if your like say 37...you would be better off spending all your time looking for work in other areas..or doing voluntry work and using your skills that way.

(oh and at that age you realise that "dignity" and "self worth" are bullshit words used by crap people - to manipulate you into doing what they want - and you would never find either of them working in Mcdonalds).

And if your a vegitarian...well it's the dole.