Government Jobmatch site filled with duplicate job listings
The government’s Universal Jobmatch website continues to list potentially bogus and duplicated job ads, despite our recent investigations into its misuse.
A spot check of the government’s Universal Jobmatch website undertaken by Channel 4 News has found that more than one in five adverts listed are copies.
Analysing a random sample of 2.7 million jobs placed on the site in the last 12 months, we found that more than 650,000 offered duplicated descriptions.
The news comes as former minister for welfare reform, Frank Field, has claimed Jobmatch is “bedevilled with fraud” and “out of control”, after the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) confirmed to him that more than 350,000 vacancies advertised on the site are suspected of breaching the government’s own terms and conditions.
Those claiming jobseekers’ allowance are required to use the site as a condition of receiving benefits. Field is calling on the secretary of state, Iain Duncan Smith, to “get a grip”.
Read: Why is government website carrying fake jobs?
Last month, an investigation by Channel 4 News revealed that one in fifty jobs on the website were potentially bogus.
The jobs, which appeared to come from a variety of companies, were actually the responsibility of a single man who couldn’t prove they were genuine.
That investigation attempted to track down some of the advertised positions but was unable to find a single genuine employer behind them. The adverts were subsequently removed by the DWP.
Listings removed
Tonight the Department admitted that it has “identified a number of jobs and employers which may not meet our terms and conditions.”
“This does not mean they are bogus or unlawful but could, for example, be jobs for franchises or jobs that require recruitment of other members.”
It added: “Universal Jobmatch revolutionises the way jobseekers look for work. The vast majority of employers post genuine jobs, and we crack down on those who don’t play by the rules.
“We also regularly monitor the site and remove jobs that don’t meet our rules, such as duplicate advertisements.”
Get in touch and share your experiences of using the Universal Jobmatch website by emailing us here.