Benefit claimants told job applications would be binned at garden centre
9 December 2014
A garden centre manager has come under fire for writing in a job advert that applications from benefit claimants would be binned.
Tue, 9 Dec 2014
A garden centre manager has come under fire for writing in a job advert that applications from benefit claimants would be binned.
Various media outlets have reported that Gavin Oram, manager at Hastings Garden Centre in St Leonards-on-Sea in East Sussex, posted the advert on social media site Facebook.
The advert has since been removed.
He reportedly wrote: “I need a reliable staff member at the Hastings Garden Centre Café as a cook. If you are in receipt of benefits your application is going in the bin.”
The advert drew immediate criticism from those who saw it, including from recent benefit claimant Alan James, who said the post was “derogatory towards benefit claimants, insulting and infuriating”.
Oram later wrote: “It [the advert] is not getting reworded, I already have my books full of benefit claimants and don’t need any more.”
Jason Danciger, food and beverage director at Wyevale Garden Centres, which runs the Hastings centre, said in a statement provided to Recruiter that the organisation was “sincerely sorry” and that Oram’s views did not represent those of the company.
He continued to say: “Our recruitment and selection policy states: ‘All candidates who apply for jobs will receive fair treatment and will be considered solely on their ability to do the job’.”
A spokesperson for the centre told Recruiter: "The company takes the actions of its employees extremely seriously and as a consequence of the comments posted on Facebook, immediately suspended the individual and commenced formal disciplinary proceedings, which are ongoing".
A garden centre manager has come under fire for writing in a job advert that applications from benefit claimants would be binned.
Various media outlets have reported that Gavin Oram, manager at Hastings Garden Centre in St Leonards-on-Sea in East Sussex, posted the advert on social media site Facebook.
The advert has since been removed.
He reportedly wrote: “I need a reliable staff member at the Hastings Garden Centre Café as a cook. If you are in receipt of benefits your application is going in the bin.”
The advert drew immediate criticism from those who saw it, including from recent benefit claimant Alan James, who said the post was “derogatory towards benefit claimants, insulting and infuriating”.
Oram later wrote: “It [the advert] is not getting reworded, I already have my books full of benefit claimants and don’t need any more.”
Jason Danciger, food and beverage director at Wyevale Garden Centres, which runs the Hastings centre, said in a statement provided to Recruiter that the organisation was “sincerely sorry” and that Oram’s views did not represent those of the company.
He continued to say: “Our recruitment and selection policy states: ‘All candidates who apply for jobs will receive fair treatment and will be considered solely on their ability to do the job’.”
A spokesperson for the centre told Recruiter: "The company takes the actions of its employees extremely seriously and as a consequence of the comments posted on Facebook, immediately suspended the individual and commenced formal disciplinary proceedings, which are ongoing".
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