FSI Blog

A student says she was amazed and disgusted to find adverts for nude webcam operators on display at her local job centre.

Anna Ellis-Jones said she spotted the ads at a Jobcentre Plus office in Llangefni, Anglesey and at Bangor, Gwynedd. She called the discovery “sad, pitiful and depressing”. The Department of Work and Pensions said it had an obligation to allow all legal jobs to be advertised. But Ms Ellis-Jones, who is studying for a Masters degree in heritage management, added: “It is just bonkers in this day and age when we are encouraging safety for children on the internet, to come across job adverts like this.” She was looking for work at the Anglesey job centre when she saw the advert listed on a screen of job offers.

The advert states that the company concerned was “looking for adults aged 18+ for immediate start either from home or from employer site in Mitcham, Surrey”. “Guaranteed minimum wages per four hour shift. Duties require the successful applicant to be nude/semi-nude.” Under the heading “webcam operators” the company said it offered £10 an hour with 50% commission. It also adds: “Vacancy not suitable for under-18s. Please note that there is no obligation to consider making an application for this vacancy.”

Ruling

Ms Ellis-Jones said the adverts were inappropriate for a government-run agency. The Department for Work and Pensions insisted it must carry the offers, following a legal ruling in 2003. A spokesperson added: “These vacancies make up less than 0.016% of all vacancies advertised by Jobcentre Plus. “Jobcentre Plus has a duty to advertise any legal job. “We have a range of measures in place to safeguard jobseekers wishing to work in the adult entertainment industry.”