Advertising porn at Job Centre

Justin Rollings found an advert at the St Leonards Road branch for webcam operators working from home.

When he investigated further he discovered that successful applicants had to be aged 18 or over and were required to work nude or semi-nude.

Justin, of Silvester Road, looked up the Mitcham-based company on the net and said this confirmed his initial thought that this was a "pornographic website".

Redundant since the end of last year, Justin, 39, has been actively looking for work in the media industry, having worked in web and graphic design, and said he is "disgruntled" with what is on offer at the Job Centre.

He said: "I often look for jobs on the computerised systems in the Job Centre only to find that either the vacancy does not exist or that the position, which was initially advertised as 'Local', is in fact not local but nationwide and that the position locally does not exist.

"In this instance I am appalled that the Job Centre, which is a Government run body, is effectively condoning the explicit exploitation of women which is the sex industry.

"I printed the details of this job as I first saw the words 'Web Cam Operators' and 'Work from home' so I thought this could be something I could do without travelling etc.

"Once I printed the information off I then read 'Vacancy not suitable for under 18's' and ...'Duties require the successful applicant to be nude/semi nude'.

"I took this to the clerk and mentioned that I thought this sounded dubious....and his response was the same. The problem was that there was little or no other information on the vacancy or the company itself.

"This to me is scandalous.

"Is there no central office that is 'screening' the positions that come in and ensuring that they are legitimate and something that the Government are happy to advertise?"

A Department of Work and Pensions spokesperson said: "Jobcentre Plus has a duty to advertise any legal job.

"Legal vacancies within the adult industry come within this, a requirement which was confirmed in a legal test case brought by the Ann Summers company in 2003.

"The High Court over-turned Jobcentre Plus's policy which did not accept certain types of adverts connected with the sex and personal services industries.

"We thoroughly investigate complaints about employers including those in the adult entertainment industry and service to specific employers has been withdrawn in the past.

"We have safeguards in place to ensure customers are fully aware of the nature of these jobs. Our advisers always check on the full details of any vacancies notified to us.

"Jobcentre Plus customers can choose whether or not to pursue these vacancies.

"Customers do not receive benefit sanctions if they do not apply for these vacancies."