to be annoyed by being paid for work via a pocketmoney card?

[hamptonhangingpork]

Just want to see if I am being unreasonable here.

I've picked up a job as a Christmas Temp at Tesco this Winter, gave in my bank details as requested for being paid as per the letter contract.

However, in the post today, I've received a Tuxedo prepay card. Yes kids, the same thing you'd give your teenager. I will be paid through this pre-loaded card to save Tesco on their administrative fees.

Infantilising at best I know, however I could suck it up were it not for the fact that it will cost me money to use for bills, direct debits etc. etc. I know I can use it in the shops, but I feel like it's an extra burden on those of us who are picking up extra hours working in a shop. You know, just to pay bills.

What do you think? Has anyone else had this experience?

And for the record, no, the pocketmoney card was not mentioned at all in any of the recruitment gumpf, contract or anywhere outside a Google search which has yielded that Tesco are using it for their temp staff.

[Furgggggg12]

You need to be paid PAYE. have you called them?

[hamptonhangingpork]

Yes, mysteriously the Wages department keep hanging up when I try to call.

It's almost as if the temp staff may be calling them right now.

[Venusflytwat]

Whaaaaat?

Are you self employed with them?

[hamptonhangingpork]

No, I'm not.

Just joined as a Festive Colleague. Went through induction, done a few shifts already. Now got a Tuxedo card with a big happy congratulations through the post.

I've looked at the website and it seems Tesco are rolling them out for temp staff like me.

I'm not sure where it leaves me for things such as payslips, I was given the web address to download.

But come on, a pocket money card?

[flissfloss65]

Just looked this up as never seen it used for wages.

An awful way to be paid when you have dd that need paying as it a load of hassle for you to set up standing orders with it. It also looks like you're charged for using cash points.

I would really struggle being paid this way but it is being marketed as a wages method of payment.

[hamptonhangingpork]

It's quite upsetting because if I had known about it, I wouldn't have taken a job at Tesco to tell you the truth. I would have taken a zero hours job elsewhere.

I'm going to be stuck with the card just to get my pay whether I do the full 10 weeks or 1 because I will still have to pay to move my money if I need to pay a bill that can't be paid through a shop.

It's the next step from opening financial products in my name without permission or paying me in Tesco vouchers.

[strangeEvents]

I have a bad feeling that TESCO will have had clever lawyers and others investigate it and it will be entirely legal.

[BatteredBreadedOrSouthernFried]

OH wow! This is interesting, I couldnt take a job that was paid in this way. I need income into my account to pay bills and also, I need proof of my income for claiming housing benefit. If I was on JSA I would have to turn down this job, how would that go down with the job centre?? Not well I am sure.

[jay55]

Will the fees to transfer the money take you below minimum wage?

[flissfloss65]

Can you set up a standing order to put it all in your bank account each month?

Or else take out the max at the ATM for a few days and put in your own bank. Not ideal as you'll be charged but you'd be free of the card til the following month.

[BreakfastAtSquiffanys]

That's dreadful.
You work to earn money to pay for things other than Tesco groceries

[Aridane]

This is what Tuxedo say about it on their website.

Can you not just transfer the balance to your bank account??

[MovingOnUpMovingOnOut]

That is appalling.

I think it is unlawful because you are incurring costs to use it.

Speak to ACAS.

[NaughtToThreeSadOnions]

I'm not sure where it leaves me for things such as payslips, I was given the web address to download

Download what? Your payslip? I would say it's fairly normal. Well it will increasingly be so. My job i was made redundant from in March had been using online payslips for a year talking about it for over two. My current job, a really really small charity, switched to them when I started in April. So I'm not surprised Tescos are. It's just a normal pay slip tax and NI aren't affected you just don't get a physical payslip.


As for the card, I'm guessing it's because they've presumed, wrongly, that the majority of their temp staff are going to be well, teenagers, who are picking up a job over Christmas while on holiday from school/college or home from university. And if it's teenagers from school/college maybe they have had problems in the past paying wages because they don't have bank accounts. So along with the paperless wage slips they've decided to roll out these cards.

That said I'm not really sure why they'd presume this because each year there's clearly an influx of not teenagers like you who pick up the extra hours to help with the load around Christmas. And maybe there should be an option of card or bank account like there would be cash or bank account.

[MovingOnUpMovingOnOut]

How difficult or expensive is it to move money to your bank account?

[Mummyoflittledragon]

That’s disgusting. Can you withdraw cash on it and use it as a cash float or literally withdraw the cash and physically pay it into your bank account? Major hassle.

[Aridane]

sorry - forgot to include the link - www.tuxedomoneysolutions.com/our-partners/clients/tesco/

[brasty]

Giving people an option to be paid this way because they don't have a bank account, is very different to only paying this way. OP why not contact Martyn Lewis about this? It is the kind of thing he would be interested in.

[Aridane]

This is what Tuxedo say about it on their website.

Can you not just transfer the balance to your bank account??

[expatinscotland]

I'd quit and work elsewhere. That's fucking disgusting.

[Aridane]

Seems to have been going on for a while. Also discussed in other forums.

www.urban75.net/forums/threads/my-employer-has-signed-me-up-for-a-tuxedo-card.236251/

Very odd

[hamptonhangingpork]

I don't mind downloading my wage slips it's just that no one can give me my employee number because they are on the pay slip. And wages / managers keep hanging up when I try to call.

[hamptonhangingpork]

Thanks Brasty, I think I will.

[Traffig]

www.gov.uk/pay-and-work-rights

Give them a call to clarify the situation.

[Aridane]

Going on since at least 2014 - www.thedibb.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=845475