Older teenager and seasonal work

[Idontmeanto]

Dd (16) is in sixth form. She’s recently picked up a seasonal part time job in retail at a national chain. During the recruitment process they were told the work was flexible with hours and could be arranged to suit, she therefore signed a contract to work 15 hours a week in addition to full time study. She’s not been able to show me a copy of this contract so I’m not aware of the wording.
Having now started the job she is being required to work both Saturday and Sunday, which I’m unhappy with as I feel she will be exhausted without a day off. We had envisioned one weekend day and one or two afternoon/evenings after school.

The response from her manager has been that this “does not meet the needs of the business” and she is being told to cut her hours by 1/3 and still work on both Saturday and Sunday or bunk off timetabled classes to make up the hours in the week.

I would like her to walk away from the job, much as i’m proud of her for getting it, because I feel it’s too much of a risk to her wellbeing and education. I’m also wary there is a bit of workplace bullying going on as apparently another temporary employee has been accommodated. Any advice from people who work in the sector please? or have experience of temporary contracts?

That’s what seasonal work is, she’s quite lucky it’s not both weekend days and a weekday which is normal when I’ve went for it. Like it or lump it I think

Right, dd would like to amend the following:
Conversation about flexibility of start time were made in passing.
The other employee is not temporary but permanent, although also a full time student.
Nobody has told her to skip classes, although apparently i’m assuming it was implied because the possible start time she has been given coincides with lessons.

Assuming they know she is still at school they should accomodate that she will be on a temp contract she will be lucky to see it. Let her sort it herself and if it gets too much she can leave .

Unfortunately Saturday and Sunday working is pretty standard in retail, especially for pt/seasonal staff. Would it be 8 hours on a Sat and 6 on a Sunday?

Maybe a late night shopping shift 4.30 till 8 or something like that

MrsJayy that’s what we had envisioned, the shopping centre is open until 8pm every night. There’s one day a week she could get there for 2.30 and four she could be in for 4.30. The store won’t consider a start time later than 12 noon. She did tell them this at interview, although the manager she’s dealing with wasn’t part of that process.

She is just going to keep telling them "I'm at School" if they are going tobe awkward about it she should leave, poor girl trying her best and getting mucked about.

I recruit seasonal temps. If she is at school then naturally she would be scheduled at weekends.
If she is old enough to get a job, she is old enough to deal with her contract. Mums getting involved drove me mad when I’ve had it.
Not many shifts exist 430-8 in retail. I assume they want a 12-8 shift on the later days. Temps are to flex around permanent staff and indeed the needs of the business. I get so many applications for temp roles.
If it doesn’t suit her, it’ll suit plenty of others.
I applaud her trying to work and study.

Maybe it’s the clarity of the recruitment process that’s the issue. I’m not typically a helicopter parent but I’m not going to stand back where her health and educational attainment are concerned.

Well, possibly. Retail is pretty fluid. The requirements can change. Does she want to resign? It’s for what, two months?
I have had temps who don’t work out. What I’ve also had are people returning to work/students who think that shifts will fit around their requirements. In reality, I am very fair but expectations need to be realistic from both points of view. They need someone when it suits them which is weekends if not when she is at school. Anyone approaching me for a job for 15 hours a week when they are a full time student would raise concerns as to their availability and commitment.
She must have 12 hours rest between shifts and break entitlements are slightly different too.