Should I advise DS to quit his job?

[Jessiesgirlisstacysmom10yearsLater]

DS is 18 and has ASD (if that’s relevant, he’s quite high functioning). He’s at college at the moment doing BTECs for a field he wants to go into. He also has a part time job working in the kitchen. He previously did another job as a kitchen Porter and absolutely loved that, but sadly he had to leave as that business closed. He wants to quit and his reasons are:

• no free food

• Frequently expected to stay past his time unpaid for cleaning things down

• Feels the chef and the other KP are better friends and just talk between themselves leaving DS out of the conversation

• Following on from this, the other two often do the cooking between them leaving DS doing the washing up the entire shift which he finds boring and not what he signed up for

• On his 18th birthday the pay rise he got put him up to minimum wage for an 18 year old (having previously been given above minimum for a 16 year old)

• Not allowed to eat any left over food (they sometimes over cater or food isn’t up to standard) due to ‘health and safety’
• No free drinks expect tap water

• Find the owner of the business fake and annoying

• Told off for every little thing he does wrong

• Doesn’t have anything in common with his colleagues

DS feels he’s being under valued and is tired of working there. My concern is that if he quits now over Xmas they will absolutely hate him as it’s their busiest period and we live in a small town (won’t say where as outing but it’s in the south east). That being said I agree they sound quite bad but I don’t want him to make enemies. What should DS do?

Can be find other work first? By the time he's got the next job Xmas could be over.

I'd advise him to say and wait it out. Would he get another job before Christmas? Would he need a reference for a new job?

I'd leave it up to him. He's 18, he's an adult. Tell him you support him whatever he decides.

Hi Op. Honestly, that all sounds very standard for the hospitality industry even though some of the rules may seem petty and silly. Why would he automatically be allowed food and drinks for free, unless that was mentioned on the contract? There's often cliques as well and different people chat more than others.

What sort of stuff is he getting told off for? Is it stuff he shouldn't be getting wrong at this point or does it seem like he's being told off unfairly for stuff he shouldn't expected to know?

Are you sure his extra hours are unpaid? Most hospitality jobs I've had, have worked on a clock in and out system so you do get paid any overtime you do. Was he expecting/promised a payrise?

The hospitality industry is on its knees at the moment so I imagine it's very hard work. Kps in partiular do often seem to get all the shit jobs but its good character building at least. Its not fun to dislike your job but honestly, I'd recommend he sticks it out and see if it gets better. I'm sorry he is struggling but if I'm honest none of the things you mentioned sound particularly unreasonable other than the unpaid overtime bit, but I'm fairly sure he would get paid for any time he's clocked in.

• no free food
• Not allowed to eat any left over food (they sometimes over cater or food isn’t up to standard) due to ‘health and safety’
• No free drinks expect tap water

Why would there be, I understand he works in a food environment but there is no obligation for them to provide free food.

• Following on from this, the other two often do the cooking between them leaving DS doing the washing up the entire shift which he finds boring and not what he signed up for

What is his job? If he is kitchen help them washing up would be the majority of his role.

• On his 18th birthday the pay rise he got put him up to minimum wage for an 18 year old (having previously been given above minimum for a 16 year old)

Was he ever told his salary would be above min wage for 18 yr old. The company are meeting their legal obligation. If they hadn't told him that he would get more then he should not have expected it.

• Feels the chef and the other KP are better friends and just talk between themselves leaving DS out of the conversation
• Find the owner of the business fake and annoying
• Told off for every little thing he does wrong
• Doesn’t have anything in common with his colleagues

He will probably never find a job where he is universally like and universally likes everyone he works with. Developing interpersonal skills and mechanisms for dealing professionally with people you don't particularly like is part of working.

• Frequently expected to stay past his time unpaid for cleaning things down

This is an issue, particularly as he is paid minimum wage, so any extra time actually puts him below minimum wage which they aren't allowed to do.

Overall it sounds like he's not enjoying the job and should start looking for a different role. However the things he's identified don't seem like on the surface they are any different to the things he will likely experience in other workplaces so he does need to have realistic expectations.

Does he need the money and how easy would it be to find another job?
Honestly the reasons he has given - apart from the nitpicking - are all a bit silly.

Oh and the unpaid overtime is not great either.

Kitchen porters don't generally get paid more than minimum wage. He's new there so he's given the crap jobs, that's standard. He's not friends with his colleagues - has he tried to make friends with them?

It sounds like he has very high expectations of freebies and perks without wanting to put in the graft.

Additionally, why wouldn't he be told off when he does things wrong? How hard is washing up that he's frequently being told off?

This all sounds pretty standard, I worked in a couple of restaurants when at college.
I think he needs to adjust his expectations of what a workplace is like. I have never worked anywhere that provides staff with food or drink apart from tap water. Even the tea/coffee costs get deducted from our wage each month.

BIL is a chef for years and the free food is an unwritten rule in any decent kitchen apparently.

I'd quit and get something I'd enjoy more if he can afford to

Working in a restaurant and not getting fed is absolutely shit tbh. Like working in Starbucks and not getting a coffee!

Not being paid for the cleaning up time is out of order, he's not a volunteer. No free food is petty, but if that's their rule, that's what it is.

I'd advise him to start looking for another job and quit when he's got one. If he's being unpaid and doesn't feel comfortable with his boss and work colleagues, it's not worth staying.

I have to say my 18 year old is working as a KP at the moment and his older brother did too over the summer, middle son works in a cafe in a more general role, they ALL get meals & drinks provided ( as did anyone else who worked in hospitality that I've known). From stories I've heard many managers in hospitality are having a tough time, tempers are fraying and DS didn't receive any real training in exactly what he was expected to do and then got bollocked when his cleaning wasnt up to scratch, he is paid more than minimum wage and gets a share of tips plus food, it has certainly been character building though however, he gets on well with the other young staff, don't think he would have stuck it out otherwise. He is planning to quit before Christmas though as he wants to come home for the holidays and also has portfolio work to get ready.

My DD (17) works at a local restaurant and she gets tons of free food!