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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU - to think my 12yo DD has been horribly exploited?

49 replies

RollonDueDate · 10/04/2011 10:48

Sorry to make my first post a rant but I am just so angry!

My DD signed up to do a paper round at the local corner shop. After waking up at 6.00 yesterday and told- we gave it to a boy (grrrr) she was told to return today (Sunday) at the same time.

After 2 hours she returned home sad and said they refused to pay her for completing the round today because it was a "demo day" and to come back next week. OH went politely with her to the shop to find out what the situation was and they sacked her!!

I was so angry I went to the shop myself ranting and raving about the rights of the workers and employment laws (mitigation: I am 8 months pregnant and it was early). Overall though I am just so angry about what this is suppossed to teach DD about the value of work and how you can be exploited if you are young, a girl or dare to complain - AIBU?

OP posts:
GypsyMoth · 10/04/2011 10:50

yanbu!!!

take it further!!

LaurieFairyCake · 10/04/2011 10:50

Sorry, if it wasn't explained to her in advance that it was a demo day I'd take them to small claims court.

You can do it online, it's easy.

Bastards.

MsScarlett · 10/04/2011 10:51

No not at all. Very poor behaviour. Your poor dd. What a horrible dent to her confidence to be sacked from her first job at the age of 12 just for standing up for herself. x

animula · 10/04/2011 10:53

Wow.

"Demo day" = working for nothing? Just Shock.

They sound like hardened capitalist pigs.

Have you pointed out that if news of this sort of behaviour gets around, they'll lose some of their trade, as well as generating animosity in the local community?

animula · 10/04/2011 10:54

Like LaurieFairyCakes, I was wondering about the small claims court. They really, really shouldn't be allowed to get away with it. It's wrong on many levels.

Groovee · 10/04/2011 10:54

That's awful and they need to be reported to which ever department it is who deals with it. A paper shop close to us when I was a teen got done for employing under 11's on their paper rounds as the law stated 13. They're taking the pee out of your daughter,

Zippylovesgeorge · 10/04/2011 10:55

Should warn them they are in the wrong - you have to be 13 to do a paper round or any part-time job - plus you need a work permit from your school.

Suggest this to them and hope they pay up - if not take it further.

LynetteScavo · 10/04/2011 10:55

Is 12 old enough to do a paper round? Hmm

"Demo day" or not she should have been paid, IMO, but maybe they realised she is too young.

balia · 10/04/2011 10:56

I didn't think under 13's were allowed to work?

Original poster
RollonDueDate · 10/04/2011 10:56

Thanks so much for the reassurance - never quite sure if it is the pregnancy hormones making it all seem so much worse Blush

OP posts:
Original poster
RollonDueDate · 10/04/2011 11:01

Zippy: I did think she was too young (she is v tall so I told her to state her age so they knew). She was just so keen to earn some money for phone credit and they said it was ok so I just assumed..

Oh well back to the stress tested bank of mum and dad!

OP posts:
GypsyMoth · 10/04/2011 11:01

yes,you have to be over 13!

superv1xen · 10/04/2011 11:03

thats disgusting. what bastards, exploiting a little girl for the sake of what, about a fiver? Angry

cazza40 · 10/04/2011 11:04

Yanbu they sound like a horrible bunch

superv1xen · 10/04/2011 11:04

and spread it around your neighborhood, hopefully people will boycott them and stop going there.

LynetteScavo · 10/04/2011 11:06

Just out of interest, did they say how much they were going to pay her?

Leverkusen · 10/04/2011 11:09

That's appalling, your poor DD. I hate 'demo ' days. As a student I was dirt poor, so went to get a job in a local well known international, sandwich making shop. I had worked for same company, but different franchise, in my hometown for 4 years, was fully trained etc and good at it (it is quite a hard job you might be surprised to know!)

Worked a 'demo' day, 8 hour shift on a Saturday! 8 hours! Obviously I got the job afterwards but I was fuming.

Original poster
RollonDueDate · 10/04/2011 11:12

she was meant to be paid £4 for 17 houses (we live on a hill). Not big bucks (as i seem to recall shouting) but agreed nonetheless.

OH - thinks I'm slightly insane right now especially as my raging has brought on a nosebleed.

I think I can set the record for the most time/ energy/ legal investigation spent trying to recover £4!

OP posts:
Leverkusen · 10/04/2011 11:19

It;s the principle though. Why have they exploited and upset a little girl? Disgusting behaviour.

GiddyPickle · 10/04/2011 11:20

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

fanbloodytastic · 10/04/2011 12:02

Pregnancy hormones rock... totally off topic here but I went into school as my oldest was being bullied and the headmistress tried to tell me it was because of my hormones (I was 39w+4d)... I took a deep breath and let all my hormones do the talking quite freely (I had nothing to lose I was hoping to inuce myself!)... Silly arse didn't make the same mistake again! You should do the same.. bottle up the hormones and let rip on the tighfisted, exploiting scum bag (wow - that was a bit strong...think I'm feeling those hgormones for you lol)

YADDDDDNBU! They don't have a leg to stand on whatever way you look at it and if they knew she was 12 then they have even less... I'm sure they could risk a whopping fine for employing underage!

fatlazymummy · 10/04/2011 12:06

Yes report them. I used to work in newspaper distribution, it is definitely illegal to employ under 13 year olds. Even then they need a permit and permission from the school, so it is irrelevant if she lied about her age or not. It is their responsibility to check.

LadyOfTheManor · 10/04/2011 12:06

Remind them that employing a child this young is illegal and comes under illegal child labour...and that you want your £4 or you will be alerting the authorities.

The monies owed is irrelevant it's the principal.

thefirstMrsDeVere · 10/04/2011 12:07

Tesco do this - yes TESCO.

They call in young men for 'interviews'. This involves doing a night/early morning shift, loading lorries and other heavy work. They do the whole shift for no pay.

They are then told they are not successful.

Imagine how much free labour they get like this.

I cant say this is Tesco policy. Could be a rogue manager taking the piss but it happened in our local HUGE store.

EricNorthmansMistress · 10/04/2011 12:42

They could face a fine of £1000ish I think if they got caugt employing children without the right permit or license or whatever it is, apart from her being underage. Idiots. Print some stuff about child employment laws from the internet and go in with it. I imagine your DD will get her pay :)

I hate that 'trial shift' thing. I worked somewhere where the owners refused to properly staff it and they would advertise a job, line up a different 'trial' for each day 12-3 and we would have to manage with untrained 'triallers' to cover the busy period. I quit after being expected to work a 12 hour shift on a saturday and being told 'you can't have a proper break on a weekend' Angry