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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

in thinking this work experience is exploitation?

69 replies

sweetkitty · 13/04/2012 18:44

Bit of background first DNeice leaves school at 15 as she can't be bothered, it was a few months before her 16th birthday so by the time the authorities got around to doing anything she was 16.

Anyway for the next 2 years she has done nothing, not looked for work oh she went to college for a week once!

My SIL is a soft touch DN has a temper and SIL is scared of her, she has walked over SIL forever, SIL pays for hair extensions, her extensive wardrobe, nights put, £160 a month phone etc

Once she turned 18 SIL frogmarched her to the DSS hoping that they would sort her out.

She's now on work experience in a bar so she can have done sort of CV whilst I think on the one hand this is good for her to actually work, on the other hand she is only receiving her file money, she's working full time for less than minimum wage, she has to do 2 months and if she's good she'll get kept on. Don't quite see that happening as there will be done other person they can get in and pay nothing.

I know there's no jobs put there but one can be found as long as its not costing the company anything, it's sheer exploitation.

OP posts:
RedHelenB · 13/04/2012 18:50

Tbh, in this situation I actually agree with it. Why should she do bugger all & not contribute to society in any way. She had the choice to continue her education or to try to find a job after all. DSS have sorted her out which your SIL failed to do. I do think the idea isn't that they have a regular turnover of work experience people but I do see what you are saying. At least now her CV will show her willing to work & hopefully she will get a good reference.

Groovee · 13/04/2012 18:52

Seeing how lazy she has been since then yes, I agree with her doing work experience for just the basic benefits.

tethersend · 13/04/2012 18:54

YANBU.

She is working full time.

She should be paid accordingly.

Schemes like this make a mockery of the already laughable minimum wage.

FeakAndWeeble · 13/04/2012 18:55

What Groovee said. The world doesn't owe her a living.

tethersend · 13/04/2012 18:56

The world may not, but the pub does.

lisaro · 13/04/2012 18:57

What is 'file money'?

oldmum42 · 13/04/2012 19:02

tethersend..... I agree with some of what you say HOWEVER, this young woman has been exploiting her family for a couple of years, showing no willing at all to get ahead in life so maybe a few weeks WE for benefits only is what's needed - who is going to give this young woman a real job if she has no experience and 2 1/2 years of doing nothing? A real employer would want to see evidence that she can actually work, get along with people, turn up on time.

tethersend · 13/04/2012 19:05

Yes, and now she has a job- at what point will she 'deserve' to be paid for the work she does?

The money she receives now is not enough to make her independent from her parents.

Heswall · 13/04/2012 19:05

She's not getting nothing she's getting benefits and i don't see why we should pay our taxes to feed her sorry arse. Less for the likes of her might mean more for the sick, disabled etc

WhereYouLeftIt · 13/04/2012 19:09

YABU I think. Something is necessary to prevent your niece from becoming a complete waste of space. Her family should have done that, but they didn't; why should it be the pub's responsibility? They are providing training, something on her CV and presumably a reference should she apply elsewhere. She is repaying them with her work.

When you're on work experience, someone experienced has to spend time with you to show you what to do, to spend time planning what you're to do to get the maximum out of the placement. The pub is losing some of its capacity to do the work, to provide the experience for your niece. (And frankly, she sounds as if she'll need a lot of input.) And you want them to pay her too? If that were the case, I can't see many places offering work experience.

Original poster
sweetkitty · 13/04/2012 19:09

I totally agree with her needing to contribute. We have had 2 years of listening to SIL complain about her whilst facilitating her lifestyle. SIL was complaining that she has received nothing to keep DN not even CB for the past 2 years. SIL has mollycoddled her all her life. I bet SIL is waking her up for work, taking her there and collecting her. Apparently if SIL does not make her food she will not eat Hmm including pouring drinks for her!

Who is seriously going to give an 18 yo with no qualifications and no work experience and has done nothing for 2 years a job? Graduates cannot get jobs, people will experience cannot get jobs.

I'm torn about it TBH on the one hand I think yes let her work for her benefits why should she lie about doing nothing. She was offered a job in a cafe but that was beneath her! On the other hand I believe that if the pub can offer a full time position then they should pay minimum wage for it. So basically they get a full time employee for nothing for 2 months.

OP posts:
NatashaBee · 13/04/2012 19:10

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

FeakAndWeeble · 13/04/2012 19:10

She doesn't have a job tethers. She's on Work Experience. That is totally different. She has been given an opportunity to experience working for a living. If she's any good at it then potentially she will be offered a job at the end of it.

lesley33 · 13/04/2012 19:12

I have concerns about work placements and have seen them being used to exploit people. But in some individual cases I think it can actually be helpful. At the charity I work for we have taken people on non compulsory work experience placements and frankly some of them took far more time to manage than the work you actually got back.

But that was fine, as they needed the first step on the ladder as it was and to learn very basic work skills.

mynewpassion · 13/04/2012 19:13

Work experience can be a good thing. It helps build skills: working, communication, people, time management, etc.

However, it should be for a limited time only, at most a year. Then she should use that experience to get a paying job.

cantspel · 13/04/2012 19:14

If she doesn't like it then she maybe it will give her the kick up the arse she clearly needs to find herself a paying job.

Original poster
sweetkitty · 13/04/2012 19:20

The thing is though why does she actually need a job?

SIL funds her lifestyle basically to keep the peace, she and DN fight constantly and DN has assaulted her on occasion (seriously) its very difficult for DP especially.

I am truly hoping it gives her the kick up the arse she needs.

OP posts:
ChablisLover · 13/04/2012 19:21

Remember that minimum wage for 18 year old is only 4.98 an hour not the 6 pound odd

I do agree she needs to learn that money is not handed to you and to learn the value of things. She may realise she might need to go back to college and apply herself if she wants a job to pay for all this. £160 a month phone bill! Mines £12.50 with an iPhone. She must never be off the thing.

Your sil needs to put her foot down. Your niece is spoilt and your sil contributed to that. She needs to say no and let niece stand on own 2 feet. My dparents supported me at 18 but I was in uni doing a law degree. It wasn't easy but I dont expect things handed on a plate.

WhereYouLeftIt · 13/04/2012 19:21

"So basically they get a full time employee for nothing for 2 months."
No, they don't. Look at what lesley33 said. "some of them took far more time to manage than the work you actually got back." That's the risk the workplaces take when they offer Work Experience. And they know it. They might get a star on a two-month-long interview, but their more likely to get someone hapless, helpless or hopeless.

ragged · 13/04/2012 19:22

£160 a month phone etc

£160/month? Is that a typo? I think I'm a soft-touch, but £160/month? Shock

Friend's 20yo DS is losing 4 weeks earnings this summer to be part of the National Youth Theatre group contracted to entertain the Olympics athletes. Had to do several interviews to be selected & he has plenty of relevant work experience already. For this position he will earn the princely sum of Nothing, They aren't even covering his travel or lodging expenses (not sure about food, which costs a bomb on site within the village). That's exploitive.

This is a low risk way for the employer to try her out. I think what OP is describing is okay practice, actually. She could be a complete waste of time for the employer, she would struggle to get any job as things stand with her record. Employer would hire someone else if anyone.

WhereYouLeftIt · 13/04/2012 19:22

And your SIL is her own worst enemy.

sleepybump · 13/04/2012 19:24

I really think the experience of being paid your first real wage makes you hunger for more.

Yanbu

tethersend · 13/04/2012 19:25

"She doesn't have a job tethers. She's on Work Experience. That is totally different."

Really? How? Apart from the lack of a contract or a wage, that is...

diabolo · 13/04/2012 19:25

It doesn't sound like she'd get a job any other way.

It's not right to "exploit" people, but for heavens sake, if it's the only way of getting something on her CV and off her arse, then it can't be all bad. And it's only for 2 months.

If I needed to, I know I'd work for free if it meant the prospect of something better in future.

helpyourself · 13/04/2012 19:26

ragged- I was about to post the same Grin
Are you sure OP? Not that it has anything to do with the WE situation.

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