They're taking the mick, aren't they?

[Itrytoohard]

DD, 16, has decided that college isn't for her so after what felt like a billion meetings/emails/phone calls with the college she's decided she wants to work full time in the job she was going to college for and the college helped us out with a list of places that will take her on.

She had an interview for one of the places last week and they told her all the details, 30 hours over 5 days a week £5.30. That all seems pretty good to us and she was keen, until this afternoon that is.

They called and offered her the job but said she will be on probation for the first 4-8 weeks. Normal. But unpaid. Not normal.

They taking the mick, right? 8 weeks would take us to just after Christmas so they've seen the opportunity to hire someone for Christmas and not pay them and then sack them off and it all seem above board. I'm right aren't I?

AIBU to encourage her to just leave this job and keep applying for the others?

She wont be lounging around if she doesnt take the job. She has a part time job that she loves in a florist and with Christmas coming up I'm sure she can take on a few more hours, at least that way she will have some money for Christmas presents/party's without us having to help out too much.

I just feel like they're taking the piss out of a teen wanting work.

Sorry for the rambling haha.

But how do you know whether or not she might get sacked after the probation is up?

I was going to say take the job as it will look good on her cv and show the other places she will go to if it doesn't work out that she is keen to do that but I'm not sure you wild actually included it on your cv if you got binned during your probation.

IMO it looks like they're are taking advantage of a teen desperate for work.

Seeing as she has a part time job I'd tell her to not take this one and try the others.

HTH

Blimey, that does sound fishy. I'd also query if it is legal- not sure who you could ask though!

As the college gave you the lead, have you spoken to them? What is their opinion? Have They placed other students there that have been kept on?

What field is the job in?

Yes it's pretty shit but it cold be a foot in the door? Do a bit more research about the company, speak to the college and look online.

Yeah I'd assume they were being dodgy.
Wouldn't let my teen work there.

Yes. They're taking the piss. I won't pretend to understand the legalities but I'd suspect they're well within their rights.

With Christmas coming up she can get seasonal work whilst she looks elsewhere. Make sure she gets in ahead of students returning home for the holidays though.

What job was it? Is it something that could turn into a career?

Unpaid internships are normal in many careers.

You don't have to do it, but I wouldn't presume that a 16 year old with only GCSE's (I'm presuming) will be inundated with offers elsewhere.

There's not a chance I'd let anyone take that. Dodgy af.

Even if I was really keen and excited to work in that job I wouldn't take it, it's just not right. Of course it's legal but doesn't means it's fair.

She has her florist job which probably will want her to do more hours with Christmas coming up so just stick with that for now and keep applying for the other jobs.

This happened to me recently.

I didn't bother with the job as it did seem fishy.

I wonder if this is going to be a thing from now on.

Yanbu. I also think this sounds very odd! Encourage her to apply elsewhere.

Unpaid internships are normal in many careers.

It's not an internship though, if it was then fine but it isn't.

smrendell is absolutely right, if you aren't kept on after probation you wouldn't include it in your cv so while it will give her experience in the field she wants it won't benefit her getting a paid job if she gets laid off.

Isn't it? I bet thats what they call it. They'd have to in order to legally do it.

You could ask them if, seeing as it is unpaid whether she could do the probation period as part time around her florist hours?

Then she wouldn't lose her florist job, would have some income and would still get experience in the new job?

Move to full time after probation complete?

I strongly suspect that you're right. And even if they do keep her on they sound like arsehole employers who won't be pleasant to work for.

Need a job doing? Pay someone to do it.

I emailed her tutor and he is going to call me so hopefully he can offer some help.

Thank you for all the replies, I will see what her tutor says then see what's best.

It really depends what the job is. If it's something competitive and she really wants to do it, it might be worth it. I'm sure that they can get by calling it an internship or something. Otherwise, yes, ditch it.

That's illegal AFAIK

A promise of work at the end constitutes a contract between employee and employer, and that means the work needs to be paid at NMW rate.

They will use her for busy period up til xmas then say they don't need her.

Look elsewhere.

That's ridiculous, I hate when employers try and take advantage of young people just starting out.

Yes they can do a trial, and they can do it for 8 weeks - but they need to pay her for it. Sounds like they just want free labour to cover everyone's holidays over Christmas (happened to me when I was 17, except they promised to pay and never did).

Dreadful behaviour from that company.

The fuzziness of the "4-8 weeks" would make me hesitate too, if it was "we have a 4 week probation since youll be coming in unqualified" then that sounds like a standard thing, but "yeah unpaid work for 8 weeks or so would be great, thanks" is not so good.

Something similar happened to me when I was nineteen. Company took on 6 new people, we didn't know they were only planning to keep one. Told 5 to leave after a week.

Dodgy. They're saying the 'probation' is unpaid. That's not an internship. I'd not take that.

How is she managing to leave college at 16? I thought teenagers had to be in some kind of education until 18 these days?