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.

[mimishimmi]

That's fishy. The norm is a week unpaid and even that is a bit dodgy really. She should look elsewhere.

[TinklyLittleLaugh]

One of DD's boyfriends had a similar unpaid joinery placement. They even got him to do some extra hours on a weekend, promised to pay him for those, then paid him about half. And because he was a strapping, 6'4" young lad they had him carrying massive amounts of timber about for them all day long.

But at the end of it another contractor on the job offered him a proper job, so sometimes things can work out okay.