AIBU to think he was treated badly, but there's not a lot I can do!

[fl0baDob]

Hi,

17 year old son started a work trial (in place of an interview) as a leaflet distributor for a small firm. He was collected from a pick up point, taken to a town about 90 miles away and asked to deliver about 1,000 + leaflets. That was fine.

According to my son, he delivered the leaflets, but left the GPS tracker on the distribution trolley, rather than attached to himself. He then texted base and asked to be picked up r supplied with more leaflets (he had been working from 8am - nearly 4pm).

When one of the managers came to pick him up she accused him of doing a 'pathetic' job; swore at him, told him he was an f...ing waste of space and said she should not really be picking him up and would leave him in the town until she had picked everyone else up. She said he had 'dumped' his leaflets and only done 60 houses. these are things my son insists are not true.

She came back an hour or so later and told my son to be 'f..ing quiet' if he spoke in the back of the van.

When my son told me this, I phoned the owner of the company. She said she believed the manager, the manager had not sworn and she had photographic evidence of my son's leaflets in a hedge bottom. I said I would talk further to my son and get back to her because I felt the issue was serious.

AIBU in thinking there is very little I can do. The incident took place between my son and the manager in an isolated area. The 'evidence' is not supported because there is not way of tracing the leaflets back to my son (I do not believe he would do this anyway). It is literally my son's word against the manager's word and perhaps my son and I should just be thankful he is not working for such an awful company and he should look for a job where they do not swear at verbally abuse young people on work trials.

[fl0baDob]

Apologies for the typing errors.

[ThymeCake]

That sounds dreadful.

But other than not going back, and warning off any of his mates who might have thought about doing it, I don't think there's much you can do.

[Thisreallyisafarce]

Did you ask to see the photographic evidence? Was your son told he needed to attach the GPS? Was he paid for his work?

The way he was spoken to (assuming it is accurate) was disgraceful, but if he has been paid I am not sure you can do anything about it.

[AlexaShutUp]

I suspect some of these work "trials" are just a way of getting free labour. Perhaps they never had any intention of employing your son.

Was he supposed to keep the GPS tracker attached to himself? If so, was this made clear to him?

Tbh, I think you're right, there is very little that you can actually do, so I guess you just tell your son to chalk it up to experience and move on.

[longwayoff]

Frankly its bugger all to do with you. Its a hard lesson for your son but he needs to fight his own battles.

[Foslady]

Where did he hear about the job? If it was on social media I’d Facebook I’d be tempted to put a warning out not naming the comps but stating that if you go make sure you wear the tracker and photograph yourself regularly delivering the leaflets so you can prove that you worked

[Foslady]

Sorry for the bad autocorrect

[WhoLetTheCatsOut]

I don't mean to sound rude but distributing leaflets is hardly skilled and so doesn't need a trial. I think the whole thing is just to get free labour.

Doubt there is anything you can do other than warn his friends not to do it if they're tempted

[Thisgirlcant]

Perhaps name and shame the firm on social media as a warning to others.
I'm assuming he hasn't been paid and probabaly won't be.
Disgusting of the firm!

[tictac86]

I name and shame in as many places as possible.

[DownTownAbbey]

Sounds like a scam. The disgraceful behaviour of the manager makes it sound more like a way of bullying young people into doing a day's work then leaving. If they repeat this they get lots of free days labour and few enquiries about an actual job with such a nasty culture.

[Rhiannon13]

Very obviously a scam. I'd encourage your son to report this to the police.

[Ali1cedowntherabbithole]

Sounds like a scam.

Your son might be able to prove how many steps he had done using the iPhone Health app (with the heart) if he has an iPhone, but Im not sure that would get him far.

I’m sorry OP he might need to put it down to experience.

[LotsToThinkOf]

Most phones track you as you move, unless its disabled. No idea how to do it but I know they do! Google and check his phone.

If everyone else had a tracker, and your son didn't then they'll deduce that the leaflets are his. It depends how far you want to go to prove his innocence if that's the case.

These companies are disgusting, they just want free labour. He's had a lucky escape.