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AIBU?

to think that when I drop everything to turn up for a job interview with 45 minutes bloody notice

51 replies

colditz · 27/11/2007 19:52

that the interviewer should not proceed to interigate me for 20 minutes about childcare?

I stated very pleasantly that should I be successful in getting the job, I would engage a child minder.

He wanted to know how soon I could engage a child minder, how reliable that child minder would be, how often she would be sick, I would be sick, the children would be sick .... etc.

Eventually I said "I'm afraid I can't answer in any more detail, as obviously until I have a job I don't have a child minder, so I don't know her, so I don't know how reliable she will be. Sorry!"

he didn't look very pleased but I rally didn't know what else to say, the situation is as the situation is, and it was splattered all over the application form that I have small children and would be engaging a child minder - quite what else he wanted me to say I really don't know!

He had no interest in anything else about me!

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bozza · 28/11/2007 07:56

wordsmith i think colditz also has a younger child.

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lizziemun · 28/11/2007 08:58

I had this about 8 yrs ago.

I went for a job and the person in charge kept asking me about having children but only when we were by ourselves.

i went to 3 interveiws and had serveral telephone conversation with him and the 2 other people who were doing the interveiws.

Only to be told that i didn't get the job but it was offered to someone in her early 20's i was 30 and getting married as she had more experience then i did. I had been doing the same type of work since i was 16 as had she. I could work out how someone could have more experience doing the job for 6 yrs compared with someone who had 14 years. Anyway they ended up employing another person as she couldn't cope with the work and then she ended up having 2 children in as many years.

I knew i didn't get the job because he was convinced that i would have children and not be working, but it came back and bit him on the bum as not only would he not have had to employ a second person he would have had 5 years of me working before i had my first child.

I only know this because my BIL worked for the same company and told me what was happening.

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Wordsmith · 28/11/2007 18:16

What I meant was, as it's a school hours job, presumably the employer would realise applicants would likely have kids and would be able to sort out necessary childcare without being treated like criminals/

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kd73 · 28/11/2007 21:05

I would def contact Subway hq, this is a very big "brand" which should be fearful of adverse attention.

Whether or not you want or get the job, you should not be subjected to such blatant discrimination.

Shocking!

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soopermum1 · 28/11/2007 21:43

would he have asked a father the same questions? probably not, this makes me mad!

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melontum · 29/11/2007 03:59

I've done job interviews and this kind of questioning is SO out of order, totally illegal. The closest they can come to it is saying things like "Do you have flexibility to work the hours on offer?" "Can you work extra hous at short notice?" etc. Totally not their business what other commitments you have in your life.

You'd think SUBWAY as an American firm would be well clued-up about litigation potential, too. I'd complain if you don't get the job, embarass the cr*p out of them for it.

Of course in reality after you walk out of the room they will discuss whether they think your childcare arrangements are realistic or not.

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2sugars · 29/11/2007 05:40

What kd73 says. PLEASE do it.

Outrageous.

I remember I went for a job interview at a local lettings agency when I was 18. The MD interviewed me, asked me where I lived, and it came round to 'And how did you manage to afford your own house at 18?' (And it was, on reflection, quite a menial receptionist-type job anyway.) I didn't get the job, but if I knew now what I knew then ......

Old bat. She's still MD and I now let my house out with that company, and it seems she still treats her staff appallingly. But they pay them well, and there's a certain amount of kudos in working for this company round here, so I guess that's why they do it.

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colditz · 30/11/2007 18:42

ok. I cannot find a way to actually complain, and I don't know who to complain to! The manager hasn't contacted me, despite telling me he would let me know either way.

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melontum · 30/11/2007 18:55

Phone the manager to enquire politely, Colditz. The other thing I suppose is make sure you really want the job if you complain -- a job is all they can offer, really.

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yurt1 · 30/11/2007 18:56

sex discrimination surely?

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lovecat · 30/11/2007 18:59

Definitely illegal. I work for a big company and all managers have to do anti-discrimination training - this is one of the areas they flag up as being clearly discriminatory - you CANNOT ask about this sort of thing without opening yourself up to a sex discrimination case! Do they not have a central website, Colditz? I know that they're a franchise operation but even so there should be some kind of central contact point... hope you stick it to them!

When I moved down to London at the age of 20 I was interviewed by a very weird man who kept asking me about what my family thought of my moving down here on my own and did they approve of all this. Being a stroppy cow back then, I asked him what relevance that had to my ability to do the job, he had no answer. I too complained to the agency and turned the job down!

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colditz · 30/11/2007 22:00

Anyone know how to find out who to complain to?

I am really cross about this. He totally wasted my time. I was very clear on the application form that I would be finding a child minder for my child, I didn't need to be grilled with questions like "How often do you think your child minder will be ill?" and "Is it going to be financially worth it, won't you lose your benefits?" and "What if one of the children was ill - I take it you don't have a partner to look after them?" and "Do you think you'll cope with having a job and having children?"

No questions like "Have you worked with food before?" or "What your responsibilities in your last job?"

God I am cross. Why advertise a school hours job if your don't like mothers?

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colditz · 30/11/2007 22:01

sorry, have looked at their websire and there is NOBODY to contact, no number, name or email. Nobody.

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edam · 30/11/2007 22:11

Go and look at Companies House - I hope they will have stuff online these days. You should be able to find the company that owns Subway and contact their HQ. Or just go down to your local store and look for the small print on the door- have a vague memory firms have to give some sort of indication of the registered office or something.

I'd complain, vehemently, that the questions were discriminatory. And have a look at the Dept for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform website - has all the employment law on it. Think URL is tiger.gov.uk or something. You may be able to get some money out of them...

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edam · 30/11/2007 22:18

Ah, I see from their website it's a franchise. So not sure who would be legally responsible, think prob. the owner of that outlet (see if you can get an answer on tiger.gov.uk).

Anyhoo, turns out they are an American firm called Doctor's Associates. UK contact appears to be Kevin Graham,
Regional Director for the SUBWAY® submarine sandwich chain, from a press release on their website.

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edam · 30/11/2007 22:18

(doesn't give an address for him, though, helpfully.)

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colditz · 30/11/2007 22:20

Oh wow, thank you Edam. I can't see how I can stamp in and say "You there! You gave me a very sexist interview on Tuesday. Consider this a complaint!"

Well I could, easily, but it would be fairly ineffective.

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Cashncarry · 30/11/2007 22:25

sorry - was lurking on your thread and felt incensed enough to google for my life! Here's the address:

UK & Ireland Head Office
Subway Realty Limited
Chaston House
Mill Court
Hinton Way
Great Shelford
Cambridgeshire
CB22 5LD

Tel: 01223 550820
Fax: 01223 844884

Good luck with making the idiot manager who interviewed you suffer!

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edam · 30/11/2007 22:27

well done, cashandcarry!

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Cashncarry · 30/11/2007 22:31

They're a franchising organisation so they might fob you off with "it's not my responsibility, each store is micro-managed" bullsh*t but I'm sure if you threaten to make a complaint to the Equal Opportunities commission or to the local news broadcaster/paper, they might think twice about the possible bad publicity for their brand.

someone more knowledgeable will be along in a minute just in case I'm talking out of my a*se

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colditz · 30/11/2007 22:33

Oh Cashncarry, Thank You and Well Done!

Now, phone call or letter?

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expatinscotland · 30/11/2007 22:33

what a twat.

i would have walked out.

in fact, i wouldn't have dropped everything for an interview in 45 minutes.

that would have signified to me that this potential employer didn't give a rat's arse about my time, and by consequence, myself.

and i don't want to work for people like that.

it's a give and take two way street. if it's not, then i won't be working there.

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Cashncarry · 30/11/2007 22:34

Letter for sure - sent by email, fax and post

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Cashncarry · 30/11/2007 22:34

Agree with expat...

but she should still kick his arse!

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edam · 30/11/2007 23:06

UK Operations Director appears to be a Mark Bradley, btw.

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