To think this job is shit?

[MoneyShaker]

Boyfriend is an electrician and had worked for the same company for 4 years. Not much progression apparently (I'm not entirely sure what he meant by that but hey ho) and the wage wasn't brilliant either. He has now started a new job this week and is already so unhappy. He's said that they've completely misled him and given him false information in the interview.

1. The job involves working away all over the country and he's found out today that they only pay £40 a night to cover food and accommodation. I doubt that amount would even cover a basic Travelodge now that rates have gone up. He will sometimes have to work in expensive cities to such as London etc.

1. The company supplies all tools and equipment which is mandatory. Boyfriend already has his own but still has to pay the company to use theirs.

1. He will sometimes have to work during weekends which wasn't advertised online or mentioned in the interview. It specifically said Mon-Fri working with weekends off. We live 3 hours away from each other and I work Mon-Fri so we always see each other on weekends.

1. The best and most bizarre thing. He's been told that they always have to be clean shaven I understand he has to be presentable, like he would with any job but what on earth does that have to do with anything...

Unfortunately he can't go back to his old job now either. He's already been on indeed tonight and applied for lots of jobs but there aren't many in the same industry in his area at the minute. He was going to stick it out with this one but if he signs the contract tomorrow he will have to pay them to use their tools, plus cover any additional costs each night for accommodation and food which could easily add up! Really upset for him!

Was none of this detailed in his contract, or did he only receive this after he started?

Why did he give notice at his other job before receiving this info?

On point (2) that’s not unusual. I work in a factory and can tell you that on the very rare occasional someone on the maintenance and engineering team is hurt by a hand tool, it’s almost always their own “favourite” they’ve brought on site against the rules. The factory manager approx once a month does a locker raid!

To clarify - it’s clear they lied about some this. But the details about overnight allowance and tools rental payment are things he would have seen in contract, surely, if he’d waited for that before leaving old place?

Surely you only sign the contract once you read it all through and happy with the content? Was he not given a contract to sign before accepting the new role and handing his notice in? If he has signed w contract and these details are not in it, the company is mine each of contract obviously.

None of this was explained in the interview. Only the information that had already been advertised online. He received a conditional job offer in writing prior to his start and leaving his old job. From my experience, it's standard that the contract is given and signed a week or two after starting the job. He started on Monday and will be given the contract tomorrow to sign.

Does the company find accommodation? Most cities have b&b that workmen use that are loads cheaper than a travellodge

www.bedsforbuilders.co.uk/

£40 a night allowance for accomodation and food. Paying the company to use their tools?

They are taking the piss.

What part of the country is he in? There is so much work for electricians in the SE now, they’d not get away with that sort of bullshit.

I’ve never had a contract weeks after starting a job, that is not standard. This company sounds awful, are they all over the country or local to you?

I’d be worried with the tool situation- as using your own equipment is one of the tests for self employment- are they trying to make it look like he is employed when he isn’t by making him pay to use their tools? Sounds very odd. Will he be a PAYE employee of the company, or self employed/ does he have a CIS card? Look really carefully at the contract

And also, if you start work, legally you have accepted the contract, so you should never start work until you have seen it

If he is on a permanent contract and now incurring costs (travel expenses/accommodation) travelling to temporary workplaces, he can claim back the TAX part of those costs.

There’s a shortage of trades so why doesn’t he go self employed? He will never look back once he’s his own boss and the money electricians can earn can be amazing

We employ Electricians - we supply all tools AND pay them a weekly tool allowance for providing their own.

Maybe we’re too generous (and hairy !)

Can he not go self employed as he has his own tools?

The reason for being clean shaved is due to H&S - proper PPE dust masks or welding masks have to be face fit tested and must form a seal around your skin to work properly. If you have facial hair,it gets in the way and it doesn't work. There are different styles that accommodate beards but they are an extra £1.5k each so most companies won't stump that up when it's easier to specify clean shaved.

Using company equipment is fairly standard for big businesses,they want to make sure the tools are to the right standard etc. Not sure why he's paying to use them though??

Contract of employment is now a day 1 right so he should have had this info already if he started on Monday just gone.

I think it's a real lesson for your BF on asking the right questions at interview to be fair. Good Sparky's are in demand at the moment so he wouldn't struggle to find something else I'm sure, although the overnights and weekend working are pretty standard for the industry to be fair.