Page 4 | To expect more than £4.50/h for a 15 year old?

Muchtoomuchtodo · 03/12/2023 10:43

Needmorelego · 03/12/2023 09:34

The whole "paper round" thing is quite hilarious - do paper rounds even exist anymore? They are mostly long gone.

We have 2 paper boys come round our street every morning.

SilverBranchGoldenPears · 03/12/2023 10:43

Hedgehogsaremything · 03/12/2023 09:18

My son is working in a local garden centre for the pre-Christmas season - netting Christmas trees, carrying them to cars and doing general tasks in their outside yard. It's physically demanding but he's tall and pretty strong for his age.

He was told at the end of his first shift that he would be getting £4.50/hour.

When I was 15 in 19-bloody-88 I was on £3 / hour... working in a pub. That was 35 years ago!!?!

AIBU to expect him to be earning a little more than that?

In fairness you earned well in 1988.
I was 15 in 1989 and earned 1.75!

It seems little but in the end he doesn’t have to do it. They are taking advantage. It’s what happens.

Bunnycat101 · 03/12/2023 10:47

I remember really struggling to get a job until I was 16 so I think he just needs to ride it out for the experience, do a good job and then get a reference sorted so he has more options next year. Lifeguarding would be good but also might be worth looking at swimming teaching qualifications. My daughter had a lovely uni student teaching her and it seemed like a good side line while she was at university as most of the demand is Saturdays and afternoons.

Avacardo2023 · 03/12/2023 10:52

That seems so low - you'd think they could at least make it £5 an hour as it's probably really physical work and in the cold weather. Ah well he will know for next time, and it's good for his CV.

Catslovenip · 03/12/2023 10:54

Companies take advantage because the law allows them to. I think it’s all part of UK culture regarding work ethic though. £4.50 an hour doesn’t exactly inspire a young person to get off their bottom in 0 degree temperatures and go to work. I would not encourage my DC to work for peanuts.

Catslovenip · 03/12/2023 10:59

mylittleprince · 03/12/2023 09:31

DD is same age and gets £8 an hour plus tips, I guess it's down to each employer.

What a forward thinking company! I’m sure the employees work harder because they’re being treated fairly. Lovely to see some places paying fairly and encouraging people into work.

caringcarer · 03/12/2023 11:00

It's not a huge amount but he's only 15. If he's happy say nothing about the rate just tell him you're proud of him for getting a job. He'll earn more next year.

Whalewatchers · 03/12/2023 11:01

I suppose there's probably a reasonable amount of willing 15 year olds they could employ and that keeps the wage where it is (if you don't like it, I can get someone else in, kind of mentality).

Maybe after he's worked there for a few weeks and proven his worth he could ask for a small raise?

DumpedByText · 03/12/2023 11:02

Yes that's right, my 16 year DD works in a posh garden centre cafe for £5.28 an hour. She loves it though thankfully.

rainbowunicorn · 03/12/2023 11:06

Disco50 · 03/12/2023 09:25

I think it's illegal to be employed at that age, unless for a paper round. Which is why they can get away with it.

Utter rubbish, why come on to a thread and say stuff that is in no way accurate.

rainbowunicorn · 03/12/2023 11:07

Ace56 · 03/12/2023 09:28

I thought under 16 year-olds aren’t actually allowed to officially work (unless paper round)? Is he just getting cash in hand? In which case they can pay what they like!

Where did you get that thought from, under 16 year olds can work. Why jump to the employer paying cash in hand?

Original poster

Hedgehogsaremything · 03/12/2023 11:09

Catslovenip · 03/12/2023 10:54

Companies take advantage because the law allows them to. I think it’s all part of UK culture regarding work ethic though. £4.50 an hour doesn’t exactly inspire a young person to get off their bottom in 0 degree temperatures and go to work. I would not encourage my DC to work for peanuts.

£4.50 an hour isn't peanuts. Just lower than I expected.

OP posts:

zeibesaffron · 03/12/2023 11:15

Thats about the going rate where I am for a 15yo - my daughter was on 5 pounds an hour as a 16yo 12 months ago.

Whalewatchers · 03/12/2023 11:15

Presumably the £4.50 an hour is his money to save/spend how he likes?

Lots of people FT on minimum wage working as adults and after their bills are deducted, I bet their save/spend money works out at less than £4.50 an hour, god love them.

curaçao · 03/12/2023 11:15

It is illegal tp employ him without a permit from the council which will look at the tyoe of work he is doing and decide whether it is appeopriate fir his age.If they havent got rhat, then their employers liabilirt insurance will likely not cover him

marmaladeandpeanutbutter · 03/12/2023 11:16

It is a bit crappy how teenagers are exploited.

curaçao · 03/12/2023 11:16

Needmorelego · 03/12/2023 10:37

@sparepantsandtoothbrush so I stand corrected about paper rounds 😂
Sales of printed newspapers and magazines are very low these days (and local freebie papers generally don't exist anymore) so I am surprised that paper rounds are still surviving.

Of course they do!

TeenTraumaTrials · 03/12/2023 11:18

Needmorelego · 03/12/2023 10:22

@TeenTraumaTrials that's quite unusual. I thought they were a mostly long gone thing.
Do you live in an area with a high population of older folks?

Not really @Needmorelego It's a medium sized county town with a fairly mixed demographic..

itsgettingweird · 03/12/2023 11:18

His main 'skill' is that he's a strong swimmer. I have wondered whether to push him towards lifeguarding at our local pool.

I was going to to suggest him using the money to get a skill like lifeguard but if he's also a swimmer a level 1 swim teacher (or coach if he's in a club) and then get in a leisure centre who will fund the level 2.

Private gyms pay really well for life guarding.

O0oO0o · 03/12/2023 11:24

That's rubbish!

I had a Saturday job in Woolworths when I was 16 and I earned £4 an hour - and that was in 1992!

RenegadeKeeblerElf · 03/12/2023 11:24

It's the same as my 15 year old is getting as an assistant/trainee gymnastics coach. However once she is 16 she'll be leading her own classes and getting £8/hr so I see it as similar to an apprenticeship wage. In your son's case it seems a bit more exploitative.

Blinkityblonk · 03/12/2023 11:26

My two teen daughters work temp or shop jobs for over £10 an hour and refuse to work for actual min wage at that age. If you factor in bus fare, ots not worth it. I agree with them.

Blinkityblonk · 03/12/2023 11:28

They did not work till 16 though, once you are 16 there's far more choice and both now pick and choose best jobs, there's a shortage in hospitality and retail.

Thatswhy11 · 03/12/2023 11:29

My first job was less than that at 16. I lived at home and I was at college. I was just grateful to have a job. I then worked in a coffee shop for £4.90 per hour at around 16/17. Honestly it's the best job ever, the team and the memories made were a happy few years!

whowhatwerewhy · 03/12/2023 11:29

It's not a fantastic wage , but he's getting stuck in and learning skills. It's something to put on his cv , and to me it looks good to future employers he's working in " all weathers " .
You never know there might be a little bonus for him on Christmas Eve .