Disney Kids Club job. 70hrs a week. No days off.

[cosmobrown]

DD is applying to work as a kids club worker on Disney Cruise lines.
She had an interview recently that confirmed she would be expected to work 7 days a week, 10hours per day. no days off for the whole 4 month contract
I was quite shocked to find out the hours they are expected to work. AIBU?
Is this even legal??

She would likely earn about £2000 US Dollars a month. For 70 hrs a week and no days off ever.
She won’t be on holiday that is for sure.
She might want to work out what happens if she wants to leave, or becomes sick, what personal insurance she needs to take out. Especially as she is looking after children.
And hope she is sharing with someone nice and honest.

Golly, thanks everyone. Sounds like a nightmare to me, but she hasn't even got the job yet! She's applying for other stuff too.
She is graduating this summer, and needs to work for a year to fund the Masters Degree she wants to do (Drama Therapy.)
I mean, working on a Cruise Line is an amazing opportunity, and now is the time to do it whilst she is young free and single.

A long long time ago I used to date a musician on the QE2 and I remember him saying that staff were treated differently, so she would need to check what she could and couldn't access on board the ship, and what kind of cabin she'd get.
As long as she researches it well, it's obviously her choice.
I was just really surprised they can work the staff so hard!!

You also need to check if she is ' employed ' or ' self employed ' as one of the cruise ship companies in the UK takes on ' self employed ' staff for the kids club.

Oh that's something I hadn't thought about. Does it matter much?

It means she has to get in touch, in advance, with the tax office and get some forms.

She'll need to register for self assessment and the process could be more complicated if she's working at sea.

Of course the 'self employment' is a ruse to further degrade her statutory employment rights as it would never pass the HMRC self employment test, such as her being able to pick and choose when she works or send a substitute.

Obviously most parents using the kids club would expect the people working there to be DBS checked, first aid trained etc (something else to think about, who pays for this if she gets the job?) so she can't just send a random mate if she doesn't feel like working.

But if they claim she's 'self employed' it probably gives them the power to cancel shifts without pay if no DC turn up for the club.

Of course, if she gets the job, she might decide its not necessarily about the money. It's only 4 months and she might be happy to do it for the experience, hopefully she'll learn lots about many aspects of life and work, see some new places and make new friends.

DCL is employed not self employed :)

While we are comparing jobs / working hours / time off.

I've recently been watching some stuff from someone who worked on a nuclear sub. So OK in the armed forces, you don't expect life to be esy.

Once they go underwater they do not surface for months, maybe 5 or 6.

They work 6 hours on, 6 hours off 24 hours a day. You get a bunk in a shared room if you are lucky, some 'share' a bed so after 6 hours work you get to sleep in a bed someone has just climbed out of.

You have no internet or phone signal, you can receive 1 printed out email a week.

Because of condensation it 'rains' inside.

Showers are timed in seconds. Towards the end of your 'patrol' (sorry I don't know the right word) people run out of toiletries.

Disney sounds more appealing.

It’s only 4 months, I worked those sort of hours in 2 different jobs when young when you are young with no real responsibilities that’s the time to do it. I know someone who worked on luxury yachts, watching that series on TV made me realise just how relentless it is, she did it in her twenties. I think she did 16 to 18 hour days. She was earning about 50k PA 20 years ago let alone the tips.

Luxury yachts is a whole other world, if you get a good boss and crew then you are made! I made great contacts doing that job. Had people pay to fly me all over the world to bring back their yacht etc, made friends with a lot of very rich people who would let me stay in their villa in Italy, house in cape cod or cabin in Colorado for nothing! Those were the days!!it really is amazing 🙌

If she’s wanting to do drama therapy masters then it sounds like working with and entertaining a wide range of children with various needs and disabilities would be good work experience.
If she’s got a degree she’s at least 21 so I’d leave decision up to her. I’m sure she’ll be able to find lots of people who have previously done re to find out details to see if it’s for her.

Can you tell us how much the weekly pay actually is ?

As I think it may be a lot less than some people think / believe.

TUI / Marella cruises pay £300 per week for kids club staff.

They prefer level 3 childcare, with 1st aid etc. however as the long term staff are all Level 3 ( or above ) they are less ' choosey ' for high season staff.

Advert is pay from £1872 a month.
https://talents.studysmarter.co.uk/companies/disney-cruise-line/youth-staff-10206853/

Oh it's absolutely her choice. I was just shocked to hear about the hours, and wondered how normal/legal it is. She is applying for other jobs too.
At the moment, the hours have put her off the Disney thing a bit, but is also tempted by the whole travelling experience. AND, she hasn't even been offered the job yet, so it may be a non problem anyway!
Money-wise, if she can live at home, she can save the most £££
Adventure-wise, she should take the cruise job (if she's offered it).
It'll be interesting to see what she choses.

Disney must be one of the most in you face toxic brands ever.Massively over hyped entertainment and over priced tacky products and services.

That's Capitalism for you

I was thinking this too. My cousin in his 30’s single - left his private paediatric practise to work a doctor on the ship. I saw him 2 weeks ago when he was on his break and he said he loves it. I joked saying must be nice and cushy and he said nope! It’s like running an and e on every 12 hour shift!

not only does he get the regular colds and flu, he gets cardiac issues and suicide too! I don’t think it’s for the faint hearted bit if you are young, and hardworking go for it!

I have quite a few friends who worked on cruise ships when they were younger - dancers, spa, retail etc. they all loved it - decent pay, free food and board, get to travel the world and really good social life/ family feel amongst the other crew.

Its not something most do forever or as you get older, but for a young person, it’s a great opportunity

The competition will be fierce… hundreds upon hundreds of applications. She will be very lucky to get the job so I wouldn’t worry until you actually know if she’s got the job

She's lucky she can live at home to save, that's not the case for many young people.

For someone who can't crash at their mum's place, you can see why the job can be very lucrative. The couple of people I know do it very much for the money. They make a lot from tips as well (although they're not in the kids club, not entirely sure how the tips thing works there).

I'd expect the competition to be quite fierce for the job.

Is that actually legal?

It fits the marine working hours directive as it doesn't exceed 14 hours a day or 72 hours a week and there's more than 10 hours rest time a day with it being in a chunk at least 6 hours long.

Yep

I don't think it's that bad. Free bed and board.

The people who work at Florida resorts dont call it "Mousewitz"for nothing.

I get the adventure side completely, I worked overseas when younger too. What's confusing me a little is what time she would actually get to explore the countries she's travelling to if she is working 10 hours a day, every day, with no days off. If she is looking for adventure, may be worth checking that she would actually have the time around work in order to get off the ship occasionally, and not just stuck on a big ship, in the same room/area working all the time. Having said that, working intensely for a short period, getting paid a lot, could then just give her funds to have the adventure afterwards.

Best of luck to her! Hope whatever she decides goes well