AIBU to suggest my child quits a zero-hours fast food job?

[ShouldHeQuit]

My young adult child has worked a job with a well known fast food chain for a year.
its a zero hours contract and despite requesting full time hours they have never been given more than 12 hours in a week.
Most weeks it’s between 2 and 6 hours, frequently no shifts at all in a week!
The majority of the shifts are 2 or 3 hours long. We live 10 miles from the workplace and due to public transport finishing early (rural location)it means me having to drive them there then collect later so driving 40 miles for 2 hours minimum wage.
The job satisfaction is shit as well, the people they work with are a not very nice bunch and are drinking pals so look after each other. My child’s mental health is quite bad partly due to this.
They are applying for numerous other jobs but with no joy, don’t even get a rejection just ghosted which seems to be the norm nowadays
Would they be unreasonable to quit the job and claim JSA? Can you even claim JSA if you quit?
YABU don’t quit
YANBU quit

Suicidal thoughts as a result of a horrible 2 hour shift every week is clearly ridiculous- if she is genuinely feeling that way then there must be something more to it.

i’d stop challenging the manager for starters - she might be correct but it’s clearly not going to go down well and is just making her life harder.

the alternative if she finds a job in a nearby town or city that gives her enough hours that she can afford to move out if there’s few prospects locally

And claim JSA?

Why are so many people saying 'she' when the OP has done the 'they' 'them' Olympics all the way through??

Either way OP, your DC is an adult according to you and can quit if they want to without your say so.

I wouldn't encourage them to quit and go on the dole though.

I can't see how that would help their mental health?

A 2 hour job a week isn’t a job though. They’d be better off volunteering and getting some experience while still looking for better opportunities.

Weird My DS took a zero hours job at McDonald's and was getting at least 5 shifts a week within a fortnight

She's only going 2 bloody hours. Can't get much more minimum than that

And you wonder why she's not getting hours?

I would encourage them to keep the job but be looking for others.

Omg no job is worth feeling like this!

Just tell her to quit! I've quit jobs I hated and got new ones. It's not the end of the world. She will be entitled to universal credit in any event until she finds something new

But I do agree with the others - don't question the manager even if she thinks she's wrong.

Curiously enough partners and I started a business quite a few years ago, in Carnaby Street of all places, with the rather loopy idea that it should be fun to work with us, I;sold it 8 years later for a lot of money. Fun wasn't the only reason but it was very very important, "Happy hens lay more eggs.".

If you quit your job without good reason then you can claim JSA, but you will have reduced benefits payments as they will sanction you for doing so.
They will look at the circumstances around the reason why a person leaves, the employer gets their say and they come to a decision.

Always better, if possible to get another job before jacking in the old.
The journey is 20 miles rather than 40 ? Ten miles there and back. So a nuisance yes, but given they don’t do many hours not a daily one. And if you live rurally this sort of thing will be common. Any jobs very locally at all ?

I would suggest they get registered on recruitment agencies if they are not already. The likes of Indeed etc.

OP I just wanted to let you know I was stuck in a similar situation working very few hours for a fast food chain when I was 22-24. I graduated in the recession and there were no other jobs available where I was. It was soul destroying and I hated it. But things eventually got better and now I have a decent career. I think being on JSA would be more soul destroying than staying employed tbh. The low hours was because of nothing I’d done, btw, the store just didn’t have enough hours for everyone who wanted them.

Tell them to quit, 100%. This is all nonsense about references and work ethic, they are taking the piss and treating her like crap.

If your DC is genuinely feeling suicidal as a result of this job then yes, of course they should quit if they/ you can afford it. If it's a struggle to get another job could they maybe try volunteering?

Can you use it as an opportunity to encourage her to better herself? "Aren't these jobs awful. How about you go to college / uni and train for better then this isn't your forever".

SassyLemonFish
If she’s not getting shifts, it’s likely that management have a reason for this. Perhaps it is to do with her work ethic, general personality, attitude etc.

I doubt that, some people are just friendly with management and when skeleton staff are put on they’re prioritised!!

If your child is suicidal then they need help quickly.
It is not a phrase to be used lightly.

There is no way on earth I’d encourage my child to put up with a shit-show like this. A large number of MNers seem to think exploitative working practices are just fine and that we should all be grateful for the scraps thrown to us by greedy corporate bosses - ignore those silly buggers and support your child to find something better ASAP.

Exactly what I think too. The sooner these exploitative contracts are made illegal, the better.

Are you for real?

You are asking if your daughter should claim JSA because she doesn’t like who she works with?!

JFC. No wonder this countries welfare budget is off the charts.

Yes, you are being unreasonable.

and edited to say… that shouldn’t stop her from quitting if things are so bad that she’s questioning her existence of course. But seriously, claiming JSA when she has a job but just doesn’t like it doesn’t seem right.

I bet it’s KFC

Personally I would use it as a lesson that I wish I was taught. Not to give up, look for another job whilst maintaining your current one. If they want more hours get her to speak to management about what she can do to gain more but do t just quit because you’re not happy. People in life are in jobs they hate because there’s no other option, quitting and claiming universal credit shouldn’t even be an option and wouldn’t as they quit. They could apply for universal credit whilst they work, they would likely even support with finding another job as they want everyone to be working. Don’t teach them it’s ok to quit and claim benefits as that won’t see them through life

It’s 40 miles for the OP, as she has to go there as back when she drops her off, and there and back when she collects her.

You can claim JSA if you work less than 16 hours and show you are actively applying for full time work.