My 18 year old hasn't been paid for her summer job.

[Espana12]

DD turned 18 in July and has been working for 1-2 days a week in August for a local business. It's a kids holiday workshop business with a shop front on the high street and it's been there for around 10 years.

DD worked all the days/hours asked (4-5 hour shifts per day - no lunch break, twice a week) was 5 minutes late on 2 occasions but otherwise very good at her job. She has worked with children before and enjoys it.

The business owner interviewed DD in May and offered her summer work there and then. The details (salary, hours) were worked out over text in July.

The owner told her she pays wages at month end, but it's now several days over and despite a couple of text messages, DD hasn't received anything (nor a reply to her texts). What would you do? I'm inclined to let DD handle this herself initially but feel DH and I may need to support. The outstanding wages are around £650.

This is the route you’d get assistance and the employer can be fined https://www.tax.service.gov.uk/digital-forms/open/form/pay-and-work-rights-complaint/draft/start#1

Did they ask for her national insurance number? This is sounding dodgier by the minute!

There doesn’t need to be a written contract for there to be a contract. The text exchange sets out the basic terms.

write a letter addressed to their premises setting out

1. agreed hourly rate / days by reference to text of x date
2. a list if each shift - times abd dates
3. tital hours worked are therefore x, at £y per hour that makes Z
4. please transfer me the sum of £Z to 12345 bank account by close of business on (date)
5. if I do not receive this I will take further action to recover all sums due

take the hard copy letter to the premises and also send attached to an email.

Makes me wonder if owner is registered as a business and has employee insurance. Sounds very worrying.

Yep. Even if dd never gets her wages, she could drop a world of hurt on the owner once tac people, CRB people, H&S people are dimes . And of course. Letting parents know that untrained, unchecked people are looking g after their little darlings

No NI number asked for, and no CRB check.

Thank you for all the advice. I’m sure the owner will pay up if she’s got any sense. She’s broken so many rules.

And if she mentions the checks remember it’s DBS now not CRB. It’ll help her if she quotes the right things!

Once she's been paid, report anyway. Shocking business and putting children at risk.

If it's a month in hand she won't get august pay til end of September? I know of employers like that.

We had similar.. they tried to get out of paying by saying it was a ‘trial’ .. I went to the council.. I also happen to work in modern slavery investigation… wrong child to try and fuck over . I gave them an option . Pay up or I report . Long story short .. (the owner never available) .. so I told them I was going to the police to report slavery - which work without pay is.. guess what . ? They paid . I am very happy to report they have gone bust and closed up .

I’ve had a look at the texts between them and it’s definitely 31st August. DD has sent her bank details.

Though it is DBS now. But agreed, it is illegal for an adult to work directly with children or vulnerable adults without an up to date enhanced DBS check.

Dd needs to text saying "hi, just in case it got lost, i'm awaiting £xyz for my shifts of xyz hours from xyz dates.
My bank details are here as follows. I can come tonight or tomorrow to collect cash, what is better?"

if no response
"Further to my correspondence on xyz date, as I've still not received any information from you I will upload my experience with your business to our local Facebook groups and the police."

And tbh even after she's paid up I'd still plaster it on local FB page as how can she be working with children without proper DBS checks.

OP I definitely would be stepping in and requesting a phone call with the employer.

Look the business up on companies house also out of interest

I’d step in now and contact the business owner myself. I’d also give my DD a ‘loan’ of her wages (but I appreciate this isn’t something everyone could do or even want to do )

I wouldn’t mess around though. One message / call / visit from you and then straight to legal action

Thanks all. It’s good to have potential next steps in mind and I hadn’t even thought about the lack of DBS check. I hope we’ll sort out swiftly next week.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pay-and-work-rights-complaints

Report it. There's no way this has not happened before.

Did they ask for her national insurance number ID and did she have a DBS check as working with children.

It’s also illegal for a business to not pay wages. Employment rights act. I would step in on her behalf and tell them this. Acas will help if needed.

surely if they haven’t asked for NI number they’re being dodgy and not paying employer NI contribution, etc? 🤷‍♀️. I’d also threaten to report them for this!

www.acas.org.uk/if-your-wages-are-not-paid

I imagine they’ll pay up if you raise the various dodgy practices that have happened. There is no way she should have people in a childcare setting without the appropriate checks.

Let her try to sort herself first but if not, you go in with her to speak to the owner & if no luck just ring ACAS as they will help with something like this. It’s also a breach of national minimum wage regs which means HMRC who check on compliance with NMW would help to resolve it as well plus put them on the name & shame list

Personally I'd go on FB local pages, trust pilot, anywhere that free and calmly state that your daughter worked for them. They are not returning calls and she's owed wages

I would also contact any local paper about it and I would also stand outside the premises on the pavement and hold a sign stating what happened.

But first I'd go in and ask for the money face to face...then do the above if I didn't leave with it in cash

I bet the business owner is also dodgy with HMRC.