Is 11.30pm too late for a 16-year-old on weekend shifts?

[iona26]

My 16yo daughter has has been working in a food outlet for a few months (weekends and holidays) but now that she has left school her employer has put her on the rota for shifts that start at 3pm until 11.30pm. I think this is too late for a 16yo. It is a zero hour contract so she is worried that if she doesn't do these shifts she won't get any hours - she used to do 7 til 10.30 which is when the shop closed but they have now extended their opening hours The shop doesn't open until 3pm and there is usually just the manager and another person, so if she asks to leave earlier, it would leave the manager on his own to clean up. I have to pick her up so it also means a late night for me. Am I just being soft? should I let her do these late shifts up until she starts college?

I waitressed at that age until that time, but I think regulations for 16 year olds are stricter now. Is it a chain or a small independent business?

Nothing wrong with it IMO
issue is for you as you have to get her but I did the same for my oldest when he just started working and public transport wasn’t a available late at night

I used to work until that time as a 16 year old so I don’t think it’s too late. It’s a weekend so seems okay to me.

11.30 is perfectly normal in hospitality, if this was her FT job would you be so moaning? let her work

I thought under 18 couldn't work later then 10pm

It would be too late for my DDs but they both struggle with tiredness anyway so already know this when looking at jobs. What does your DD think? Also reasonable to take tiredness and sleep needs of the driver into consideration! But none of that is related to being 16, TBF. Same would apply at any age if needing a lift …

I think it’s fine for her but I wouldn’t want to go out and get her at that time more than occasionally either.

I think it’s fine for her but I wouldn’t want to go out and get her at that time more than occasionally either.

I think that’s late and I wouldn’t have been happy at my DC working to that time at that age. How does she get home?

I don't know the area but i wouldn't be happy with a daughter of any age working that late with one other on premises that are open to the public or anyone who wants to walk in,

According to various online searches at 16 she is not allowed to work after 10pm or 11pm depending on your local council rules.
11.30 is legally too late.
Of course this may vary if you live in Scotland.
Best thing is check your local council website for details.

It's a small business. There are limits on how many hrs an under 18 can work but from what I've read the only times they can't work is between 12am and 4am.

As long as they have officially left school the rules become more flexible. Still limited to an 8hr shift but no restrictions on late shifts.

Dd worked until that time at 16, it was fine and normal for restaurant work. Never later though.

What’s her curfew for non-work things? 10.30 would be early for 16…

To be fair, I probably could have managed an 11:30pm finish at 16 and still been chirpy and ready to go the the next morning.

I'm late thirties now and would massively struggle if required to work that late.

Can she get a taxi home so not disturbing your evening/ sleep?

I have to pick her up which isn't great as I'm up early for work. If I had known the shop would change their opening hours and her shifts would be late ones, I wouldn't have let her apply for the job. Whilst she was at school her shifts were 3 til 7 but now she has left, she is on the adult rota. She enjoys it and doesn't want to pack it in because there are not many jobs around for this age group

Two separate issues. If it’s too late for you to pick her up then she needs to say this to her employer - they should be aware at her age she is likely relying on parents to collect. Is the shift itself too late? Of course not. Is she really asleep
in bed every night at 11pm at 16 years old? I highly doubt it

DD has been working at a local pub (in the kitchen) since 14, and often finishes 11-11.30pm. I think it's fine, it's a bit of a pain having to stay awake to pick her up, but age 16 she's got nearly £10k in savings, is great mates with a range of people of different ages, and has picked up some awesome life skills along the way (she's even been in charge of the kitchen a couple of times!) For me, the inconvenience of picking her up is hugely outweighed by the benefits to her.

I am shocked how many people seem happy that employers are breaking employment laws....
What other laws are you all happy for people to break?

If I'm really tired, I text her to ring me when she's finished (rather than her normal message) and leave my phone on, and just go to bed early then wake up when she rings to pick her up 🤷🏻

Yes, it’s too late & is illegal.

Firstly she can’t work after 7pm until 27th June. Until that date she is legally classed as still at school and her employer needs a child employment licence for her. She can work a maximum of 2 hours Sunday-Fri & a maximum of 5 hours on Sunday.

If she’s been working after 7pm up til now it sounds like her employer has been acting illegally all along & this has implications for the employers liability insurance.

After 27th June she can work a maximum of 8 hours per day and not after 11pm. There is an exemption until midnight but only if there is no one else available to take that shift and there is sufficient supervision/rest breaks etc.

Could she ask manager to pay for a taxi home or give her a lift if she does the last hour? Or ask if she can do clean up early and leave at 10.30 so she can get a lift? Or ask to leave at 11 so not so bad for you?
I think you could ask her to get a taxi home with some of her extra wages to save yourself the late drives.