In trouble with my boss... weird situation, any advice appreciated.

[Ginismedicinal]

I'm a hairdresser with 30 years experience, I'm employed in a salon and FULLY booked up til the end of November, not even room for a cut and blow dry... but, my boss sat me down yesterday to say I'm not earning her enough money, she's having to 'carry me'!
I've been here 2 years and, strangely, they charge about £40 for a full head highlights, toners and cut and blow dry!! I've NEVER worked anywhere that charges less than £90+ for a service like this.
Obviously they can't be charging enough to cover wages/overheads etc, and suddenly, out of nowhere I've been taken asside for this chat that there's not enough money coming in.
I'm the only stylist here, I open up, I close etc, just me. How am I to earn them more money if I'm fully booked up months in advance? I don't even have ANY breaks etc.
Is there something I'm missing? I'm so confused by this sudden 'problem' where the solution is in the owners control, not mine... charge more for the services! 🤦🏻‍♀️

And don't call it even! She can fuck off. But get your tools before you tell her that, and she does.

She sounds bonkers frankly, and if she isn't sufficiently organised to charge enough to keep her business afloat, she won't manage to make a claim against you! Best collect your stuff any way you can and block her. About how you came to be in this position - maybe you gradually got used to it and because of working alone, you haven't discussed it with anyone else enough to realise what is going on? Anyway, good luck with the next stage.

Maybe call it even if you had a contract and wanted to be free without giving notice, but that's not the case is it.

She's trying to do you over ever which way.

I'd report her for breaking so many legal requirements for employing someone particularly as you were essentially running the place for her. Document everything, from the day you started working in the salon for her, using your appointment books for recollecting how many days off you had etc. over the past year and report her for a whole heap of violations of employment rights.
She deserves to have the full weight of the law brought down on her. She is trying to stiff you for 10 days leave (or be paid the equivalent for them) which you are entitled to so I wouldn't give in there.

You know that you're in the right here so keep sticking to the truth of the matter and she will have no option but to fix it for you.

Best of luck!

Your response we should be “I’m just getting some legal advice.”

..,and advice from the HMRC!

Ok - her current argument is; I'm not entitled to my remaining days holiday because I've only worked 9 months of this year (her 'year' is based on what month I started working there)... so my accrued days are only up to this month. So I'm not entitled to my remaining days holiday now because I left?? I genuinely thought I'm still entitled to them even if I left... at least that's what citizens advice and ACA's say???

You'll be entitled to what you have accrued in those 9 months.

So say you had 12 days holiday allowance in a year. You'd be entitled to 9. If you haven't taken any you're still entitled to those 9, but not the remaining 3. But if you'd taken 11, you'd need to pay 2 back.

Doesn't that depend on whether you gave her notice?

You're only entitled to the number of holiday days owed up to when you left. If you've worked 3/4 of the "year" you're entitled to 3/4 of your holiday entitlement.

It absolutely looks like a money laundering operation to me, it's pretty rampant in the towns around where I live and what you have described sounds like a pretty typical set up for laundering cash. Get what your owed and never look back. If you're worried she's put your name on anything maybe call into your local police station and ask to speak to whoever deals with fraud and get it on record but I doubt you've anything to worry about there. Well done on getting away from her.

You won't be entitled to full years holiday unless you have worked the full year unless your holiday is paid a year in arrears.

Far as I can tell, she does owe me for a few days holiday I haven't taken, but I'm just going to walk away. It's not worth the stress quite frankly.
The whole things been crazy and I'm so ready for a new, 'normal' job with decent, reliable people... 🙏

@MMudflaps I agree, money laundering, maybe more. I've heard there's a few in my town too, probably in lots of places.
I've contacted HMRC, just for some advice regarding my name potentially being associated with anything... hopefully not 🤞

Have you checked she's been paying your tax and NI etc?

Its not just HMRC. Its not the National Crime Agency you need to inform as they deal with complex criminal enterprises. Wouldn’t hurt to put anonymous complaint into your local police via crime stoppers.

OP already answered when I asked about payslips and P60, she’s never had either.

Ah didn't see that. I saw she didn't have any payslips etc but missed the bit about tax etc. I must be tired!

It seems to me that the urgent issue is that she does not appear to have been paying tax or National Insurance. Were you officially self-employed, and if so, have you paid those? If not, you really need to sort that out as a priority.

Assuming you’ve not had a contract, payslips or info on tax/NI paid, I would start with the assumption that no tax nor NI has been paid since you’ve been “employed” by this lady so you need to contact the HMRC to clarify your situation (might have to sit on the phone in a queue for 40 mins but when you get through the HMRC people are usually very knowledgeable and helpful), and how the situation can be rectified if needed.

I’ve no doubt that some kind of scam/fraud/money laundering is going on, but you need to find out that you’ve been contributing to your state pension and that you are up to date with your tax. Sort out your tax/NI situation first.

In my opinion there are so many scams and frauds going on that Action Fraud and HMRC just can’t keep up with them. No doubt your “employer” (you know she’s going to claim you were self employed or a director/partner if the shit hits the fan) will keep doing what she’s doing and seemingly get away with it. I think it will help to contact HMRC/Action Fraud and let them know what she’s up to, if only to cover your own back, if there’s any investigation down the line.
Keep copies of any communications your employer has text/emailed you.

Good Luck!

Also keep a record of all the earnings she’s paid you.

As others have said the HMRC app is useful but it may take a little time and ref. number(s) etc. from the HMRC to work.

Well, no, sorry, it’s me. I’m basing it on the fact of no contract, records or any paper trail equals no official employment. This woman’s put nothing in writing, so there’s no tax being paid or NHI. I wonder if she’s got a VAT registration, not for paying any, but if she’s been claiming back on business expenses.

@Ginismedicinal have you done a free online search of Companies House to see if she’s operating a limited company or holds any directorships?

Cut and run i'd say and lesson learned!! Make sure your next place is legit and you now know your rights a bit more. I wouldn't want anything more to do with her.

The problem with just walking away is if tax and NI haven't been paid. If there was any investigations the boss could claim the OP is self employed so should have been paying it herself then it would be the OP in trouble. Also as others have said if no NI has been paid that's no pension contributions etc for 2 years.