A conundrum. DS1 has done a few shifts at a local pub - one trial shift and then two others to a total of about 10.5 hours. Then he broke his hand and for various reasons, one being that they only paid £4 per hour, he has decided to stick with his other job. He was paid yesterday - but only for 3 hours - he told them he was leaving and could they pay him what they owed him but they have said that is all there is on the time sheet. The trial shift was in the previous months payroll but he hadn't given them his bank details so wasn't paid last month - the other two shifts the timesheets weren't there and the wife said the husband was doing something with them and she would fill them in for him - but didn't. I know this as when he got in the car we asked him if he had done timesheets - so I know he isn't lying - they do too but.... We have texts from him to us asking us to pick him up, and records written on our calendar of the exact hours he worked - he also remembers who else was with him (new starters etc) on the shifts. It amounts to about £30 but he is also owed tips (which they keep in a jar and dish out when they feel like it)...yes, you are getting the picture....

I am giving them the benefit of the doubt in that since he sent all the evidence he has yesterday they haven't replied...but if there is no response tomorrow, I am going to go in. This is not the first time - someone else has just left and only got paid after her mum went in. Others we know worked a trial shift, never heard anything and didn't get paid etc etc. They are seemingly shysters, preying on 16/17 years olds, paying peanuts but not actually paying - getting the 16/17 year olds to work behind the bar (with an 18 year old on the premises)....

So...if they don't stump up - who do I go to next - ACAS or CAB maybe but that wouldn't worry them, I suspect, but would the council be interested, inland revenue, trading standards....I don't know who to focus on - I suspect they think 16/17 year olds won't kick up a stink - I don't want them getting away with it for anyone else. I'm even thinking about putting something in the local village rag - I know £30 isn't a lot but to a 16 year old it is and the principle behind it is worth far more.

If you ever visit TSR then you will see this is getting common - it is a way of getting free labour from people they think they can rip off.

I would start with CAB https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/work/ ... ave-a-job/

I don’t think its uncommon for places to do this. Sadly.

Locally someone complained on FB and it is all bad publicity. Others mentioned it happened to them to. It is also a warning to others that might want to work there too.

They probably rely on them not making a fuss, so anyone making a fuss will get paid to shut up. Those that don’t basically get shafted.

Exactly the same happened to DD. She did get her money in the end but had to be quite insistent - she was slightly older. DH was ready to go in...I have considered reporting them to the tax office as it was all cash in hand. They had 17 year olds on the bar too.

That's outrageous!

Sadly, it is very common. My son was given a “trial” shift , a day at Next January sale. Starting before 7am. At the end of a the “interview”, none of them had passed.

Happened to my son too in a bar. 5 hours and not a penny. He followed it up and got a very belated apology with an offer to ‘pop in sometime’ to get the manager to ‘look into’ the money he said he was owed. He was too embarrassed to go and I think that’s what they bank on frankly.

I offered to go in but he wouldn’t let me.

Yes my son is a bit reluctant for me to make a scene....but for me it's about protecting those who come after him, where money is really tight, and they don't have the confidence at that age. I won't let it lie....the owner tried to rip my dad off a while ago - charged him for two bottles of wine not glasses....so he is definitely a crook...

That's shocking!
I wonder if they could provide your ds with the results of the interview and which areas he didn't do well in. I think if it was me I'd have to ask - even if just to try and embarrass them.
(My dd has worked at my place of work since she was 13; ds will start next holidays as he will have turned 13. I shall ensure they know not to moan that it's boring in future. They get paid better than the bar work was paying!)

Ds1 worked the summer behind the bar in our local pub. He was paid the minimum wage for his age (18 and £6.40'ish per hour) got paid for his trial shift and got a share of the tips though that did seem to be a month in arrears as they were shared out at the end of the month. He was treated really well and still does the odd "emergency" shift for them and will doubtless help out over Xmas. He was paid cash every week in a little brown envelope but all properly done with pay slip with NI number on etc.

It was a very lucrative summer for him and was much nicer than being in an office 8 hours a day 5 days a week.

It can be and should be done properly, hope you sort it out KCG.

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Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit, wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad !