Induction day dismissal

DAVIESTRIBE

My 16 year old daughter was recently successful in applying for a part time grocery assistant post at our local large supermarket chain.
She passed the online application and was invited for interview where her documents were checked and later offered the job. She started her induction day along with her mum and was told after 30 mins that she could no longer take part because her passport had expired and sent home. She was upset and traumatised by the whole experience as it was her first job interview. Firstly,
why wasnt the passport picked up at interview?
There is nothing to say legally that i can see that a passport has to be indate to prove her right to work?
She had her blood mother at the induction with her ?
She has had her confidence shredded and no longer feels she can apply for other jobs.
Her job was offered by HR to another candidate previously unsuccessful before she had left the building.
Needless to say my wife resigned an hour later due to the unproffesional treatment of our daughter.
After a few emails back and forth with head office they now want to meet with us for a discussion .
I am considering an employment tribunal may be on the cards as i feel my daughter has been treated unfairly.
Anyone any views or advice .

DAREDEVIL78

That seems harsh . . who was the company ?

Cyril

Does seem very odd tbh.

My first thought is that its nothing to do with a passport expiring but your daughters age. I'm very surprised she got a job in a large firm as she's under 18.

TBH I personally in your shoes wouldn't make a mountain out of a molehill here as your daughter will think getting a job is a big deal and it doesn't have to be. Not all future employers are going to be like this and I wouldn't want her thinking they are.

Uncertain

DAVIESTRIBE wrote: »

After a few emails back and forth with head office they now want to meet with us for a discussion .
I am considering an employment tribunal may be on the cards as i feel my daughter has been treated unfairly.
Anyone any views or advice .

As I'm sure you realise, you can only make an employment tribunal claim with less that a year's service for a very limited number of reasons - mainly discrimination.

It may be that you feel there has been discrimination but it would have to be in one of the areas laid down by law and I can't immediately see which you think applies?

kazwookie

Apply for a new passport for her, and send her back to see them.

whitewing

I think you are right that a passport does not become expired as id. (Certainly that was the case with my husband's expired -foreign - passport).

I do think that your wife should not have walked out as I think it makes you look like you'll get on your high horse rather than handle the situation professionally. Plus it would surely be easier to reinstate your daughter if your wife was still there.

I feel sorry for your daughter, but I think other posters are right that you shouldn't turn it into a bigger deal than it is. Think of it more as the company doesn't fit your criteria, and move on to the next job. Letter of complaint, maybe. Tribunal, I think it would cause more problems than it would solve.

Jarndyce

DAVIESTRIBE wrote: »

My 16 year old daughter was recently successful in applying for a part time grocery assistant post at our local large supermarket chain.
She passed the online application and was invited for interview where her documents were checked and later offered the job. She started her induction day along with her mum and was told after 30 mins that she could no longer take part because her passport had expired and sent home. She was upset and traumatised by the whole experience as it was her first job interview. Firstly,
why wasnt the passport picked up at interview?
There is nothing to say legally that i can see that a passport has to be indate to prove her right to work?
She had her blood mother at the induction with her ?
She has had her confidence shredded and no longer feels she can apply for other jobs.
Her job was offered by HR to another candidate previously unsuccessful before she had left the building.
Needless to say my wife resigned an hour later due to the unproffesional treatment of our daughter.
After a few emails back and forth with head office they now want to meet with us for a discussion .
I am considering an employment tribunal may be on the cards as i feel my daughter has been treated unfairly.
Anyone any views or advice .

My thoughts are that
a) if you are asked to take your passport to an induction day it is your responsibility to make sure it is in date and
b) your wife has unnecessarily cut off her nose to spite her face.

There is no possibility whatsoever of any kind of tribunal claim here based on what you have said.

You are lucky that they have sought a meeting and can only hope they are being conciliatory - they do not need to be.

Uncertain

Just to add, a company has a legal duty to ensure that its staff are eligible to live and work in the UK and can be heavily fined if they get this wrong.

That said, there is no legal obligation to have a passport so there must be other ways of doing these checks.

What I don't know (but doubtless SarEl will ) is if a company can simply say "no valid passport, no job" or if they must accept other valid proof.

Jarndyce

Uncertain wrote: »

What I don't know (but doubtless SarEl will ) is if a company can simply say "no valid passport, no job" or if they must accept other valid proof.

Of course they can. They can employ whoever they want on whatever terms they want as long as they do it lawfully. If they have a rule that says all potential employees have to show a valid passport as ID then what is to stop them doing so?

I agree in this case it sounds like things have been blown out of all proportion, but there is nothing legal in this scenario whatsoever.

smartiedriver_2

whitewing wrote: »

I think you are right that a passport does not become expired as id. (Certainly that was the case with my husband's expired -foreign - passport).

An expired passport (or driving licence, for that matter) is not acceptable as ID.

It may have been years ago, but that is no longer the case.

And yes, if asked to present her passport, surely she should have had the nous to check it was valid? If she can't check that simple thing then no wonder an employer has concerns.

Evilm

When I have to do this I provide my driving license which I suppose your daughter doesn't have yet. I was warned that out of date ID would result in not being employed.