job trial without pay???? help??

lisab3664

hey guys wondered if you can shed a little light on this?

currently on income support my youngest is 5 and im being pushed to look for a job due to changes in the law coming up, which is fine i want to work however got info from jobcentre about a shop job for 16-20 hours? went for a 30 minute type trial then got called in to another type trial for 1.5 hours.....then the boss called me and said oh things are looking good and that me and another girl had the job? could i start this thursday take in my ref's etc and do a 6 hour shift. I was so happy then realised they'd not asked me to inform dole or asked for my P whatever NI number or anything?? called the shop manager back and then he said oh this shift on thurs will be unpaid it's between you and 4 other people all who are going in to do a free 6 hour shift so they can see how you work and decide who gets it and he went on to say oh but it'll probs be you!!!

Now im sat thinking that this is downright cheeky and is it actually allowed?? free labour off all these people trying to get a job not to mention everytime he wants me to go in its costing me to get there its 10 miles away from where i live and also i have to get childcare??
Is what he's doing legal, am i being messed around so confused (

anyone help me here plz x x

LadyMissA

Yes they are allowed to not pay you cause someone will do it in order to get the job - if there really is one?!

I know others will say it's what you have to do to get a job but I say it's a P!ss take and I wouldn't do that. Surely they know my interview and references if you could do the job. I have no objection to a weeks paid trial but not a day unapaid as there is no proof there is even a job on offer, they could just easily say you haven't got it.

scheming_gypsy

it's 6 hours work with the possibility of a job at the end of it but how many people are going to have the same thought? if you do, then that's only 3 people to work and less competition but if all of you think the same and none of you go, the job goes to somebody else. So for the sake of 6 hours, you could be the only person to give up your time and walk away with a job.

lisab3664

thanks ladymiss A

thats exactly what i was thinking fair enough i would do it to get the job but its what ive started to think? is there really a job there?

surely they would know from having someone in twice for around 2-3 hours if they can do it or not? i mean i have loads of this kind of work experience behind me and its obvious i didnt even need them to train me literally walked in and could do it??

hmmmm but what to do?
do it without the pay and maybe get a job or not???

LadyMissA

lisab3664 wrote: »

thanks ladymiss A

thats exactly what i was thinking fair enough i would do it to get the job but its what ive started to think? is there really a job there?

surely they would know from having someone in twice for around 2-3 hours if they can do it or not? i mean i have loads of this kind of work experience behind me and its obvious i didnt even need them to train me literally walked in and could do it??

hmmmm but what to do?
do it without the pay and maybe get a job or not???

So they advertised a job with the job centre? Are you and the other person going back on the same day? If they say it's between you and them one of you will get it so maybe get their mobile number to see if they get and you don't. IF you don't and they don't either then you know it's a scam.

It is a well known shop?

lisab3664

LadyMissA wrote: »

So they advertised a job with the job centre? Are you and the other person going back on the same day? If they say it's between you and them one of you will get it so maybe get their mobile number to see if they get and you don't. IF you don't and they don't either then you know it's a scam.

It is a well known shop?

it was advertised through JC yes, he originally said me and another girl had it but then the next day said there was one out of 4 to get it??

and no he has us all going in at different days and times : /

its a new ish shop been there around 6month or more not sure if im allowed to say the name ???
but its like a mini supermarket type privately owned but under a brand name i think as there are a few dotted around ??

LadyMissA

lisab3664 wrote: »

it was advertised through JC yes, he originally said me and another girl had it but then the next day said there was one out of 4 to get it??

and no he has us all going in at different days and times : /

its a new ish shop been there around 6month or more not sure if im allowed to say the name ???
but its like a mini supermarket type privately owned but under a brand name i think as there are a few dotted around ??

I would maybe call the job centre and ask for advice

SarEl

LadyMissA wrote: »

I know others will say it's what you have to do to get a job but I say it's a P!ss take and I wouldn't do that.

Yes, true - but then that is exactly what you did say/do when made a similar offer. You are still unemployed and the job was re-advertised because they didn't appoint anyone - as you told us.

So you may be entirely right - but you also may be very wrong. You were in your own case. You might well have been in work now if you had taken the gamble.

OP - if it isn't going to cost you anything to do this, it may grate to work for free, and no, there are no guarantees you will get a job out of it, but what have you got to lose? You want to work and you know there is little work around right now - sometimes you have to kiss a few toads to find a prince! This seems to be an increasingly common practice with certain types of employer, and it may not be the last time you are asked to do a work trial like this. But right now it's a buyers market for employers and it may be the only way in to employment.

ceridwen

What you could do is if they turn out to be just using you for free labour - as you don't get given the job or it turns out there never really was a job is:

Give them a letter (keeping a copy for yourself) listing all the hours you have worked for them:

- half hour
- one and a half hours
- six hours

TOTAL = 8 hours pay they will owe you.

As this is 8 hours "work" then you will be entitled - by law - to receive payment for that time at at least National Minimum Wage rate of pay (think its currently £6.08 per hour?).

In your position I would say in that letter:

"I look forward to receiving 8 x £6.08 per hour (NMW) that you owe me for the times I worked for you - as listed below:
0.5 hours on x date
1.5 hours on y date
6 hours on z date.

TOTAL = £48.64

I trust that a cheque for this money will be with me by (give a date 2 weeks time). Otherwise I regret it will be necessary for me to inform HM Revenue and Customs about this in order to ensure that I receive due payment. Thank you."

***************************

Of course - there might actually BE a job and you might actually get given it - in which case you might want to think again about whether to try and claim the 8 hours money they will owe you.

But - if they dont give you a job - then definitely claim that money owed by them (they wont hand it to you if you dont ask!!!!).

*********************

Think of it this way - the more people put in a claim under National Minimum Wage provisions for work employers were hoping to con them into getting for free - the greater the chance employers will stop pulling this "How can I get unpaid labour?" stunt some of them are trying on these days.

C_Mababejive

No..dont do it. They are exploiting you and any other applicants and playing you all off against eachother. Slavery was abolished years ago.

Report their antics to the job centre if thats where you say the job and name/shame them on here.

ceridwen

The Job Centre MAY not react in an appropriate fashion to such exploitation. My guess is that they would be more likely to urge applicants for the job to do this work trial and not bother their heads as to whether they get paid for it or no. They will, almost certainly, be "ticking boxes" and determined to push people forward to these "trials" regardless.

IF one knows a particular Job Centre employee that is trying hard to do their job properly and isnt scared of "making waves" - then one could alert them to this AFTER the event (ie if the job "trials" have been done - but no job has proven to be forthcoming from them).

Better by far for people to pursue employers trying to get "free labour" by chasing them for the salary they are owed for the time (using National Minimum Wage provisions to do so).