16 year old, temp job, too many hours?

paulineb_2

sewandsew03 wrote: »

I repeat I didn't complain, for those struggling with this,
I called to check if the shifts were right, I was asked how old my DD is because they are unable to ask ages, when I said 16 she said she said, no, she is not allowed to do that shift then come in so soon for another, I said, I thought so. She reduced the shift to one.

Can I make it clear that my DD is not bothered that she lost the other shift, she will have been in school all day Friday, we certainly did not want her doing the Friday shift AND the Saturday shift not only because I don't agree but more that myself or my husband will have to pick her up and drop off etc.

I'm flabbergasted at some of the attitudes on here, I've been accused of "sticking my oar in, making a fuss, pulling the legal card, being OTT, not understanding how the working world operates".

I actually think given the company said, your daughter isnt legally allowed to do the second shift, that thats fair enough.

If they are aware at her age that shes not allowed to do that combination of shifts and she doesnt have a problem with it, theres absolutely no harm done, they might have sent her home anyway when they did realise that she was only 16.

sewandsew03

paulineb wrote: »

And its very easy to say the girl should be standing on her own two feet, but at that age its not so easy. 16 years old and in your first job and all of a sudden you have to know all about working time regulations and also assert yourself and say you aren't doing it?
Ive been in jobs where its been hard to assert myself in my 20s and beyond due to certain bosses, never mind thinking about what my 16 year old self would have done.

And I may be in the minority here, but theres a clear safety issue about asking an under 18 to finish a shift at midnight unless they have someone who can come and collect them.

I don't agree that people should be grateful for any bits of work, even if the shifts aren't legal, just so they have a job.

If the company were in the wrong they were in the wrong and they are the ones who should have known what the girl could work, before they offered her the shifts.

And if they had, no one would be having this conversation.

Paulilneb, thank you for this, I agree totally, not all 16 year olds are assertive, confident etc. For my DD personally this is a huge step for her, I'm afraid I don't agree with "old enough to work, old enough to speak up" brigade.

balletshoes

sewandsew03 wrote: »

Paulilneb, thank you for this, I agree totally, not all 16 year olds are assertive, confident etc. For my DD personally this is a huge step for her, I'm afraid I don't agree with "old enough to work, old enough to speak up" brigade.

so when will she be old enough to speak up? I'm not having a go at you OP, I'm genuinely interested.

At 16 I was working in an adult environment, with adults, and expected to act like an adult. Therefore, although if I had any work/HR problems etc at that age I'd talk it over with my parents, I would be the one to talk to HR/my boss etc about it. I would, as another poster has already said, have been mortified if my mum had even suggested intervening on my behalf with my employers, never mind actually phoning them up.

I totally get where you and itzmee are coming from regarding your youngster's jobs, conditions, getting scant information etc. But I still believe its up to the employee, not the employee's mum or dad, to sort out any issues they have.

sewandsew03

Well that's were you and I will have to agree to disagree balletshoes, she didn't mind me ringing up, I cant answer your question I'm afraid, all kids are different!

Dunroamin

carolan78 wrote: »

I've not read all of the thread so sorry if it is already mentioned. An earlier poster is right when she said it is in essence 1 shift. They call it a split shift so the 12 hours between shifts rule would not apply.

I still think that this is what applies. I'm not at all sure that a "working day" is actually Monday/Tuesday, I think it's actually the 24 hours from when the person starts a shift.

paulineb_2

The company were in the wrong and the girl probably didnt know there was an error. So unless someone else who did have an issue actually phoned up, there would have been no resolution to this and the girl would have been working an illegal shift pattern.

Its tough trying to resolve something when you dont know the issue.

balletshoes

paulineb wrote: »

The company were in the wrong and the girl probably didnt know there was an error. So unless someone else who did have an issue actually phoned up, there would have been no resolution to this and the girl would have been working an illegal shift pattern.

Its tough trying to resolve something when you dont know the issue.

erm surely the girl did know there was an error, when her mum told her there was?

paulineb_2

Dunroamin wrote: »

I still think that this is what applies. I'm not at all sure that a "working day" is actually Monday/Tuesday, I think it's actually the 24 hours from when the person starts a shift.

I would assume this would apply if the company said to the girl at some stage, you are doing a split shift.

The people I know who work split shifts know they are split shifts

Also, anytime I did a shift on a Monday, even if there were only a few hours between the shift I did on the Tuesday, it was clear from the pattern of the rota I worked, that Monday was one shift, Tuesday was one shift

Its up to the company to let the worker know, people shouldnt have to be guessing as to whether a 5 hour break is part of a shift or whether its two shifts.

paulineb_2

balletshoes wrote: »

erm surely the girl did know there was an error, when her mum told her there was?

Prior to that she didnt and that was the point I was making.

If your employer gets it wrong and you dont know the law how is someone supposed to know?

itzmee

sewandsew03 wrote: »

Finally someone who see's where I'm coming from!

I so understand your frustration and think a lot of the posters are being quite harsh. Yes our teenagers are lucky to get a bit of work, but ultimately they won't get much out of it - not much experience and certainly not much money, which is what they're doing it for. Next, or at least their recruiting managers, are not interested in being helpful or understanding employers. They just want bodies in for their sale, most of whom are basically kids. There was no interview process, no information given on the actual job or package offered. They were more interested in seeing paperwork to confirm UK residency.

My son has stood on his own two feet in getting this job and contacted them twice today, but was just given little or conflicting information each time. He was berated for changing his shifts as he had initially stated that he was flexible with his working hours, and was willing to work whatever days were needed, but he didn't know that the working hours were almost 24 hours around the clock. I don't drive and have no way of getting him to/from work at silly o'clock - but they don't care or make allowances for this, especially when their temp staff are kids just out of school who have to rely on parents or public transport.