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Would you work for less than minimum wage?
gayleygoo
Posts: 816 Forumite
A few months ago I started working in a local Chinese takeaway. It seems to be the norm that jobs in such places are badly paid, and I thought the £6 an hour offered seemed fair enough considering I at least didn't have to travel (it's within walking distance), and previous similar jobs have paid as little as £3 an hour even when I was over 20.
They asked me to switch the night I worked to a Thursday, but then said it was only £5 an hour since it was less busy than Friday nights. I felt that was unfair, since I still had to stand around and do the same job, but it was either that or quit. There are lots of people looking for work and most weeks we get someone in who asks if there's any jobs going. I have a feeling I'd be replaced very quickly if I quit due to low pay.
Their reasons were that I don't "have to pay tax", so the wage is lower - but as it's only £25 a week, I don't see how I'd be paying much tax on that anyway? I will obviously add to the my tax credits claim form etc (and my partner works so I'm not on unemployment benefits). Is there anything else I should know with regards to keeping it above board and such?
I disagree with the low pay, but I need the extra money and would not find such a handy job elsewhere locally. Clearly my employer has no incentive to pay better when so many people would take the job. I just feel I am working for less than what I am worth, iykwim. I have excellent A-levels, various other qualifications and get many compliments from customers on my service. I am working towards a degree so this job won't be forever, which is the only thing keeping me at it.
Just wondering what other people's thoughts are on poorly paid jobs?
They asked me to switch the night I worked to a Thursday, but then said it was only £5 an hour since it was less busy than Friday nights. I felt that was unfair, since I still had to stand around and do the same job, but it was either that or quit. There are lots of people looking for work and most weeks we get someone in who asks if there's any jobs going. I have a feeling I'd be replaced very quickly if I quit due to low pay.
Their reasons were that I don't "have to pay tax", so the wage is lower - but as it's only £25 a week, I don't see how I'd be paying much tax on that anyway? I will obviously add to the my tax credits claim form etc (and my partner works so I'm not on unemployment benefits). Is there anything else I should know with regards to keeping it above board and such?
I disagree with the low pay, but I need the extra money and would not find such a handy job elsewhere locally. Clearly my employer has no incentive to pay better when so many people would take the job. I just feel I am working for less than what I am worth, iykwim. I have excellent A-levels, various other qualifications and get many compliments from customers on my service. I am working towards a degree so this job won't be forever, which is the only thing keeping me at it.
Just wondering what other people's thoughts are on poorly paid jobs?
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Comments
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Absolutely not - this is illegal & the employers know this, there's no two ways around that!Retired member - fed up with the general tone of the place.0
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The sooner someone with enough balls to abolish the minimum wage the better all round the country will be.0
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specialboy wrote: »The sooner someone with enough balls to abolish the minimum wage the better all round the country will be.
yes, i reckon i can get foreigners working for me for less than minimum wage if it was abolished. More profit for me0 -
specialboy wrote: »The sooner someone with enough balls to abolish the minimum wage the better all round the country will be.
To perhaps replace it with a living wage.Don’t be a can’t, be a can.0 -
.... Is there anything else I should know with regards to keeping it above board and such? ...
Well you're being paid cash in hand so you cant really keep it/make it above board.
If it's that (ie. the job) or nothing and you're happy to work, keep doing it and pocket the money.
I do some cash in hand work for £5.50 per hour which is below the NMW but as Id pay 20% tax on that plus NI, I'm happy to take it and keep stum as I'm better off for it. If it was my sole job, Id kick up a fuss or report it.The campaign against overpowering signatures0 -
To perhaps replace it with a living wage.
If everyone on the NMW was given an uplift to the living wage that wouldn't that push some prices up and the new NMW wouldn't be enough to support everyone on it.
Some people have to earn below average and some above average for the capitalist system to work.
There are alternatives, but you don't want to go there.The campaign against overpowering signatures0 -
The point here is that the employer is breaking the law - and you are enabling them to do it on several levels. You are harming not only your own income - and self-worth - but the income of people who "need" the job as you've mentioned you don't really mind as you'll be getting tax credits top ups. It's these tax credit top ups that employers rely on to keep their wages low as there's "always somebody who'll do it for the money", meaning those who are able to get tax credits top ups.
Report them ... for yourself now - and for your future self when you really need a job that pays your way, else you'll find there aren't any available to you because unscrupulous employers are hiring people who can rely on tax credits to top up their paltry offerings.0 -
I would work for less than NMW, but not in the circumstances described - they are pulling a fast one.
When I do research projects if you broke down my income to an hourly rate it would at times be lower, but I do it because a) I love the work, b) I am aware of the benefits my work can bring for others, and c) the more work I do the higher profile I get, which brings with it a higher income. So yes, I would do it if it had greater benefits in the long term.0 -
https://www.gov.uk/pay-and-work-rights-helpline
This is the page where you can report those paying less than NMW.0 -
You need to report this employer, if not for your own sake then for others.0
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