Daughters work experience

milliemonster

My 15 year old daughter has been on work experience this last couple of weeks and has thoroughly enjoyed it, tomorrow is supposed to be her last day. I say last as she has text me from work this afternoon to say the shop is extremely busy and have asked if she will work on Saturday. No payment has been offered for this.

I have said no unless they offer to pay her for her time as technically the work experience finishes tomorrow so I would assume she would no longer be covered by the school who organised it and on top of this, I am concerned she is going to be exploited.

She is now giving me a bit of a hard time saying she really wants to do it but I am sticking to my guns on this, by saying I am more than happy for her to work Saturday if she is happy to do so, but they must pay her for it.

I'm interested in others thoughts on this?

j.e.j.

I would run it by the school, in case it's not above board.

FBaby

I agree with you, but to actually forbid her to do so? Ultimately, isn't her choice to work for no money? She is right in that it will be additional experience, so surely still a positive thing?

FBaby

Also, aren't you jumping a bit fast? It might very well be that the conversation was only about whether she would be prepared to do it, with the expectation to discuss paying her in a second conversation or even that maybe it was obvious to them that she would be paid hence not even feeling they needed to mention it.

I would advise my daughter to negotiate first before telling them to get lost.

fivetide

there is a fine line between work experience and slave labour.

They should pay her. Chances are the agreement with the school covers certain hours and nothing more so they would technically be employing her for nothing which is illegal.

They should pay her. Get her to ask for a Saturday job, sounds like they could use the help and she has made a good impression.

She shouldn't work for free though. If anything happened the shop could be in a lot of trouble and your daughter might not be covered under their insurance because she wouldn't be an employee.

aileth

If she wants to do it, let her do it. A lot of 15 year olds would turn inside out before doing anything like this for free.

Sure, you might see it as the shop taking 'advantage' of her (and yes they should really pay her), but she enjoys it and will get extra experience. Plus, doing it may give her an extra quid's in so that in a year or two she might be able to get part-time work with the shop. It might work out way better in the long-run.

pickledonionspaceraider

FBaby wrote: »

I agree with you, but to actually forbid her to do so? Ultimately, isn't her choice to work for no money? She is right in that it will be additional experience, so surely still a positive thing?

I agree with this

IMO if it were me, I would put my own thoughts to the side and let her make her own mind up at 15.

What a hard working young lady you have raised

victory

milliemonster wrote: »

My 15 year old daughter has been on work experience this last couple of weeks and has thoroughly enjoyed it, tomorrow is supposed to be her last day. I say last as she has text me from work this afternoon to say the shop is extremely busy and have asked if she will work on Saturday. No payment has been offered for this.

I have said no unless they offer to pay her for her time as technically the work experience finishes tomorrow so I would assume she would no longer be covered by the school who organised it and on top of this, I am concerned she is going to be exploited.

She is now giving me a bit of a hard time saying she really wants to do it but I am sticking to my guns on this, by saying I am more than happy for her to work Saturday if she is happy to do so, but they must pay her for it.

I'm interested in others thoughts on this?

I think it's fabulous she wants to give up her free time and work, shows she really enjoyed it, could be her calling:D

fabforty

Having voiced your concerns, I would leave the decision up to her. They may well pay her (perhaps it just wasn't mentioned), or it might even lead to a job offer - this happened to me many years ago, when I did work experience at Woolworths. They asked me to come in on Saturday to help with a stocktake, and offered me a job afterwards. I was paid, although it wasn't mentioned at the time.

LucyLocket

You have two separate issues here. Firstly, whether the circumstance is properly arranged / insured etc after the school 'experience' has finished. Secondly, whether she is to be paid for her time.


The first is legitimately your concern as a parent and a call to the work place might clarify. Your right to make the decision about the second point is more debatable. At 15 she is close to being able to make a range of decisions herself .


If you do decide to make the decision for her it shouldn't be a 'snap' judgement. She may benefit from the additional experience and or references significantly enough to make voluntary input worthwhile. They may go on to offer her a paid position in future. They may, as someone else suggested intend to pay her on this occasion but not got round to discussing that part yet .

densol_2

To be paid to work under 16 a child needs a child permit to work - agreed by the school and issued by the council Surprised me too ( the only exception is work placements via the school )

Maybe this answers the problem