15 year olds no longer able to work at all?

CATS · 24 November 2014 at 3:13PM

Hi All,

My 15 year old son is desperate to get a saturday job and has been asking around in shops for any vacancies, however the standard reply is "you have to be 16 to apply" he is getting very frustrated with it and I just want to find out if shops no longer take under 16s. I got a job when I was 14 in a shop but we are talking about almost 20 years ago.
I am very proud of him for trying as he doesn't really need a job as such, he gets a good amount of pocket money monthly, I give him money for going out, hair cuts, transport and school meals and I buy all his clothes. But I am really proud of him for wanting to work. I just want to give him a realistic idea whether he will be able to get a job or not at this age.

PasturesNew · 24 November 2014 at 3:19PM

Maybe it's just easier to say that than trying to jig things and other people around the different rules for under 16s working.
https://www.gov.uk/child-employment/restrictions-on-child-employment

lulu_92 · 24 November 2014 at 3:24PM

have you tried pot-washer in pub? My sister did that from 14.

PasturesNew · 24 November 2014 at 3:27PM

lulu_92 wrote: »

have you tried pot-washer in pub? My sister did that from 14.

Can't work after 7pm on weekdays/school nights. Can't work more than 2 hours on a Sunday. So not much good to employers.

lulu_92 · 24 November 2014 at 3:28PM

PasturesNew wrote: »

Can't work after 7pm on weekdays/school nights. Can't work more than 2 hours on a Sunday. So not much good to employers.

But on a Saturday? My sis used to do the lunch rush on a Sunday but her friend did the Saturday

shop-to-drop · 24 November 2014 at 3:30PM

Pot washer is the easiest one to get. My son worked friday and saturday night starting on his 15th birthday. It worked really well and did a lot for his self esteem. The first place we asked took him on. It was hard work but that actually was good for him too.

He gave it up in September as he decided that he wanted to focus on his GCSE's this year and had bought all the things he wanted and after doing a lot of extra hours in the holidays had saved enough to keep him going.

PasturesNew · 24 November 2014 at 3:36PM

lulu_92 wrote: »

But on a Saturday? My sis used to do the lunch rush on a Sunday but her friend did the Saturday

Employers want what they call "flexible" staff these days - not day-related, but people they can phone up and call in at short notice. They'd rather have one "flexible" person, or somebody that can do Saturday AND Sunday (and a couple of evenings) rather than one person for one specific day.

Not saying it's impossible, but it's not as easy as it used to be, say.

lulu_92 · 24 November 2014 at 3:38PM

PasturesNew wrote: »

Employers want what they call "flexible" staff these days - not day-related, but people they can phone up and call in at short notice. They'd rather have one "flexible" person, or somebody that can do Saturday AND Sunday (and a couple of evenings) rather than one person for one specific day.

I know all about flexible hours; I worked in a bingo hall until 6 months ago and they needed the most flexible people ever.

It was only a suggestion though. As much as I respect and admire his desire to work if his schedule and available times do not suit a job he will have to wait until they do.

shoe*diva79 · 24 November 2014 at 4:08PM

My daughter tried for 2 years from 14 years old to get a saturday job with no luck at all. All employers wanted someone aged 16+ for insurance purposes.

The day she turned 16 she applied for 20 more jobs in the local shopping centre, had an interview 5 days later and started the following weekend.

molerat · 24 November 2014 at 4:18PM

PasturesNew wrote: »

Maybe it's just easier to say that than trying to jig things and other people around the different rules for under 16s working.
https://www.gov.uk/child-employment/restrictions-on-child-employment

Is probably the correct answer. A few years back my (branch of a national) company employed a 15 year old and it was a total PITA to comply with the rules whilst fitting him in with what suited us as an employer. It was the first and last time we did it. I wonder if many of those small employers who do employ youngsters actually take any notice of the regs or do they just see cheap labour.

kitty_kins · 24 November 2014 at 4:39PM

It's a while ago now (9 years, crikey!) but when I was 14 I worked as a hairdressing assistant at a local salon. There were a few of us that age - we just washed hair, made drinks, tidied up etc. The pay was appalling (£2.50/hour and you could only work 4 hours a week) but still, £40 a month was nothing to sniff at!