Apprenticeship advice

[RSHerts!]

Hi. My 18yr son has recently started a sub c plumbing apprentice. We all realise how fortunate he is to be given this opportunity and he is loving every day despite starting his day at 5am and sometimes not finishing til 7pm. My question is hes been there 6 weeks suppose to be paid weekly but actually only been paid twice. Is this normal? First timers to the trade and don't want to raise my mum concerns to my son as he's loving it. Just looking for some background advice. Thanks

 

[exedon2]

No not correct assuming he's paid a week in hand should have been paid 5 times in 6 weeks.
Is he on the books or some sort of subcontracting deal?
What sort of work are they doing to need to put in 14hr days?

 

[Chuck]

Sounds like he's being exploited by an outfit that is not going to be in business for long. Unless there are exceptional and short-term circumstances, fourteen hour days are a red flag. In any case, employees should be paid overtime and/or given time off in lieu for the extras. Irregular payment is a very big red flag.

Here's the law on working hours:

Maximum weekly working hours

Working time directive and maximum weekly working hours including how to calculate your weekly working hours and working time limits if you're a young worker.

www.gov.uk

What's the health and safety culture like? Is he getting proper payslips? Is he getting proper training and supervision or just being treated like a slave?

Is his college aware of the problems?

 

[Deleted member 120897]

As per @Chuck - When I was on my apprenticeship, if there was an issue I knew who to speak to from the college, your son should know too. They (the college) should know how to approach this company on your sons behalf in a way hopefully to not rock the boat, however if they do terminate his apprenticeship then I’d say it’s no great loss.

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Does the amount add up to two weeks pay or is he getting paid weekly but at the end of each month etc ?

 

[oz-plumber]

Get him to document all his hours while working - not so much travel time, but it could be useful.

Get him to actively seek another job.
If he gets another job, take the hours worked to someone that can help and get all his money paid by existing company.

Not sure what sort of help you guys have over there, but over here, that sort of stuff is very much frowned upon and all money's will be paid by going to a Government Department and lodging a claim.

Wage theft is a massive thing over here at the moment.
Plenty of large and small companies over here are paying huge amounts back to people they exploited over not paying correct wages.

He should be paid weekly without any questions and for all the hours he has worked.

 

[gmartine]

No mention of college or day release, sounds exploitative.