Employment Warning Signs!

Chris from Akina

Dear community I write to you to express serious concerns that there are people (young especially) getting caught out by devious businesses that will take on staff and then display unsafe, unsound business and even unlawful practice.
For example...
A young person (Chris) seeks out work and finds someone who suddenly has a gap to fill. Great! They know that they need to present things like banking and personal info to the business and usually this is asked for early on. (Chris) starts work and soon finds out that the hours are erratic and that the "manager" fails to confirm exactly what (Chris's) responsibilities will be or wages, so he does any and everything required of him. He's diligent and follows instructions well and works hard as per his normal character.

At the end of the week he find out he's responsibilities incl locking up after everyone else have gone home. Unknowing what hours are actually required of him and difficulty in getting any return calls to messages he goes in and finds out that he's no longer required because he failed to perform to the "expect level" (that was never communicated properly to him)!! He also sees they have "hired" another new person to do the job he was doing?
Warnings signs are appearing to him that this may not be a good business to work for!
After he's worked 40hrs he finds out that the "business lost his information or there was a problem in bank system ... And any wages will be late" he's told "out of character" things from the manager and feels totally confused.

He's lost the "job" needs to pay rent and is nearly broke after the expenses of that week.

What (Chris) failed to receive before starting work for this place... Any form of contact or agreemnet anything in writing even after 7days.

He goes to seek legal advise concerned this business is "rouge". They confirm his worst fears. He will loose a week's wage with little recourse and they may slander him and say nasty things that are untrue. No response from them even from a letter from the lawyers means either go to court or stand the lose.

Sound like a manipulation to you? These businesses exist in our community, are well know by name and the Legal profession are watching.

*Failure to ensure the employment agreement is in writing may result in a fine of $1,000 per employee. Both parties need to sign it.

Good employment relationships start with a good recruitment process so that the employee and employer have the same expectations about the role and working conditions.
A well written employment agreement helps the employee and employer to know what is expected from them and what they’re entitled to. This means misunderstandings are less likely to happen and if a problem does come up then the employee and employer can go to the employment agreement to clarify things.

Have you or anyone else had a similar situation occur?
Unfortunately we can't name and shame these places publicly however there is help available and steps that people need to think about especially for that fist job even if it's part time or on call.