Discovering Higher and Degree Apprenticeships with UWE Bristol, get free advice >>

Need some opinions on my situation??

I had a job working as a part time waitress for a restaurant. Everytime I would get paid at the end of the month it would come as an envelope with an amount on the front and my name then had cash in side. I've never known anyone to be paid cash in hand for a job like waitressing? Nobody could ever tell me how much I was being paid by hour either but I was so desperate for a job I just went with it. Also, the amount never seemed quite right (usually 20 or 30 quid under what I should have been paid if I was on minimum wage) This is my first ever job so I have nothing to compare it to.
Also, on saturday night I was told what I would be working the following week as usual then this morning I woke up to a text saying I was sacked (no real reason given just that i wasn't 'coping' which had never even been suggested to me before).
When I've asked for the (at least) £70 I am owed for this month my boss has said she will 'try' get it for me soon but isn't sure.
Again this was my first job, cant help but feel like I've been done wrong here or am I overreacting??

Reply 1

sloths

If its a small restaurant it could be that the business is going under and so they're sacking staff - if they're already paying cash in hand then what they were doing might be illegal

Be assertive and write them a formal email and letter, requesting payment. Include any evidence that you have of working the shifts (rotas - text messages of shifts?) hopefully want to pay you the money to get you off their back

Reply 2

bones-mccoy

You're not overreacting, no. You can't do much about being sacked as you were probably on probation and a company can sack you immediately during that time period without being questioned, but you should be paid for the hours you've worked. You should also always be paid at least minimum wage if you're over 16.

In future I'd avoid working for a place that pays cash in hand as they only do it to avoid paying tax. At my old work, only the very occasional staff (those working about 2/3 shifts a month) would get paid cash in hand as they worked so little it was pointless them being on the books. You need to either visit them in person or write a formal letter explaining what money you are owed.