clarification of my rights please

NeuroticMonkey

Hi all,

Long story short..I'm 22. Was working up to last Nov in an industrial setting but was let go. There I was on approx the min wage at the time (€8.67, to be exact). I got a new job about 1 month ago. My new employer pays me €6.92 an hr. According to
http://www.jobsguideireland.com/minimum-wage-rate-in-ireland/
it would seem my employer is completely within their rights to pay me this ridiculously low rate as I am in my first yr of employment with them. Am I right in saying this?

It's just hard to take you know? The old minimum wage was hard enough to get by on without now earning ~ €70 less a week, not to mention paying more in taxes and charges!! It's not as if I'm a 16 yr old who can rely on parents to float them some cash occasionally! Anyone found themselves in a similar situation this year?

tenchi-fan

No

The only times they can pay you the lower rate when you are over 18 is if
1) you are in your first year of your first ever employment (with any company)
2) You are in structured training with the company

If neither 1 nor 2, you get the Experienced adult worker €7.65

Don't forget you may end up paying some tax so your take-home pay will be lower. Check your payslip

bbam

Rationalisation of wages and costs is all fine for the sake of a competitive economy, but this current "race to the bottom" we are seeing is leaving lots of people in terrible situations...

Wages are back to 1997 or worse levels and weekly costs (tax, fuel, interest rates) are continuing to rise. The toughest thing is that there is no respite in sight, just an ongoing squeeze of peoples standard of living..

Many Irish families are back to living hand to mouth with no reserves and many have no means to pay their debts..

Some employers are scandalously squeezing and abusing employees in the knowledge they can't leave for any other jobs... Shame on them.

NeuroticMonkey

bbam wrote: »

Rationalisation of wages and costs is all fine for the sake of a competitive economy, but this current "race to the bottom" we are seeing is leaving lots of people in terrible situations...

Wages are back to 1997 or worse levels and weekly costs (tax, fuel, interest rates) are continuing to rise. The toughest thing is that there is no respite in sight, just an ongoing squeeze of peoples standard of living..

Many Irish families are back to living hand to mouth with no reserves and many have no means to pay their debts..

Some employers are scandalously squeezing and abusing employees in the knowledge they can't leave for any other jobs... Shame on them.

Yeah mate, cheers for the anger or whatever, but I'm really not interested in getting into an employer-bashing tirade. I'm just looking for clarification of rights, as per the first reply.

Fact is, there are very little options out there. I can't get by on the dole, which for a 22 yo, is less than the €188/wk. After I take rent and bills out of my weekly earnings I can just about afford to buy a weekly food shop...and for that Aldi/Lidil have become my best friends!! Don't know how much longer I can stay here, working for wages that mean I can't even afford to take a day off anytime in the forseeable future!

Eoin

NeuroticMonkey wrote: »

Yeah mate, cheers for the anger or whatever, but I'm really not interested in getting into an employer-bashing tirade. I'm just looking for clarification of rights, as per the first reply.

Yep, please keep on topic folks.

Mrs OBumble

NeuroticMonkey wrote: »

The old minimum wage was hard enough to get by on without now earning ~ €70 less a week, not to mention paying more in taxes and charges!!

Agree it's hard to take - but fundamentally labour markets are all about supply and demand. I hope you're still looking for a better paying job, and that you get one soon.

Check your payslip - if you're doing 40 hours at that rate, I don't think you should be paying ANY taxes.

Also, just in case, make sure you've applied for a medical card.

And if it makes you feel any better ... if you had kids, you'd be eligible for child-allowance and FIS. At least a family doesn't have to survive on what you're getting.