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Paid less than Minimum Wage

  • 08-05-2012 4:32pm
    #1
    mercuryfrost
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 17 ✭


    Hi there,

    I was on a work placement for 24 weeks as part of my university course in summer of 2010. I have now finished the degree.

    When the position was advertised, during the interview, and when offered, the agreed wage was €10 per hour (8 hour days and 5 days a week as per the work placement agreement = €400 per week).

    After the first few weeks (time for the banking to be set up), my pay for the week was on €3.75 and hour (€150 P/W). After I complained, this was raised to €175 a week. Because this work placement was a compulsory part of my work placement, quitting would have resulted in repeating a year at university at my own expense (The job was in a web design house and not under the exclusion of the minimum wage act conditions 2000). I had to work four shifts a week at a local hotel just to meet my living expenses, and worked 84 days in a row.

    Now that I have finished college, I can revisit the matter as the placement reference can no longer influence my result.

    The basic question is, I feel I was entitled to at least €8.65 an hour, and I feel I should be able to claim this back from the company at this stage, is this possible? Or has too much time passed?


Comments

  • #2
    christmas2012
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 2,827 ✭✭✭christmas2012


    did you sign a contract?


  • #3
    orchidsrpretty
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,148 ✭✭✭orchidsrpretty


    Have you got a contract stating you would get 10e oh?
    Afaik I don't think min wage applies if you are in training. So they may of not done anything illegal.


  • #4
    cozzie55
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 357 ✭✭cozzie55


    i would say you were lucky to be paid at all. I know 4 people in my class that were on internships for 8 months and they got paid nothing at all. Granted they know this before they started the job. I myself got 500 a month and was working 40 hour weeks.
    Being honest all of us were so happy to get a placement that we did not mind about the wages too much.
    I'm not a fully sure what the law says but i assume companies are not required to pay minimum wage to interns.


  • #5
    mercuryfrost
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 17 ✭mercuryfrost


    EDIT:I have no contract, just emails.

    Me being lucky to have been hired or given a job at all is besides the point. I interviewed like everyone else. People unplaced had two & 1/2 days unpaid a week. Very different.

    Companies must either have an unpaid position, or pay minimum wage on my reading of the law. (except for trade apprenticeships and the like)

    I'd been offered an unpaid position in London in a job I *really* wanted, but took this instead because of the wages (Would have had erasmus grant if I'd gone to London).


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