Work placement in a 4 star hotel.

job seeker

Hi all I think this is the right place.. But if not mod feel free to move this thread.

Bit of along one.

I'm a 1st year culinary arts student (training chef) doing work placement. So it all started when I was looking for work placement back in April. I called two hotels located to me.. The first one didn't suit my needs, so I chose the 4 start hotel located close to home. I called and arranged a meeting with the head chef and met him and I went though the course I'm doing with him, I also give a booklet which explained in detail about the course and payment and meals I was entitled to. He told me he would get back to me in a few days. But I didn't hear from him. So I called every few days to see if he could take me on for training. After 2 or 3 weeks, but then I got in contact and he said it would be ok for him to take me on. Then I called a week later to find out what time I start at. The head chef was on a weeks holidays and I was taking to the chefs that was in charge, which were the chef de parties. I explained I was under pressure by the college to start the training and I they asked my about pay. I explained about the booklet I give the head chef and it was all explained that legally I'm entitled to 1 meal a day and 7.35E an hour.

After a few days the head chef was back from holidays and he told me he wasn't aware of payment. he told me that he had french students (as the hotel is linked up with some french college) and they aren't getting paid. But are getting free accommodation. He also explained I wouldn't be doing any work at all, but only watching what the other chefs are doing etc. I'm after doing 3 weeks of the five that both myself and the head chef agreed on.

So in them 3 weeks Iv'e being working like a dog, picking up slake that the other chefs working there can't do (such as plating up dishes, storage management of products and cleaning and washing dishes) Working from 2pm - 11pm Monday - Friday. I ain't getting any money for it at all. Also Iv'e been speaking to the French student chefs that he told me warn't getting any pay and they told me that they are been paid minimum wage. The other chefs working there where fully sure that I was getting paid and they said it wasn't right.

There is also a friend of mine that works in a sister hotel of the one I'm working in and he is on 10.00 an hour.

Please give my any advice or opinions you have and I will try and answer any questions you may have.

Thanks.

slimjimmc

From a non-legal aspect I'd say don't rock the boat for at least the next 2 weeks until you've got your work experience which, I presume, must be reviewed and certified by the Head Chef. If a fair wage was agreed then you're entitled to that but you're not necessarily entitled to a good work experiece review so you need to decide which is more important to you, 5 weeks of low pay or progressing onto next year's course? You can follow up on the pay issue later when you don't need the chef's cooperation.

job seeker

slimjimmc wrote: »

From a non-legal aspect I'd say don't rock the boat for the next 2 weeks until you've got your work experience which, I presume, must be reviewed and certified by the Head Chef. If a fair wage was agreed then you're entitled to that but you're not necessarily entitled to a good work experiece review so you need to decide which is more important to you, 5 weeks of low pay or progressing onto next year's course? You can follow up on the pay issue later when you don't need the chef's cooperation.

Hi slim jim

I am covered with the progress report. even though I was expected by the college to have a more hand on experience then veg prep and cleaning.

Also how/ what could I do to follow up on the pay after the five weeks? Like surly the head chef won't want to speak to me after he has the free labour out of me?

Blondie919

I can only suggest you look through this http://www.labourcourt.ie/en/

Or alternatively go to Citizens Information.

Sounds like the head chef is a d!ck. Any of my experiences with head chefs is that they are all d!cks though. Don't think you should be washing dishes as that is what kitchen porters do.

job seeker

Blondie919 wrote: »

I can only suggest you look through this http://www.labourcourt.ie/en/

Or alternatively go to Citizens Information.

Sounds like the head chef is a d!ck. Any of my experiences with head chefs is that they are all d!cks though. Don't think you should be washing dishes as that is what kitchen porters do.

Thanks I had a look through both websites but can't find anything on training.

But he is, I'm told to wash dishes when there isn't anything to do which is rare enough.

Little CuChulainn

Are you in a students union?

job seeker

Little CuChulainn wrote: »

Are you in a students union?

I don't think I am.

EDIT: There is actually in the main college of LYIT, but the campus is located in killybegs.

https://www.lyit.ie/studentlife/studentsunion/

mrsbyrne

I worked in catering for 15 years. All I can say is welcome to the real world. Your experience is the reality of catering as opposed to the fairyland that is catering college.
Write to the hotel manager when your WE is over and tell him you worked like a dog for 5 weeks with no pay and you will make a complaint to work place relations under the Payment of Wages Act . Give him/her 10 working days to reply to you.

job seeker

mrsbyrne wrote: »

I worked in catering for 15 years. All I can say is welcome to the real world. Your experience is the reality of catering as opposed to the fairyland that is catering college.
Write to the hotel manager when your WE is over and tell him you worked like a dog for 5 weeks with no pay and you will make a complaint to work place relations under the Payment of Wages Act . Give him/her 10 working days to reply to you.

Yes, that is true. Although at the end of the day slave labour shouldn't be aloud in any field of work.

I like this idea, should I say in the letter that I will make a complaint to work place relations under the Payment of Wages Act if they don't pay up? or send letter and complain to work place relations?

Thanks

Pat Mustard

Thought that this might be of interest:

The relevant Joint Labour Committee Regulation depends on location. There is a JLC for Dublin and Dun Laoghaire and there is another one for outside Dublin and Dun Laoghaire.

Here is the JLC reg for Dublin/Dun Laoghaire. I see that under s.2 (exclusions), that it does not apply to managers, assistant managers or trainee managers. Other than those jobs, rates of pay for those in training are described.

Also, see here in relation to training. (This has been amended, and I haven't checked the amendments).

See here re complaints to Rights Commissioner in relation to issues relating to payment of wages and terms of employment.

mrsbyrne

job seeker wrote: »

Yes, that is true. Although at the end of the day slave labour shouldn't be aloud in any field of work.

I like this idea, should I say in the letter that I will make a complaint to work place relations under the Payment of Wages Act if they don't pay up? or send letter and complain to work place relations?

Thanks

Be polite but firm in the letter. Avoid any temptation to embellish the facts. Calculate what they owe you in monetary terms and set that out so there is no confusion about how much they owe you or how many hours you worked. y law you were entitled to payslips, also Payment of wages Act , never mind breaks. All this info is readily available on citizens information website.
In the letter warn the manager that you will escalate to a formal complaint to workplace relations unless you hear from him in 10 working days.

No Pants

Since this is part of your college course, should your college not be sorting this out?

job seeker

No Pants wrote: »

Since this is part of your college course, should your college not be sorting this out?

Sorting out my pay? or work experience?

No Pants

job seeker wrote: »

Sorting out my pay? or work experience?

Back to the beginning, they should have arranged it from the start if it is to be part of the course. Pardon me if I'm wrong, but it sounds like students could be getting a very different experience, which isn't ideal if it is supposed to be educational.

Unless the entire exercise is a test...

job seeker

No Pants wrote: »

Back to the beginning, they should have arranged it from the start if it is to be part of the course. Pardon me if I'm wrong, but it sounds like students could be getting a very different experience, which isn't ideal if it is supposed to be educational.

Unless the entire exercise is a test...

Well there is a woman who organises the paper work and stuff for the work placement etc. The thing is though, she will get a student work placement if they can't get his/her own work placement. I got the placement in the hotel myself so I didn't see a problem. But this is the mess I landed myself in now..

job seeker

Just an update on this..

Finished work placement yesterday and all the chefs wished me well and they were very welcoming everyday I went into work..
But I wasn't given any money, but the head chef did give me a reference which is something I suppose..

I have also learned that I could do pay slips as they would be useful as the college prefers to get pay slips as proof of hours worked rather that just a list of the hours I worked on a sheet off paper.

But if I sent a letter of complaint stating that I need the pay slips for college I couldn't really say in the letter that I would make the complaint for working for free. So the general manager might not be to bothered about it.

Also I sort of feel if I do write looking for money it may come off disrespectful after getting the work experience..

Whats your opinions..