Issues with new retail job

Bobby42

Started a new retail job two months ago. I've never worked in retail in any capacity before this job and they knew this when I started.


So far it's going ok, but I do struggle a bit as I'm not as fast as the rest of the team and I can get flustered when it's busy at the till.


Just a few issues though:


No contract, and no mention of a contract.


No guaranteed hours. Started on three days, then up to four, now back to three.


Get paid cash in hand.


Generally no breaks. Maybe ten minutes to wolf down food.


Work in the office one day a week. Have to bring in my own laptop as there's no computer. Today I was working away. Worked flat out for about 4 and half hours without stopping. Got something to eat and was looking through my laptop when my manager walked straight in a looked at my laptop screen and saw the netflix app open. I had just literally opened it by accident while eating. Manager wasn't happy. Told me off for dosing basically. Said it to me again when I was leaving and questioned what work had I got done. All of a sudden I wasn't needed for Thursday even though I had been working every thursday for the past few weeks.


Is this normal for retail and should I just suck it up?

Rubberchikken

I dont know if its normal for retail but sone of it sounds poor.
Look up employment laws.
After 4 hours work youre entitled to a 15 min break.
Cash in hand isnt right either. What business doesnt put wages through for tax etc?
Tbh id say look for another job. Get a contract. Check employment laws. Know your rights.

drunkmonkey

Bobby42 wrote: »

Started a new retail job two months ago. I've never worked in retail in any capacity before this job and they knew this when I started.


So far it's going ok, but I do struggle a bit as I'm not as fast as the rest of the team and I can get flustered when it's busy at the till.


Just a few issues though:


No contract, and no mention of a contract.


No guaranteed hours. Started on three days, then up to four, now back to three.


Get paid cash in hand.


Generally no breaks. Maybe ten minutes to wolf down food.


Work in the office one day a week. Have to bring in my own laptop as there's no computer. Today I was working away. Worked flat out for about 4 and half hours without stopping. Got something to eat and was looking through my laptop when my manager walked straight in a looked at my laptop screen and saw the netflix app open. I had just literally opened it by accident while eating. Manager wasn't happy. Told me off for dosing basically. Said it to me again when I was leaving and questioned what work had I got done. All of a sudden I wasn't needed for Thursday even though I had been working every thursday for the past few weeks.


Is this normal for retail and should I just suck it up?

Take your time at the till until you get the hang of it that's the one place you don't want to be making mistakes. If you make a mistake say it straight away and get the customer back before there gone too far.

A contract even though you don't have one would still be taken for granted it doesn't have a whole lot of weight ask about it and one should appear. Your not in the job long so can be fired for nearly any reason or let go for any reason a contract won't stop that.

Cash in hand is fine, some places pay in cash, you should still get playslips ask about that in the same conversation as the contract.

Take your breaks your entitled to them. Who said you can't take one?

I don't understand what your laptop is doing in work. Don't take it in there you can survive a few hours without a computer. If there asking you to bring in your laptop to do your job I'd find that very strange.

Retail your hours will vary week to week if you haven't set hours, that's just the nature of the business. Depending on what kind of retail this wouldn't be a very busy time of year.

It's a start, first job, don't leave it until you find another one.

gandalf

Technically you should have a contract but in a lot of smaller employers that can be delayed. I'd be more worried that you are being paid cash in hand with I assume no payslip. You need to ensure that the employer is deducting tax and prsi for you. The bringing your own laptop in to do office work is bizarre, either as a business they have the proper tools to allow you to do the job or they don't, I wouldn't bring it in any further to do the job. Personally if it was me I'd be looking at getting work with a new employer as this guy looks dodgy. Obviously stay in this job until you find a replacement position.

CeilingFly

The op is being taken for a ride.

Cash in Hand with no payslip? - You have NO rights.


Contract of employment - this is the easiest thing in the world to write and can be as simple as one page giving a range of hours, pay rate and a few other details.

I suggest you leave and find an employer that understands basic employment law. At present you are being abused by this employer.

You are entitled by law to a contract, payslips and holidays (8% of hours worked). You are also entitled by law to a break (breaks generally are unpaid but must be factored in)

troyzer

Get out.

We're nearly at full employment. There's no excuse for working for someone like this. Just walk away.

drunkmonkey

There's nothing here out of the ordinary except the laptop, definitely not something to walk out over. A simple conversation with the right person in the job should iron out all op's questions.
It's there first job and they seem to have made assumptions and went straight to the internet for advice rather than a sit down with their manager.

Talk to your employer. It's in their interest to sort out these few things for you.
Do not quit your not being abused as another poster has said. You have the same rights with or without a contract. There's no fine or punishment for not giving an employee a contract. What you might get in a contract is your overtime rate and some guaranteed hour but until your first year is out of the way it gives little else.

Postgrad10

I think your problem will be solved if you say your laptop is unavailable for the day, say your relative needs it for college work or something. That's your private property and if you need to use a pc for office work for them , then they need to provide you with one. Then there will be no misunderstandings with Netflix etc.

troyzer

drunkmonkey wrote: »

There's nothing here out of the ordinary except the laptop, definitely not something to walk out over. A simple conversation with the right person in the job should iron out all op's questions.
It's there first job and they seem to have made assumptions and went straight to the internet for advice rather than a sit down with their manager.

Talk to your employer. It's in their interest to sort out these few things for you.
Do not quit your not being abused as another poster has said. You have the same rights with or without a contract. There's no fine or punishment for not giving an employee a contract. What you might get in a contract is your overtime rate and some guaranteed hour but until your first year is out of the way it gives little else.

The OP never said it was their first job, they said it was their first job in retail. There is a lot out of the ordinary here. A zero hours contract is pretty bad, but a zero hours not-even-a-contract is ludicrous and shouldn't be acceptable in 2018 at near full employment.

The OP also isn't getting their proper taxes deducted and won't be able to show legitimate income to the taxman or a potential creditor. So unless this is a temporary set up, the OP is never going to be able to fully participate in the economy.

Getting paid in cash is normal if you're 16 working in the family business or for a close relative or family friend. We've all been there, including me. The OP probably doesn't come under that scenario.

As far as punishments go per the employment rights Ireland website:

Working Time/Rest Breaks
The penalties are set out in section 27, Organisation of Working Time Act, 1997:

Require the employer to comply with the relevant provision of the act
Compensation of up to 2 years’ remuneration.

Written Terms of Employment
Failure to provide a written statement of terms and conditions of employment within 2 months of starting can be punished as set out in section 7 of the Terms of Employment (Information) Act, 1994.

The WRC adjudicator can order the employer to give the statement to the employee and can award up to 4 weeks’ remuneration by way of compensation.

drunkmonkey

How do you know there not paying the proper taxes that's just an assumption, maybe payroll have the wrong email or no email for them.

Captain Flaps

drunkmonkey wrote: »

There's nothing here out of the ordinary except the laptop, definitely not something to walk out over. A simple conversation with the right person in the job should iron out all op's questions.
It's there first job and they seem to have made assumptions and went straight to the internet for advice rather than a sit down with their manager.

Talk to your employer. It's in their interest to sort out these few things for you.
Do not quit your not being abused as another poster has said. You have the same rights with or without a contract. There's no fine or punishment for not giving an employee a contract. What you might get in a contract is your overtime rate and some guaranteed hour but until your first year is out of the way it gives little else.

...what?

- Cash in hand payment
- No payslip
- No contract
- No breaks

I worked in retail from 2007-2012 through some of the worst times for small retailers and I never came across anything close to this. OP is working off the books for an unscrupulous employer.

keffiyeh

I thought a written contract was law to be honest... not to mention payslips....the more you know!

drunkmonkey

Captain Flaps wrote: »

...what?

- Cash in hand payment
- No payslip
- No contract
- No breaks

I worked in retail from 2007-2012 through some of the worst times for small retailers and I never came across anything close to this. OP is working off the books for an unscrupulous employer.

-Paying in cash is fine. Not having records to back it up isn't, there is no evidence to say it's not being recorded and proper taxes paid in the background.
-There could be a payslip, it seems the question hasn't been asked where is it yet.
-There will be a contract, they just haven't got it yet. It's not time to call the wrc just yet.
-No breaks, you have to take them, I don't believe everybody gets no breaks there's a break down in communication there somewhere.

Your last point is all assumptions. There's no evidence this is off the books and the employer is being unscrupulous.

drunkmonkey

keffiyeh wrote: »

I thought a written contract was law to be honest... not to mention payslips....the more you know!

It is law but there's no real punishment to make an employer quake. Where the issue is if the employee takes the employer to the labour court the employer won't have a leg to stand on. It's in the employers interest to give one.

Captain Flaps

Paying in cash being fine is a new one on me, but 'cash in hand' suggests 'off the books'. Maybe I'm being pedantic about terminology but it sounds sketchy.

Doctor DooM

Numerous things concern me here, but chief among them is your laptop.

Have you got it in writing if it gets stolen from the premises you'll get reimbursed? Are they taking steps to keep it secure for you? Kensington lock even?

Are you potentially taking home customer information that could get you or the company in trouble?

This is REALLY dodgy. As others have said, I'd probably say my laptop got damaged and is in for repairs or something so they have to come up with a solution. It sounds like this company either doesn't know or doesn't care about the risks they are taking.

Secondly, when you say cash in hand, are they paying your PRSI etc? Is there a payslip?

If not, have others have said, I would be looking for another job ASAP.

drunkmonkey

Captain Flaps wrote: »

Paying in cash being fine is a new one on me, but 'cash in hand' suggests 'off the books'. Maybe I'm being pedantic about terminology but it sounds sketchy.

One of the biggest employers in the state well they used to anyway pays in cash. Comes in an envelope with your payslip.

Cash in hand is a different story until op asks for a payslip we won't know what's going on.

Bobby42

They asked me to bring my own laptop as there's only the one small office that they need so I've go upstairs, just an empty room above the shop.


I've to update the website and put their products online. Main issue is manager walking straight over to look at what i'm doing and then suggest I'm dosing. I was taking a break but he said himself and the other manager don't get breaks so I shouldn't have had anything but work open on it.
But it's my personal laptop so naturally it'll have netflix and spotify on it.


I'm now getting a payslip but all the deductions are blank so my tax, prsi, and usc aren't being deducted.

drunkmonkey

Are you paying emergency tax, you need to sort that out should be due some money back,
Can you update the website from home seen as they haven't a business computer to use in the office.

Dial Hard

drunkmonkey wrote:

Are you paying emergency tax, you need to sort that out should be due some money back, Can you update the website from home seen as they haven't a business computer to use in the office.

They just said they aren't paying *any* deductions so emergency tax clearly isn't the issue here.

And take work home with them for a chancer like this? Who won't even allow them to take breaks??? What planet are you on?

Honestly, OP, move on. This crowd haven't a clue what they're up to.

TallGlass

I'd be calling it a day personally.

Don't mean to belittle your work, but it's a retail job, you'd pick another one up fairly easy without that type of baggage and hassle.

CeilingFly

So at 1am there was no payslip and then 18 hours later a payslip suddenly arrives?

Op, from other posts, you are 32, college educated and have been working for a while.

Why take this job when so much is wrong with it?

Bobby42

Never said I had no payslip but I suppose when I said cash in hand people took it up this way.


Took the job because I burned out of working for years in social care and wanted to move into the drinks industry and saw an independent off license as the best place to start.


Maybe its best I look elsewhere.

Postgrad10

I still think you should put your foot down about the laptop. Tell them it's gone for repair and completely broken. They are taking you for granted there. Could imagine they wouldn't want to know about the laptop if you landed them with a repair bill. They are depreciating the value of your property! It's not theirs, it's yours and you are being too nice to them in accomodationg them to use it for their business. You can do better.

rock22

Postgrad10 wrote: »

I still think you should put your foot down about the laptop. Tell them it's gone for repair and completely broken. They are taking you for granted there. Could imagine they wouldn't want to know about the laptop if you landed them with a repair bill. They are depreciating the value of your property! It's not theirs, it's yours and you are being too nice to them in accomodationg them to use it for their business. You can do better.

Why make up stories?
Just don't bring it and if asked tell them it is their obligation to provide the equipment needed for the work

fishy_fishy

You're in your 30s? I seriously thought teens or early 20s and new to work.

Find another job. You're too old to not know how to stand up for yourself. Yeah they're ****ty but this is partially on you for not just standing up for yourself.

Once you have another job, ask for your P45 and give the bare minimum notice required. Leave, then report them to revenue and make a complaint to NERA. Not for your sake, but for the sake of younger people who'll be more easily pressured. If you can get any evidence of their breaches (an email maybe with them saying you don't get breaks and requiring you to use your own laptop. Maybe send one asking if your laptop is covered by their insurance on days when you use it for work? And then ask to clarify what the policy is regarding breaks cos you didn't realise you get none in the office...)

circadian

A lot of this is showing red flags to me, lack of breaks, blank entries on payslip and ultimately the laptop. If you handle any kind of data that might include email addresses/usernames etc then GDPR comes into play. I wouldn't be putting my personal equipment anywhere near that.

troyzer

fishy_fishy wrote: »

You're in your 30s? I seriously thought teens or early 20s and new to work.

Find another job. You're too old to not know how to stand up for yourself. Yeah they're ****ty but this is partially on you for not just standing up for yourself.

Once you have another job, ask for your P45 and give the bare minimum notice required. Leave, then report them to revenue and make a complaint to NERA. Not for your sake, but for the sake of younger people who'll be more easily pressured. If you can get any evidence of their breaches (an email maybe with them saying you don't get breaks and requiring you to use your own laptop. Maybe send one asking if your laptop is covered by their insurance on days when you use it for work? And then ask to clarify what the policy is regarding breaks cos you didn't realise you get none in the office...)

The OP said they have a previous career in a different field but wanted to move into something new. They aren't new to work.

fishy_fishy

troyzer wrote: »

fishy_fishy wrote: »

You're in your 30s? I seriously thought teens or early 20s and new to work.

Find another job. You're too old to not know how to stand up for yourself. Yeah they're ****ty but this is partially on you for not just standing up for yourself.

Once you have another job, ask for your P45 and give the bare minimum notice required. Leave, then report them to revenue and make a complaint to NERA. Not for your sake, but for the sake of younger people who'll be more easily pressured. If you can get any evidence of their breaches (an email maybe with them saying you don't get breaks and requiring you to use your own laptop. Maybe send one asking if your laptop is covered by their insurance on days when you use it for work? And then ask to clarify what the policy is regarding breaks cos you didn't realise you get none in the office...)

The OP said they have a previous career in a different field but wanted to move into something new. They aren't new to work.

Eh yeah that's my point. I had missed that bit and seeing as their behaviour came across like someone very new to the world of work, I thought they were much younger.

At some point in life you have to learn to stand up for yourself. OP is long past that point.

Postgrad10

rock22 wrote: »

Why make up stories?
Just don't bring it and if asked tell them it is their obligation to provide the equipment needed for the work

Personally I wouldn't but I'm inferring that the op is finding it hard to stand up to a new employer so might need an excuse. As you can tell from my full post I advice the op that the laptop is her/his property.

troyzer

fishy_fishy wrote: »

Eh yeah that's my point. I had missed that bit and seeing as their behaviour came across like someone very new to the world of work, I thought they were much younger.

At some point in life you have to learn to stand up for yourself. OP is long past that point.

Oh right, yeah. I agree to a certain extent but some people go through a career without facing dickheads and it can be hard to adjust when you come up against one and you're used to everyone playing by the rules.

forgodssake

Captain Flaps wrote:

Paying in cash being fine is a new one on me, but 'cash in hand' suggests 'off the books'. Maybe I'm being pedantic about terminology but it sounds sketchy.

A lot of small retailers will pay wages in cash to get rid of cash on site for security purposes .

5rtytry56

forgodssake wrote: »

Captain Flaps wrote:

Paying in cash being fine is a new one on me, but 'cash in hand' suggests 'off the books'. Maybe I'm being pedantic about terminology but it sounds sketchy.

A lot of small retailers will pay wages in cash to get rid of cash on site for security purposes .

Also small 'specialist' retailers do this. I know one such retailer like this.

rainbowtrout

Bobby42 wrote: »

They asked me to bring my own laptop as there's only the one small office that they need so I've go upstairs, just an empty room above the shop.


I've to update the website and put their products online. Main issue is manager walking straight over to look at what i'm doing and then suggest I'm dosing. I was taking a break but he said himself and the other manager don't get breaks so I shouldn't have had anything but work open on it.
But it's my personal laptop so naturally it'll have netflix and spotify on it.


I'm now getting a payslip but all the deductions are blank so my tax, prsi, and usc aren't being deducted.

That's not your main issue. Your issue is that they are paying no tax, prsi etc on your behalf. There is no record in the system of you as an employee. If you go to claim at the social welfare, there won't be any records for this job. You are entitled to a break, whether the manager chooses not to take a break is his problem. You should not have to use your laptop for work, they should supply the necessary tools for you to do the job.

There are loads of retails jobs OP, go and get one of them.