holiday pay

[doggsbody]

hi hows it going, i've had a bit of a dispute with my employer, im doing an apprenticeship in roofing ive been with him a over a year now and he's told me he's not giving me holiday pay and if i dont like it i can look for another job, can you give me some advice?

i could find another employer but if i go down that route ill not be legally entitled to minimum wage until ive been working a year plus this isnt the best climate to be switching jobs and he might find out if i start ringing round then ill get the sack. im paid £40 a day at the min, my works good i definately cover my wage.

i could take him to a tribunal, but im not going to take the guy to court over a couple of weeks wages just dont like the idea of it


or i can do nothing just grin and bear it get my trade then tell him where to go

you thoughts would be greatly appreciated, if u have an apprentice yourself it'd be good to hear if you pay holidays

 

[peteftw]

Yeah i am in the same boat too, my boss told me if i dont like it, lump it. I think you should probably stick with him at least another year then you'll be more employable

 

[JohnD]

keep a careful and accurate record, then, after you've got another job and are well settled in (not at risk of being labelled a troublemaker) you can go back and stick him.

He should be aware that next time he asks you to do him a favour you are likely to say "I'd like to help but unfortunately I'm not available"

Of course he might be being awkward because he wants you to push off.

 

[wms]

the best advise I could offer is look in you local phone book for Acas they will tell you exactly where you stand and what you are entitled to. any employer that makes the situation uncomfortable as to push out an employee is breaking the law through constructive dismissal. but ring acas first as your rights alter with the time you have been employed.I have had employees now for several years and would not dream of skanking them for any money whatsoever, its counter productive and kills moral. don't get me wrong I wont pay anymore than I have to, but never a penny less than they are due to. some of my lads have been with me 8 and ten years.

 

[jbonding]

id say if your only 17 your getting payed well, i used to pay my apprentice £80 a week for the first year. He attended college one day a week (do you?). i did pay him holiday pay, but £80 wasnt much. i would pay him extra for weekends £40 a day but then he was havin a day off in the week Is your gaffer loaded? or is he a one man band? if he has to employ someone when your off to give him a hand and he's only making a livin he is sort of doing you a favour by training you to compete against him and usually by the time you know what your doing you will spread your wings. If he was to reduce your wages by £5 a day and put it away every week for your hols you might not look at it in the same way. I would sit still and learn what you can then spread your wings if you put a fiver away yourself you would be alright for your hols. Seems a bit unfair not payin you for your hols but work is tight and getting tighter so he may be in a bad mood, probably not a good time to ask for holiday pay

 

[gregers]

i would also seek advice from your local cab office,i dont know whether your self employed or working direct as an employee,but the employment rights are a bit of a mind field,ie theres an awful lot your employer will not know about through no fault to himself,
when you were 1st taken on did you sign anything or have signed anything since?,ie a contract?if so what were the conditions of employment set out?holiday/training/overtime etc etc.im afraid as has already been mentioned you do seem to be stuck between a rock and a hard place,but only you can decide if you think your boss is trying to shaft you!!.

 

[doggsbody]

thanks everyone for throwing in their two cents, ive aranged to do a job for my cousins neighbour so ill work for a week then ill have enough cash to enjoy a week relaxing.

i was just annoyed that he was away having a good time in majorica for a couple of weeks and i had to struggle to get the rent up.


but on the other hand i am glad to be in employment and be learning a trade, this incident has taught me not to be too loyal if i get offered a better job in a few years

thanks again

 

[tonybhoy]

God,can't believe this sh!t is still going on

Nothing ever changes in the building trade,this sort of stuff was going on when I was a boy over 30 odd years.

Plus ca change as the French say. The more things change the more they stay the same.

Forty quid a day to load roofs all day and every day with concrete tiles?

Fecking shocking wages and no holiday pay to boot! Unbelievable,sadly.

Personally I'd tell him to feck off and go look for another job.

There are millions of jobs about where you can work for feck all.

Cheers,

Tony.

 

[Woodster66]

You are entitled to 24 days paid leave by law and this will rise to 28 days in 09.

As you have worked for him for 12 months then you have all legal rights as an employee provided of course that you are an employee and not self employed, is he deducting PAYE and National Insurance by any chance?? or is he paying you cash in hand??

If you are being paid cash in hand then be very careful as you may not be covered by his insurance, if he has any, should you have an accident at work! also if he is paying you cash in hand then you will not be making any National insurance contributions which will screw you later in life!

Did you recieve a written contract of employment?

If not ask for one, he has to provide one by law!....its all very well keeping quiet and being afraid to question when you feel that he would get rid of you and use someone else but if you were to fall from a roof and seriously injure yourself then you would get nothing by way of compensation etc to help you through any financial difficulties and you could end up with every chance of never being employed again if the injuries were serious!

So think is it worth working for a cowboy even if you are learning?

You can contact ACAS on 08457474747.
Or go to their website http://www.acas.org.uk/index.aspx?articleid=1461

I'm sorry but people like this should not be in business and there are so many out there that will take advantage for cheap labour, yes things are tight but there is no excuse for exploitation!

 

[namsag]

Roofer. when he is away nick his stash of scrap lead and sell it. Should cover what you are losing.

 

[Zampa]

Roofer. when he is away nick his stash of scrap lead and sell it. Should cover what you are losing.