Are salons allowed to pay below minimum wage!

[amyonex]

Hi everyone,

Just looking for anyone elses feedback on this but i,m in shock i,ve just been offered a job as a junior stylist and the pay is £2.50 per hr! I,m in shock i,ve completed my nvq2&3 at college so was expecting min wage at the very least. There is no way i could work for that my childcare is £5.00 per hr. Is,nt that against the law?
Anyone else had this happen? Makes me think twice about this industry.
xx

 

[taggyboy]

Yes you are correct it is illegal but some unscrupulous people will always try to get away with it.

Google minimum wage and check your age against the criteria.

 

[Sparklepink]

Hi everyone,

Just looking for anyone elses feedback on this but i,m in shock i,ve just been offered a job as a junior stylist and the pay is £2.50 per hr! I,m in shock i,ve completed my nvq2&3 at college so was expecting min wage at the very least. There is no way i could work for that my childcare is £5.00 per hr. Is,nt that against the law?
Anyone else had this happen? Makes me think twice about this industry.
xx

I'm not a hair geek but id definitely say that is a big no no! I know there are different minimum wages levels due to age etc. and if you are taken on as an apprentice

https://www.gov.uk/national-minimum-wage-rates

 

[amyonex]

I just can.t believe salon,s can get away with this. If you are an aprentice then the wage by law is 2.65 per hr.
As for myself i,m 40 i,ve spent the past two years at college as i wanted to change career. The law say the min wage is 6.19 per hr. so shocked to be offered this pitence. I even had to have 2 interviews and do 2 trade tests. I feel like i want to complain about this as it,s been a total waste of my time and energy. Wrong wrong wrong.
They offered me a full time.s junior sylist role for 6 months at this rate and then after that a qraduate role at 2.65 per hr and 50 per cent of what i earn.

 

[jenny miles]

Hii, that's disgusting you couldn't even live on that I can't believe some salon owners get away with that!xxx

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[Emzielou]

This is lower than an apprentice rate !! No no not legal!!! Naughty salon that is playing with fire

Sounds like you have had a lucky escape there on the positive!!

 

[MTHair78]

I am in the US, and I know here that any profession that receives tips as part of a living changes the laws. Employers are allowed to pay half the minimum wage when tips are involved, I imagine it might be the same there?

 

[Charlmb21]

That sounds like an apprenticeship to me?...

It's way below min wage but not if it's an apprenticeship role & they've been sneaky about it as now there are advertisements for apprenticeships which state you can apply even if you are qualified? (advanced apprenticeships) but then again if you have your level three then why would they need to hire you as an apprentice :S

Xx

 

[chanisex]

When I was an apprentice I was on 2.60 an hour now I'm on 4.98 as that's minimum for my age. It's illegal if they give you this. Sounds like it is an apprenticeship but still under minimum wage. X

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[AcidPerm]

I am in the US, and I know here that any profession that receives tips as part of a living changes the laws. Employers are allowed to pay half the minimum wage when tips are involved, I imagine it might be the same there?

No, it's not the same in the UK. We have quite stringent employment laws covering basic pay and conditions in comparison to the US. Also, we don't have the same culture regarding tipping as you do over there.

In fact, if stylists here had to rely on tips to cover at least half their pay, most would probably starve.