Don't know what to do........

[linziiddles]

Hiya geeks,

Firstly, i aplogise, as this may be long.

I posted on here a little while back cos i was really excited about getting my first salon job etc. I thought my boss was the mutts nuts, as she had given me a chance to work in a salon with no salon experience, she was eager herself to learn everything, going to do more courses etc.

Well, it would seem a few months down the line, that the honeymoon has passed.....She started off by using the same system as me, now she wants to use different systems and mix them all up....(cuccio powders, cnd liquids, the edge other things.....)i have tried explaining to her about using the system etc. But she just wants to save money, she says, yeah but cnd are so expensive, and it doesn't really make any difference etc. I thought it was great when she wanted me to do my shellac course, till she turned round and said, well yes, when you've got the money to pay for it, then let me know and you can book it.....waxing......i've paid for it all myself, and whilst i don't mind, as i wanted to do the courses anyway, i DO mind at the same time. She's the one who asked me to go and do them, so why should i pay for my own training?
Also the other thing is insurance......she keeps harping on about the insurance for the salon......she wants me to buy my OWN insurance?? to work in HER salon.......surely this is not right? I don't do freelance work, so i'm a bit confused as to why i would need to do this?

We are quite a small salon, with just 3 of us working there, and i had a sickness and poops bug at the weekend.....(nicely passed on by my daughter. lol) so saturday i rang up after hugging the loo all night, and said i was really sorry, but i couldn't come in. Aside from the fact that i was a funny green colour, im sure the clients would not have appreciated me passing my my germs, and breathing vomit breath all over them. I mean thats just a whole new level of sharing that shouldn't be gone into!!

So my boss asked my other collegue to cover my shift as we've just done a groupon deal (great.....thats another moan.) And she totally spat her dummy out about it! Started bitching saying that i would HAVE to cover her shift this weekend, an i have to do this and that etc. She was in a really poop mood all day and then buggered off at 3 that day, so didn't even properly cover my shift anyway. Now i don't mind covering one of her shifts so that she gets her saturday back, but i refuse to be TOLD that i will be doing it, specially as its not my boss thats told me.

I just don;t know what to do, i'm not enjoying it at all, i love doing nails, but i want to do things properly, and where i'm not ending up out of my very poorly paid pocket doing it.

So i guess my question is, what would you do?

Thanks for letting me rant geeks.

Linzi:cry:

 

[linziiddles]

Oh, can i also just add, that i am actually the only one qualified to do any of this aswel.......and am expected to train my co-workers to do the same treatment as me!

 

[gemmalou1981]

Hi
Are you self employed or are you employed by the owner? X

 

[linziiddles]

I am employed by the owner hun.

Otherwise i wouldn't mind getting my own insurance and paying for my own courses! lol. I'd certainly be on better money! lol.

 

[Sam81]

Hiya geeks,

I just don;t know what to do, i'm not enjoying it at all, i love doing nails, but i want to do things properly, and where i'm not ending up out of my very poorly paid pocket doing it.

So i guess my question is, what would you do?

Thanks for letting me rant geeks.

Linzi:cry:

What would I do? Start looking for another job! And in the meantime try to talk to her about the risks of mixing systems. It is after all your reputation on the line as well as hers, and no one should ask you to compromise your standards, least of all someone unqualified. Stand your ground on that one. It worries me that she's not got insurance for her employees too, that shouldn't be your responsibility. Do you have a contract?

 

[linziiddles]

What would I do? Start looking for another job! And in the meantime try to talk to her about the risks of mixing systems. It is after all your reputation on the line as well as hers, and no one should ask you to compromise your standards, least of all someone unqualified. Stand your ground on that one. It worries me that she's not got insurance for her employees too, that shouldn't be your responsibility. Do you have a contract?

Yes i have a contract, but nowhere in it does it state that i should have to buy my own insurance, or pay for my own training. It states hours of work, holiday etc. Normaly contract stuff.....

I have tried to explain to her about mixing systems, and i have so far managed to avoid doing it myself. but there will come a time that i won't be able to avoid it as eventually the cnd stuff will all run out. But she is insistant that it really doesn't matter.....And to top it all off, she has now brought herself an electric file, and asked me to speed up my times with it! (full set in an hour and 15 mins?) i'm not going anywhere near the bloody thing!

I have started looking for another job now, but i'm so disheartened by it all. I would love to just leave and tell her to poke it, but my hubby got laid off in march, and is finding it really difficult getting another job. So we just cannot afford it, specially this close to crimbo.............

 

[geeg]

I am employed by the owner hun.

Otherwise i wouldn't mind getting my own insurance and paying for my own courses! lol. I'd certainly be on better money! lol.

If you would be on better money and a better atmosphere then go. Perfect time to secure another job and leave (not the other way around) near to Christmas .. perfect.

Don't know what you have signed as regards to giving notice but most salon owners just tell to you to leave there and then without working notice when you hand it in, so bear that in mind when talking to any prospective employers.

 

[linziiddles]

Sorry Geeg, I meant if i was self employed i would probably be on better money......I am currently in my 3 month probation period, so i think i just need to give a weeks notice. I'm just really peeved by it all.

 

[linziiddles]

I am deffo looking for another job though, starting today!

 

[gemmalou1981]

If you're employed by the owner I don't see how she can expect you to pay for your own insurance.
I have been employed before and my insurance training products everything Was provided by the salon owner. I gave her a list of products needed and she provided them.
If she wants you to get insurance she is probably not insured at present and I would not be comfortable working with no insurance!!
Go look for another job and leave as this sounds like a nightmare xx

 

[Evaperk]

Try to get an appointment with the citizen's advice bureau. You may have to have it out with her with a strongly worded letter but you will risk her telling you to poke it!

 

[Suzanne1118]

Aw you poor thing. I DID have to pay for my own insurance in one job (my first). Believe it or not, the salon I worked in was a lot worse but I had nothing to compare it to so I didn't know any better (I was also only 18 so easily bullied!). Anyway, it made me stronger and when I got a job with a better employer I really appriciated it. What doesn't kill you will make you stronger. In saying that I would keep and eye out for other jobs. It's always easier to find a job when you have one x

 

[Perfect Pinkys]

Sorry Geeg, I meant if i was self employed i would probably be on better money......I am currently in my 3 month probation period, so i think i just need to give a weeks notice. I'm just really peeved by it all.

So why don't you go self employed and mobile?

You are qualified so can get insurance. No better time to do it than before Christmas, and if you are good you will get regular clients. What is more you will be in control of what you do, unlike now!

If it doesn't work out for you, you can alway get another salon job ehh :wink2:

Better than being unhappy sweetie...life if far too short for that :Love:

 

[linziiddles]

Yeah, I would do, but i was having problems finding an insurance that would cover me as i'm ex bankrupt, that why i went for the salon job in the first place.

Thing is thats really annoying me, is that i know i am good at what i do......i'm by no means the best, don;t get me wrong. But i know i can do a decent job, and i do have people keep coming back that will only come to me. i know i make her money, but i just think that if she gets into the habit of buying cheaper, inferior products that she will lose the clients that have come to us because we use CND and OPI products. They have come to us because of these good names. and if she carries on it will give the products a bad name as theyre not being used properly, or as a system.

If i'm honest, i'd love to set up as self employed, but i don;t know how to get the insurance, and i'm not even sure im confident enough (in myself) to go self employed.

I started looking for another job today......printed out 10 cv's and i've started handing them out.

 

[laurakate]

I think it's always good to have your own insurance no matter what your situation because then you know that you're covered and that's that.

As for the fact that you are the only person who is trained and qualified, it sounds like your employer wants to cut corners and have a slice of the pie from working the beauty industry without actually caring to ensure that she does things correctly. Personally, this isn't the sort of person I would want to be working for.

If I was in your shoes, in the worst case scenario, I would consider looking for a Christmas temp job and then see what opportunities are available to you in the new year.

It's such a shame that people want to set up business in beauty whilst not treating employees and/or clients fairly. I feel that this industry needs more regulation, at least in this respect.

hth.

 

[laurakate]

Yeah, I would do, but i was having problems finding an insurance that would cover me as i'm ex bankrupt, that why i went for the salon job in the first place.

Thing is thats really annoying me, is that i know i am good at what i do......i'm by no means the best, don;t get me wrong. But i know i can do a decent job, and i do have people keep coming back that will only come to me. i know i make her money, but i just think that if she gets into the habit of buying cheaper, inferior products that she will lose the clients that have come to us because we use CND and OPI products. They have come to us because of these good names. and if she carries on it will give the products a bad name as theyre not being used properly, or as a system.

If i'm honest, i'd love to set up as self employed, but i don;t know how to get the insurance, and i'm not even sure im confident enough (in myself) to go self employed.

I started looking for another job today......printed out 10 cv's and i've started handing them out.

to get insurance: phone the guild of beauty therapists (babtac is also an option), tell them you want to be insured. They will ask you to send them copies of your certificates. I believe you can insurance with the guild for £85 per year.

 

[linziiddles]

thing is, i don't actually perform treatments outside of the salon. i did before for friends, but since working in the salon, i haven't really bothered to do anything. so i don't feel the need to have any insurance if i'm not doing treatments outside of work.

I just feel like she's trying to cut corners and costs, by getting me to pay for these things for myself. And i am now saying no, I cannot afford to pay for my own insurance out of my less than 500 a month wages.....i have a redundant husband and 2 children aswell as my own bills and rent etc to pay. And i just don't think it's my responsibility. She's not going to like it if she asks me again, i'm getting sick of it, every day i get asked if i've sorted it out, and i keep having to tell her that i'm not doing it, i'm just trying to hold my tongue so that i don't end up getting fired.

 

[linziiddles]

Thanks Laura, i will look into it, if i do end up going self employed, i will definatly get my own insurance. but whilst in the salon i just cannot afford to do it.

 

[laurakate]

thing is, i don't actually perform treatments outside of the salon. i did before for friends, but since working in the salon, i haven't really bothered to do anything. so i don't feel the need to have any insurance if i'm not doing treatments outside of work.

I just feel like she's trying to cut corners and costs, by getting me to pay for these things for myself. And i am now saying no, I cannot afford to pay for my own insurance out of my less than 500 a month wages.....i have a redundant husband and 2 children aswell as my own bills and rent etc to pay. And i just don't think it's my responsibility. She's not going to like it if she asks me again, i'm getting sick of it, every day i get asked if i've sorted it out, and i keep having to tell her that i'm not doing it, i'm just trying to hold my tongue so that i don't end up getting fired.

yowzers!

my personal opinion is that I would make sure I'm insured if working for someone because then I know I'm covered.

That aside though, as you say, I don't think it's reasonable of your employer to ask you everyday if you've got insured. I also think that she has a cheek telling you that you need to do certain training courses but then asking you to pay for them. I believe that a good employer should invest in their staff.

I think people who cut corners are setting themselves up to fail.

On the plus side, at least you can see that she's not doing things correctly and this will hopefully help you in your future job serach. I strongly recommend a Christmas temp job as they're not too hard to get and the hours are easily available this time of year.

No matter what happens, I'm sorry that you have to experience this because your employer sounds very unprofessional.

 

[linziiddles]

yeah, i can see where your coming from, if i was performing treatments from home or mobile, then i would expect to buy my own insurance, but i do feel its really cheeky to have to pay for my own, to work in a salon that i'm employed in. it would be like someone working in boots being told they have to pay for their own public liability to work in the shop or something, or that they have to buy their own products to sell in the store, but the store keep the profits. iygwim? I am looking into insurance, with the view of going s/e. but i will have to wait until after xmas so that i know everything is paid for before then.

Its just on my wages as they are atm, i cannot afford it.

Think i've just got a bee in my bonnet about the whole situation tbh, its annoyed me, as when i went for the interview, she was all full of promises of paid for training, and everything sounded great.....and now it all seems to have gone to pot! lol.

Thankyou for your advice btw, it really is much appreciated!