Employed, no contract, advice

[Rubyroox]

Hi,

I have been lurking here for a while and finally plucked up some courage to post.

I currently work part time in a salon doing nails, it's my first job working in beauty and I seem to be getting on well. The salon it's self isn't in my local area. I have put myself on brow, lash and spray tan courses as the salon requested I do so (I am paying for them). I have has lots of requests to do work outside of my 'contracted' hours and my boss says I am not allowed to do so.

I kind of feel like I have paid for these courses for them to make money out of me and I can't make money for myself outside of work.

Obviously I'm only on a part time wage which just isn't enough for me to live on alone. I want to advertise my mobile services on social media (not to cover the area of the salon) but I'm scared that if I do my boss will fire me.

As of yet I don't have a contract. I just don't know what to do, my friends and family are saying do what's best for you but I don't want to be breaking any rules.

Are employed staff aloud to work outside of the salon? Any help would be great. Thanks x

 

[Steph86]

If your boss has said no, then Id go with your not allowed. At least you have paid for the courses yourself.

You have got to do what is best for you, but just be prepared to loose your job if they found out.

Im not going to lie, I have done this. I live far away from where I work, I worked two part time jobs to equal a full time wage. I set up on my own whilst still employed... Ive gradually been able to cut my hours with the salon job, im only there half a day, one day a week now instead of 4 half days. & intend on giving my notice soon.

Not once have I worked in the area of the salon, although I had a couple of requests... I recommended the salon as I don't cover that area.

I haven't told any clients that I work mobile. It was not my intention to pinch their business, as I don't think it is yours.

My own clients wouldnt drive so far for a tan/nails, & want someone mobile, so I wouldn't say I was direct competition. Although it doesn't make what I've done not a sackable offence. & Im also not as flexible for covering people as I once was.

Ive been mobile for 2 years on 11th November.

It is such a shame that more salon jobs aren't full time, it leaves you not earning enough & you look at other options for the future.

Xx

 

[hazeleyes]

If they have said no then I agree- usually when you have a contract it states about taking in other paid employment and needing express permission but seeing as you don't have a contract it's a pretty grey area!

Seems very unfair though almost not worth your while?

 

[laurafaz]

You don't have a contract, you paid for the courses yourself personally I would go for it but keeping in mind if your boss finds out and sacks you would it of been worth it.

Depends on your personal circumstances and what your willing to gain out of it

If your boss was that bothered she should given you a contract and have paid for your courses, instead of taking the cheep option and making you pay for them.

They are you qualifications not your bosses, you cam use them as you wish x x

 

[laurakate]

Your boss can't insist that you pay for your training if it's them who want you to do it but on the other hand if it's something that you're happy to do then it will be to your benefit.

It does sound like your boss isn't totally correct in asking you to pay for your own training upon their insistence and telling you what to do without a contract.

If you like working in the salon then go with it as a first job maybe but keep an eye out for other things if you think things could get out of hand.

If you're that far away from the salon with no contract they can't tell you what to do. In all honesty I would do some very descrete private work on the side if you think you can do it without getting found out by your boss. You'd be doing nothing wrong because there is no contract in place.

 

[laurakate]

If your boss has said no, then Id go with your not allowed. At least you have paid for the courses yourself.

You have got to do what is best for you, but just be prepared to loose your job if they found out.

Im not going to lie, I have done this. I live far away from where I work, I worked two part time jobs to equal a full time wage. I set up on my own whilst still employed... Ive gradually been able to cut my hours with the salon job, im only there half a day, one day a week now instead of 4 half days. & intend on giving my notice soon.

Not once have I worked in the area of the salon, although I had a couple of requests... I recommended the salon as I don't cover that area.

I haven't told any clients that I work mobile. It was not my intention to pinch their business, as I don't think it is yours.

My own clients wouldnt drive so far for a tan/nails, & want someone mobile, so I wouldn't say I was direct competition. Although it doesn't make what I've done not a sackable offence. & Im also not as flexible for covering people as I once was.

Ive been mobile for 2 years on 11th November.

It is such a shame that more salon jobs aren't full time, it leaves you not earning enough & you look at other options for the future.

Xx

I agree. ..I think some salons/spas are so deluded to expect 100% dedication from someone when they are only offering part time hours whilst putting restrictions on other potential sources of income.

 

[virtues2011]

An employment contract is required by law. However, some employers seem to think these are not necessary for some reason. They are! You are by far within your rights to ask for a contact of employment which will state you hours/wages/ holiday entitlement/sick pay and all the standard policies of the salon you will be working in. Some salons will have it written in the contract that no work is to be undertaken outside working hours. This is quite normal and you can be dismissed if found out, depending on the severity of "working" it can be classed as gross misconduct, or you may receive a first and final written warning for the employer there are formalities and procedures that must be adhered to. Also be aware that even you are given a contract and you do not sign it or agree with it you are still bound by it regardless. HTH

 

[sanilulu]

I agree. ..I think some salons/spas are so deluded to expect 100% dedication from someone when they are only offering part time hours whilst putting restrictions on other potential sources of income.

... Completely agree ....
How can you expect someone to work part time and be happy with that, and after paying for qualifications they wanted ..( bit naughty that I think ...) ...
1. Although you have no contract you & the salon owner have made an agreement to not working mobile / elsewhere ... (I would not have agreed that one for a pt time position - very unfair and unrealistic on her part ) and one I could not afford to do ... ???

Do you work set days & times or just as & when ????


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[virtues2011]

If you can pay for your own courses even better as generally you will be bound to stay with the company you work for up to a year if not more, if you leave within that time you have to pay a percentage back...and you can choose your own courses rather than be told what you are going to do.

 

[Baggybear]

Hi,

I have been lurking here for a while and finally plucked up some courage to post.

I currently work part time in a salon doing nails, it's my first job working in beauty and I seem to be getting on well. The salon it's self isn't in my local area. I have put myself on brow, lash and spray tan courses as the salon requested I do so (I am paying for them). I have has lots of requests to do work outside of my 'contracted' hours and my boss says I am not allowed to do so.

I kind of feel like I have paid for these courses for them to make money out of me and I can't make money for myself outside of work.

Obviously I'm only on a part time wage which just isn't enough for me to live on alone. I want to advertise my mobile services on social media (not to cover the area of the salon) but I'm scared that if I do my boss will fire me.

As of yet I don't have a contract. I just don't know what to do, my friends and family are saying do what's best for you but I don't want to be breaking any rules.

Are employed staff aloud to work outside of the salon? Any help would be great. Thanks x

Yes you are entitled to work outside the salon if you are SELF EMPLOYED. This also makes your "boss" your landlord NOT your boss. Are you employed or self employed? A self employed therapist would only have a rent agreement NOT a contract of employment with restrictive clauses.

 

[AcidPerm]

A contract should be based on agreement between both parties.

Just because your boss requested that you do not work outside the salon, you don't have to agree to the restriction. You can and should consider negotiating any term in an employment contract that you are unhappy with, before you sign it.

Presumably, you were employed initially to perform a limited range of treatments and not the one's you required additional training for?

If you choose to only offer the new treatments outside of the salon, it's difficult to see how your boss could enforce a restrictive working clause, especially without a written contract.

 

[laurakate]

If you can pay for your own courses even better as generally you will be bound to stay with the company you work for up to a year if not more, if you leave within that time you have to pay a percentage back...and you can choose your own courses rather than be told what you are going to do.

I've paid for a number of courses myself whilst being in employment in a number of places. This is because I've wanted to develop my skills on my terms and in my time, not someone else's. In two of the places I've worked there was too much politics surrounding who was going to be given training opportunities and who wasn't so I took it upon myself to pay for my own training. I want to get the best I can out of every job experience and I don't think I would have achieved that if I waited for the employer to put me on the training.

 

[Rubyroox]

Thank you all for the advice!

I glad that people understand that working part time and then bring told you can't earn extra money is hard. I don't really know how they expect me to make a decent wage/live!

My main issue is my boss knows a lot of my family really well so I think in time she would find out about mobile work.

Thinking about the future I am really happy that I paid for the courses myself as when I do finally leave they can't expect money back from me!

The most annoying thing about the situation is I love working there but I'm ready to make a career for myself and them acting like this is only pushing their staff away. I think they ate aware of this as yesterday this mentioned we all would be getting contracts next week. I am going to get a few people to read over it just so I'm fully aware of what I'm signing.

When I'm at work I work my balls off, they give me part time hours but some weeks I might get 5 extra hours because people are wanting to book in with me. I think I'm on a part time contract because they don't want to be paying me when it's quiet but they expect me to
Accommodate when there is over time, which I always would but it's a little unfair!

Thanks for all the advice guys!

 

[sanilulu]

It's hard babes ...
... I know my friends salon, I go in to cover holidays or spa days etc .. she is really fair with her staff as a salon owner / she has 2 therapist who work between 30 - 38 hrs over 4 days - they also work mobile on their days off (btw none of us mention the word mobile to clients) ... Her clients know I work at a college but some are unaware of my business ...
It can work and her girls have it in their contract that they can work but not within a 5 mile radius and not allowed to take salon clients etc ... Xxxx


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[laurakate]

The salon where I did my work experience was very fair in that because they didn't have the full time hours available they would allow staff to work self employed outside of work. I think this is fair.

Generally spas are least concerned about people working self employed out of work because a spa is generally a big machine that doesn't see self employed therapists as a threat to their business. This could be an option for you if you seek the best of both worlds.