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Minimum wage - Can they do this?
Former Member
Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
I turned 21 last August but I'm still getting paid £4.25 an hour.
When I asked my boss about this they gave me a letter saying that the £4.25 wage was for 21 and under so they could pay me £4.25 an hour up until the day before my 22nd birthday and still be within their rights.
I asked around and a couple of people told me they were right and that it was up to the companies discretion.
I found out today that one of the girls that just started there is being paid £5.05 and she's only just turned 19! There's also a girl that's worked there for 3 years who is the same age as me. She's also getting £5.05.
Surely that can't be fair? Can they actually pay me less and give me the excuse of age when the other girls my age and younger are getting the over 21 wage?
I've been working there for almost 10 months and I turned 21 3 months after I started. I'm contract for 8 hours but I'm on the rota for 16 hours (4 hours a day, 4 days a week) but depending on how busy it is I'm there anywhere from 2 - 6 hours a day and called in if I'm not busy when people are off.
I'm planning on going to see about it when I'm back in on Friday but I don't want to go into the office and have them fob me off with more excuses so I want to know the facts before I go.
Thanks.
When I asked my boss about this they gave me a letter saying that the £4.25 wage was for 21 and under so they could pay me £4.25 an hour up until the day before my 22nd birthday and still be within their rights.
I asked around and a couple of people told me they were right and that it was up to the companies discretion.
I found out today that one of the girls that just started there is being paid £5.05 and she's only just turned 19! There's also a girl that's worked there for 3 years who is the same age as me. She's also getting £5.05.
Surely that can't be fair? Can they actually pay me less and give me the excuse of age when the other girls my age and younger are getting the over 21 wage?
I've been working there for almost 10 months and I turned 21 3 months after I started. I'm contract for 8 hours but I'm on the rota for 16 hours (4 hours a day, 4 days a week) but depending on how busy it is I'm there anywhere from 2 - 6 hours a day and called in if I'm not busy when people are off.
I'm planning on going to see about it when I'm back in on Friday but I don't want to go into the office and have them fob me off with more excuses so I want to know the facts before I go.
Thanks.
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Comments
Surely there's some human rights thing that says employees have to be paid the same thing for doing the same job regardless of if they're new employees or worked there for a while?!
I was talking to the girl whos the same age as me today and she said her wage went up everytime the minimum wage did and she got the over 21 wage her next pay after her 21st birthday.
It's like one rule for one person and a different rule for another.
It is, however, illegal to pay different people different wages for the same job, if the people are at the same age and experience levels. In your case, they are.
I went to see my boss today and they're putting my wage up to £5.05
I thought I was going to have to fight her as usual but, nope, she said "I'll get your wage put up because that's not fair."
I just stood with my mouth open thinking what did you do with my real boss?!?!
Is there a minimum wage for 18 year olds? Or is it just 21+ ?
It changes again in October, but more at the time.
I'm sticking with the Co-op! Mind you when I started I was on £3.73 an hour!
Least I've got was £2.50 an hour when I was 14 and working in a pub kitchen.
If that's directed at me... I doubt I'll get any back pay. Would only be since new girl started which was 3 weeks ago so I'm not too bothered.
If it's not directed at me.... just ignore me
If it's only three weeks it's hardly worth making a fuss over.
Well, that's what I would be saying to them as they paid me it anyway.
It seems like they don't want pay more and they just found an excuse for that.
Btw changing jobs is the best way to increase your pay rate. Fact!