help for a trainee vet

[slainte caragh]

I am posting this on behalf of the most beautiful Sister In Law known to man (i.e mine)

She put this appeal for help on Facebook and I can't answer the question as I don't know, I love her dearly and I hate the idea of her having the piss taken out of her!

She is training as a vetenary nurse and works as a volunteer in an animal rescue.

This is her question


Folks with any legal knowlege, does anyone know if it is legal to be employed without a contract, told they can't tell me if and what annual leave I get, put on under minimum wage and told is because you are going to college and then find out the practice isn't a training practice and told they will rectify this and no sign of even starting to. Also being forced to do a 50 hr week when told was a 35? Feeling like a bit of a mug and burnt out as can't remember the last time I even had five min to eat lunch.


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she has been there I think about 3 months, joined because is was a training practice and she is struggling with physical health problems (that they are aware of - visable).

Any ideas please?

Thanks

Callie <3

[des8]

Re: help for a trainee vet

Hi S C
I think you realise, as does your S i L that every rule in the book is being broken!
I'll leave it to others to make the detailed breakdown.

It seems to be endemic in the veterinary world to take advantage of girls who want to become Vet nurses, perhaps with a view to becoming fully fledged vets.
I know of two other cases similar to your S i L here in West Wales where the practice had no concerns about using their youngsters as virtual slaves.
The trouble is there is a shortage of places and a surfeit of applicants. The applicants being young and possibly naive, and certainly full of enthusiasm and desire to help animals in need.
It is easy for a (possibly struggling) practice to succumb to the temptation of disrespect

My advice would be to look for another placement, but I do realise how difficult they are to find.
Good luck to your sister in law

[Kati]

Re: help for a trainee vet

[MENTION=51026]Ula[/MENTION] [MENTION=26290]mariefab[/MENTION] xx

[slainte caragh]

Re: help for a trainee vet

Thanks [MENTION=39710]des8[/MENTION].

Yeh I know she's being taken for a ride, in her heart of hearts she does too.

I will get my brother to read this thread too, I know he would rather see her happy than like this. Hopefully this will give her the push in the right direction she needs

[ULA]

Re: help for a trainee vet

Hi, can I just ask some questions to get a better understanding:

1. Is your SiL being paid a wage at the practice she is "training" at and volunteering somewhere else or is she being paid a set number of hours and then doing some volunteer work on top of that?
2. How many days does your SiL go to college and is she funding this or is the practice funding it?
3. Is the training on some sort of approved apprenticeship type scheme?

[slainte caragh]

Re: help for a trainee vet

Hiya, sorry I did some overtime today and just saw this.

She is "training" at the vet's full time, should be 35hrs a week but is doing 50 (being forced and made to feel guilty if she doesnt) she is being paid less than minimum wage. She is volunteering in her own time at a seperate rescue and fosters ill and elderly animals until they find homes (or for the rest of their natural lives).

As far as I knw she is not going to college as yet as the practice were sposed to sort all of that out and it never materialized, I don't know about the funding but I am speaking to her tomorrow so I will find out. I think it was a kinda learn as you earn situation.

again, as far as I know it's not an apprenticeship more a hands on this is how you do it type thing, but I will find out for you!

I know she facebooked me in tears that she was in pain with her wrists (she has had hand surgery) so she took a full lunch break and they screamed at her for doing it.

she has also told me she has no contract of any sort.

hope this helps and I will get more info as soon as I speak to her.

Callie <3

[ULA]

Re: help for a trainee vet

Not a problem. Based on the details you have given me so far here is some further information which may help.

For the hours that she is employed then she must be paid the minimum wage which I have given below:

National Living Wage (25 years old and over) - £7.50 per hour
National Minimum Wage adult rate (21 to 24 years old) - £7.05 per hour
National Minimum Wage (18 to 20 years old) - £5.60 per hour
National Minimum Wage (16 to 17 years old) - £4.05 per hour
National Minimum Wage (apprentice rate) - £3.50 per hour

In regard to a contract if she has been there 3 months then she should have received a "Written Statement of Terms and Conditions of Employment" or form thereof giving details of the terms and conditions of her employment which should include information on pay, hours of work, etc.

Expecting someone to work 50 hours per week irrespective of whether they only pay her for 35 hours does not adhere to the Working Time Directives, particularly if this is happening on a regular basis, since the directive states you can’t work more than 48 hours a week on average - normally averaged over 17 weeks. Also if she is under 18 she can’t work more than 8 hours a day or 40 hours a week.

[slainte caragh]

Re: help for a trainee vet

thank you I will pm her with this now the coffee is in the post