GF quit job after 3 days - will she be paid?

[Mark34bn]

Hi. My better half started working at a solicitors office last month on a part time basis. After 3 days she rang me at work in tears saying it was horrible, no help was forthcoming and she'd been stabbed in the back by the person who should be helping her. She knows the job but has had 7 years away from conveyancing so needed to get up to speed regarding the changes made during that time.
She emailed the Partner and the secretary explaining why she wouldn't be back but so far has not received a reply or any wages for the 3 days worked. This was over 3 weeks ago.

Under employment law should the employer pay her? We're not sure as she believes she broke the contract and may not be eligible for payment.

[benters]

if I had taken someone on and they 'emailed' to say see ya I wouldn't be in any rush to pay her either. That said, I would have made a phone call at the very least to get to the bottom of it.
But then the same courtesy could be expected of your OH at the same time, It seems to me she is being treated in a similar way to how she has treated her former employer.

Hope she finds something more suitable shortly. . .being without work is a PITA !

[Mark34bn]

benters said:

if I had taken someone on and they 'emailed' to say see ya I wouldn't be in any rush to pay her either. That said, I would have made a phone call at the very least to get to the bottom of it.
But then the same courtesy could be expected of your OH at the same time, It seems to me she is being treated in a similar way to how she has treated her former employer.

Hope she finds something more suitable shortly. . .being without work is a PITA !

She was too upset to ring and speak to the Partner herself. I should have stated above that I called into the office the next day to drop her keys in and give them a letter which was a copy of the email which she sent.
The Partner was in reception and the first thing she said was "She's not coming back is she". She hadn't seen the email then.
I would have expected some kind of acknowledgement by now?

[benters]

gotcha. . . .best to move on I would say.

[Bungleaio]

I started a job once and did 3 full days. I had been led to believe the job was different to what it actually turned out to be, It was about 40 miles away so I just rang the boss up and said thanks but no thanks, he was a bit gutted but understood.

I never got paid for the three days I did and I never really expected to do either.

[worsy]

Expecting payment very much depends on the value being given IMO. In an office there is probably little that she would have done in the 3 days as she effectively was training. If it were labouring on a building site it would be different.

[Jasandjules]

Write to them and ask when they will be paying her.

[Butter Face]

Bungleaio said:

I started a job once and did 3 full days. I had been led to believe the job was different to what it actually turned out to be, It was about 40 miles away so I just rang the boss up and said thanks but no thanks, he was a bit gutted but understood.

I never got paid for the three days I did and I never really expected to do either.

Same, I did 2 days, left and didn't expect anything and didn't get anything.

I took it as a cheap quick lesson TBH.

[SeanyD]

When I was a student I considered a MacDonalds job to earn a bit of beer money. Attended a 20 minute induction before deciding it was b'llocks. A few weeks later a wages cheque arrived in the post for about £1.50 (or whatever it was, 20+ years ago now)

[Mark34bn]

She's worked in conveyancing for 10+ years, a little brushing up on the latest changes and practices was all she asked. I'm sure more than half the hours she worked were bookable to clients.
By all accounts the place was a snake pit with a very high turnover of staff.

[R6VED]

I left a job on the 3rd day some years ago and didn't expect to get paid for them - I didn't get paid.

I did suddenly realise that it was not going to work, I was the manager so had no one to tell on site - phoned the area guy and told him I was off.

Not my finest hour but I didn't want to waste my time, nor theirs for that matter (well anymore than I had already done)

[tenpenceshort]

What was her notice period?

[Cmof]

Yes, she must be paid for the time worked. The only 'unless' is if there is a clause in her contract which enables them to claw back cost of 'training' - but this is highly unlikely.
If she gets no joy having written to them, tell her to contact ACAS who will help help bring the dispute to the attention of her ex-employers and advise on legal recourse.

[davepoth]

Think about it before barrelling in to this.

Legally, she should be paid. That's 100% clear - she worked, she's owed money.

However, I assume she wants to get work in another solicitor's office, reasonably close to the one that she's just left? You need to think about how this will look to other prospective employers. It's not a big industry in a provincial town, and solicitors do talk to other solicitors a lot.