Archive for the ‘Law & Ethics’ Category
I recently started working at a franchised coffee shop. The hiring process seemed typical- filled out an application, went in for an interview, and got a call informing me that they were interested in me. They also informed me that I would be trained and that it’d be unpaid.
The training lasts as long as the manager decides- it ranges from 2-5 days (typical) to 2-3 weeks for some people. Training is in 2-4 hour increments almost every day of the week.
I’m not left alone when I’m training- the manager and my co-workers are very present and helpful. It just seems bizarre that I would work there for a period of time without an official uniform or anything. My manager has stated that I’m not officially hired, which means that I’m not on payroll and (I think) if they decided they didn’t want me to work there they could terminate my “employment,” even if I put in many hours in training. Is this unpaid training legal? I’d put more details but there aren’t enough characters…
I work in a coffee shop in Sydney, it is a franchise. Around two months ago the owner installed five video cameras focused directly on the employees stating that it was a “performance enhancer”. A month later they placed two small stickers in the store notifying the area was under surveillance. I know they are allowed to film us, my problem is that the footage is streamed directly into their house and they sit and watch us constantly calling us up to scream at us and as soon as an employee goes missing form their field of view.
Could anyone please tell me the law regarding the surveillance of employees, and if my boss is allowed to view the footage without any particular reason?