Facts you need to know about unpaid trial work

Looking for a job can be hard work. So it’s not surprising that some job seekers jump at the chance to start work even if they don’t get paid. The employer says, work a couple of shifts and we’ll see how you go. It sounds good – it sounds like a good start. But how will you feel after working for hours and not getting paid? And worse still you might not ever get paid employment.

This is the unpaid trial work rip off, rort or con – call it what you will – it’s a cruel and all too common trick used by unscrupulous employers to get free labour.

A survey by Job Watch, an independent community legal centre, found that unpaid trial work rarely leads to a paid job – only 13% of people who completed an unpaid trial period were offered a paid position.

But not only does unpaid trial work rarely lead to a paid job it is also generally unlawful.

The best way to avoid the unpaid trial work trap is to find out how much you will be paid per hour before you start. If an employer wants to ‘see how you work’ they can specify a trial period or probation at the outset – that is good because everyone knows where they stand.

Working for free to see how you go is WRONG;
getting paid the award wage for a few shifts to see how you go can be OK if you know that’s the deal.

Trial work or probation periods are allowed – but you must get paid the award wage for every hour you work.

Unpaid work Trap #2: if your employer requires you to undertake work outside of your normal hours for example, attending meetings or promotions you are entitled to be paid for this time.

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