MANY young people get their first employment experience in fast-food chains while still at high school.
For Sutherland Shire resident Scott Drake*, his first paid job ended on a disappointing note.
The high school student worked part-time at Westfield Miranda's Hungry Jack's outlet for about six weeks before the outlet abruptly shut down last week.
His mother, who didn't want to be identified, said she found out the outlet was closed when she saw the outlet was boarded-up.
She called the fast-food outlet's head office, which was unaware of the situation.
"I'm trying to teach my son a work ethic and I'm annoyed that a big company can have a branch shut down like that," she said.
Her son earned $7.02 an hour when he was 16, which increased to $8.40 when he turned 17.
Staff received a text message on Saturday telling them not to come to work the following day as the store was closed, but no explanation was given, she said. "I'm gobsmacked that they left these poor kids in the lurch," she said.
She was told the franchisee was bankrupt. She now fears unpaid wages and entitlements for her son and other staff members will be lost.
"I'm not sure if he's owed any money — he hadn't got any pay dockets for a few weeks," she said. "They work different hours every week and I want to make sure he's paid for what he's worked."
The Fair Work Ombudsman states employers must give employees a pay slip within one working day of their pay day, even when on leave.
"Some kids have worked there a few years and have accrued annual leave — now it is all gone, they've got nothing," the boy's mother said.
"He's saving to go to a trip to PNG to work as a volunteer, so he's doing the right thing.
"My other son used to work at McDonald's and they are much better organised, with a proper training system."
In a statement to the Leader, a Hungry Jack's spokesman said: "The franchisee of Hungry Jack's Miranda has ceased operations. Legal representatives from Hungry Jack's are currently in discussions with the franchisee and his legal representation.
"Hungry Jack's takes its responsibility to crew members, customers and the communities in which it operates very seriously. However, no further action can be taken by the company while these negotiations are in progress."
A spokesman for the Fair Work Ombudsman said the organisation was unable to comment on individual cases but they received more than 20,000 complaints a year. He said employees concerned they had been underpaid or unfairly treated should visit fairwork.gov.au or phone the Fair Work Infoline on 131 394.
* not his real name.
Have you or your family/friends had a similar experience?
