Look before you leap.
I was working in a restaurant for about 5 years as the head chef when I saw a job advertised for a restaurant manager. The pay looked attractive and the restaurant itself meant I could get to work in under 20 minutes.
I applied and got the job but the owner said I would need to be self-employed.
I hadn’t been self-employed before and didn’t fully understand the differences but I agreed to start the next week.
Due to my experience and because I lived nearby, the owner was soon giving me greater responsibilities for running the restaurant.
It all went well for the first 3 months. Then the owner decided to relocate to another part of the country and left me to run the restaurant on my own. I explained I had a young family and didn’t want to work 12 hrs a day, 6 days a week, but he ignored this and told me it would be good experience and he would help me when he could.
After 9 months and not having much time away from the restaurant to care for my family, I realised I had to leave.
I tried to discuss the situation with the owner and offered to give him 2-3 months’ notice to find another manager. He asked me to leave that day and to hand-over the door and safe keys to his uncle who came to the restaurant to collect them.
I haven’t been paid for the last 2 months. I’m owed 9 months’ worth of holiday pay, as I haven’t been able to take one day off since I started working.
The owner just keeps saying he will sort it out but I’m now struggling to pay my bills whilst looking for another job. He hasn’t given me a reference – he says he doesn’t need to do this.
How can I ensure I am paid properly?