so upset..

[TaylorsMummyx]

so i went to sign up at an agency today, who has work thats starting in two weeks. Iv been told i need references, as i have never worked. I did a "cash in hand" cleaning job 2 years ago for my "best friend" while i was pregnant. The agency told me to use her as a reference. So i texted her today, and shes told me she wont do it, as i only worked for 2 weeks with her. I have noone else to ask. Im totally peed off and gutted! i feel like shes always always letting me down, she couldnt come to my sons bday as she was looking for furniture, but its her bday tomorrow and she wants me to find money to go for a meal

 

[vhal_x]

Surely you couldn't have used her as a reference anyway, as cash in hand jobs are illegal? xx

 

[TaylorsMummyx]

no idea, she said i could

 

[Bevziibubble]

As the pp says, working for cash in hand is meant to be illegal. That might be the reason she won't give a reference. x

 

[Mummy May]

Working cash in hand isn't illegal - I worked cash in hand for the Ex's parents, and they were allowed a certain amount of money each month to spend on extra staffing x

 

[Eleanor ace]

She's probably worried she'll get in trouble. Could you use a character reference, from a family friend? There must be some way around it, everyone has a first job at some point!

 

[RachA]

I would try and find someone to do a character reference. As the PP said, everyone has to have a first job at some point.
As you only worked for your friends for 2 weeks there's not really much that she could put in a reference tbh.

 

[Blah11]

Working cash in hand isn't illegal - I worked cash in hand for the Ex's parents, and they were allowed a certain amount of money each month to spend on extra staffing x

Maybe they paid your tax and NI otherwise its tax evasion & very illegal.

 

[Sarahwoo]

To be honest, if its from a few years ago and you only worked for her for two weeks, she wouldn't be a great person to get a reference from. And if she wasn't paying tax / national insurance from your cash in hand payments it was illegal - which is probably why she doesn't want to have anything 'official' saying she employed you.

If you have zero work experience why don't you do some volunteer work? Maybe in a charity shop? Even if it was just a few hours a week you would get some experience, get a great source for a reference, and look enthusiastic / proactive / willing etc.

 

[eddjanuary10]

Have you ever helped out at any events or done work experience through school or university/college? You could ask someone there to provide a reference?

 

[suzib76]

I think that's fair enough of her tbh, if you only worked a couple of weeks on the side she couldn't honestly give a proper reference as you didn't work long enough for her

Working cash in hand isn't illegal - I worked cash in hand for the Ex's parents, and they were allowed a certain amount of money each month to spend on extra staffing x

It sounds like it wasn't an off the record cash in hand job if they had money every month to spend on staff, more a case of being paid in cash instead of into the bank which is totally acceptable as long as you are through the books, which it sounds like you must have been

 

[Creative]

Working cash in hand isn't illegal - I worked cash in hand for the Ex's parents, and they were allowed a certain amount of money each month to spend on extra staffing x

It sounds like it wasn't an off the record cash in hand job if they had money every month to spend on staff, more a case of being paid in cash instead of into the bank which is totally acceptable as long as you are through the books, which it sounds like you must have been

As a business you can employ casual labour from time to time something like 7 hours (don't quote me on that bit though).
If tax and Ni are not paid by deductions by the person paying you, then you become a contractor and you should register with the IR as self employed and fill in a tax return. You wouldn't owe tax on the payment if your income from all employment and self employed earnings is below the threshold. Income is money or goods in exchange for services or goods. there would also in that situation have been issues about you being covered in the event of an accident etc by her insurance.
It's a shame that she will not give you a reference, but it sounds like she wasn't being above board in her employment of you and is now covering it up.

 

[suzib76]

Working cash in hand isn't illegal - I worked cash in hand for the Ex's parents, and they were allowed a certain amount of money each month to spend on extra staffing x

It sounds like it wasn't an off the record cash in hand job if they had money every month to spend on staff, more a case of being paid in cash instead of into the bank which is totally acceptable as long as you are through the books, which it sounds like you must have been

As a business you can employ casual labour from time to time something like 7 hours (don't quote me on that bit though).
If tax and Ni are not paid by deductions by the person paying you, then you become a contractor and you should register with the IR as self employed and fill in a tax return. You wouldn't owe tax on the payment if your income from all employment and self employed earnings is below the threshold. Income is money or goods in exchange for services or goods. there would also in that situation have been issues about you being covered in the event of an accident etc by her insurance.
It's a shame that she will not give you a reference, but it sounds like she wasn't being above board in her employment of you and is now covering it up.

See to me the mere fact that you are allowed to employ casual labour separates it from the cash and hand jobs of old. You used to get away with so much when I was younge, it's all changed now

 

[Creative]

Working cash in hand isn't illegal - I worked cash in hand for the Ex's parents, and they were allowed a certain amount of money each month to spend on extra staffing x

It sounds like it wasn't an off the record cash in hand job if they had money every month to spend on staff, more a case of being paid in cash instead of into the bank which is totally acceptable as long as you are through the books, which it sounds like you must have been

As a business you can employ casual labour from time to time something like 7 hours (don't quote me on that bit though).
If tax and Ni are not paid by deductions by the person paying you, then you become a contractor and you should register with the IR as self employed and fill in a tax return. You wouldn't owe tax on the payment if your income from all employment and self employed earnings is below the threshold. Income is money or goods in exchange for services or goods. there would also in that situation have been issues about you being covered in the event of an accident etc by her insurance.
It's a shame that she will not give you a reference, but it sounds like she wasn't being above board in her employment of you and is now covering it up.

See to me the mere fact that you are allowed to employ casual labour separates it from the cash and hand jobs of old. You used to get away with so much when I was younge, it's all changed now

casual labour means that you don't need to cover maternity, sicknesss etc. you employ labour at times when you have a small job that needs doing on a one off basis.