A FURIOUS mum has claimed her son with learning disabilities worked for more than four weeks for McDonald’s without realising he would not get paid.
Debbie Dunn’s son Adam had a work trial at the Monks Cross, Yorkshire, branch of the fast food giant which had been organised by the Shaw Trust charity.
He worked from 11am until 4pm three days a week, and claims that no one informed him that he would not get paid.
Mrs Dunn said: “I am extremely concerned that my son was not informed that the trial period was on a volunteer basis by either the Shaw Trust or McDonald’s.
“My son was not issued with any documentation to specify that this trial period was on a volunteer basis.
“In my honest opinion, this was using my son as cheap unpaid labour.”
A Shaw Trust spokesman told The York Press that the work trial shifts were like an extended job interview.
They added: “If a job is offered then they would go on the payroll.
“If there is no job at the end of the trial then this means that the client doesn’t have to go through the process of re-applying for benefits and it avoids red tape, which might help employers consider employing people with disabilities.”
A McDonald’s spokeswoman said: “On this occasion, there appears to have been a miscommunication between the individual and the charity which we are pleased to see has now been resolved.”
