Hard work, no pay for struggling students

Tara Hampson wants action. Photo / Doug Sherring

Two young women say they have been left thousands of dollars out of pocket for alcohol promotional work set up through Student Job Search.

Now pressure is being brought to bear on the Government to act on cases of young workers who say they have been exploited through SJS.

The Herald on Sunday has been investigating the publicly-funded job agency since it was contacted by student David Tilson, worried that some employers were using SJS to find slave labour.

Last year student Michael van der Meij fell to his death, after working for days without pay in a job he found through SJS. Van der Meij suffered from depression.

Now, 23-year-old Laura Griffin and Tara Hampson, 19, allege they were left thousands of dollars out of pocket when Razor's Edge, a promotional firm, failed to pay them for four weeks' work.

The Ministry of Social Development, which funded SJS to the tune of $3.5 million this year, says changes are being made to ensure students understand their employment rights and employers are clear about their obligations. But the two students are calling for the Government to go further.

Hampson says she worked about four hours a day for six weeks, visiting liquor stores and filling shelves. In that time she was paid only once, for a fortnight's work, she said. Left with no money to pay for rent or food, she went to Work and Income to ask for an emergency benefit when the bank denied her request for an overdraft.

Hampson says Student Job Search needs to take more decisive action: "I think the Government should be moderating it. There's nothing preventing other people being put in the same position."

And Christine Griffin, whose daughter Laura says she worked for the company for six weeks and was paid for only two weeks' work, has laid a complaint with the Department of Labour.

Mediation will take place when Laura returns from Camp America - a trip she had hoped to fund with her earnings. Instead, she was left $1800 out of pocket. "We had to fund her trip over there," says her mother.

Greg Martin of Razor's Edge had promised to pay what she was owed, Griffin says.

He deposited $300 into her account and sent a cheque for $900 - which bounced.

SJS chief executive Paul Kennedy says the agency does its best to resolve employment relations issues, or encourage students and employers to contact third-party experts in the more difficult disputes.

Martin did not respond to messages or emails.