Jamie* got in touch with the Helpline due to an issue regarding her pay at work. Jamie was working part time in a beautician, being paid €7.14 while a beautician apprentice in the same salon was being paid €10.20, above the minimum wage for an 18-year-old (€8.16). Jamie felt it was unfair that she was being paid less for doing the same work and wanted to know what her rights were in the situation. Jamie was brought through the available minimum hourly pay rates in Ireland: for a young person under 18 it is €7.14, which increases to €8.16 at 18 and €9.18 when you turn 19. Jamie was informed that once you are aged 20 and over you are entitled to the minimum wage of €10.20 per hour and that this is the minimum amount that should be paid and that it is open to employers to pay more. Jamie was told that as a first step, she may want to raise the pay difference with her salon manager, outlining that she is completing the same work and has the same duties/responsibilities. It may be that the pay difference was due to the other employee having additional experience or skills, which she was told is allowed. Jamie was invited to give us a call on our Helpline number to talk through this information and any potential questions she may have.
*Names have been changed to protect identities