Unpaid trial shift lasted 3.5 hours – is this normal in Australia?
Hi everyone,
I’d like some advice regarding a trial shift situation in hospitality in Australia (I’m on a Working Holiday Visa).
I first completed a 1-hour trial shift at one venue of a restaurant group, and I was clearly told that this one was a trial.
After that, they asked me to do another shift at a different venue from the same group. This second shift lasted from around 5:30pm to 8:50–9:00pm (about 3.5 hours), where I worked as a runner during dinner service doing regular duties.
The thing is, I’m confused about whether this second shift should have been paid. From what I understand, unpaid trials are usually short and only meant to assess skills.
I’ve already emailed them politely to ask for clarification, but I wanted to know what people here think. Does this sound normal/legal in Australia hospitality?
Thanks!