If this isn’t an advice sub, please direct me to a better place to ask this question. Ik you guys give lots of good advice, and this pay is kinda sketch. Maybe this should be in r/legaladvice ?
TL;DR I’m getting paid $120 for 6 days of working in a kitchen and sleeping on the premises. That’s roughly $3.33/hour not including time required on-grounds but not working. My state minimum wage is $13.20. I’m told my pay is low because it includes food and room, but I’m in a tent (and not allowed to go home). How much money should I really be getting?
I’m a 16 year old living in Oregon, and just applied to my first “real” job. It’s a position at a BSA Cub Scout camp, as kitchen staff. I’ll be staying at the camp 6 days a week for the three weeks I work there, I’m just in a tent, as they didn’t have the proper facilities for me (I’m transgender, it sounds like they normally have “private” facilities, but don’t have an available one for me).
Minimum wage is $13.20 in Oregon. I haven’t been given specific hours despite originally being scheduled to start Wednesday (sus?) but I know I have to wake up at 5:30, so I assume I’ll be starting at 6-6:30? And I work till at least noon. Assuming six hours of work a day, 36 hours a week, I’m being paid $3.33/hour. I’ve been told some pay is being taken off because I’m being given a “room” and being fed but I’m sleeping in a TENT.
And the whole needing to be on-site for 6 days straight thing. I can’t figure out for the life of me if this is considered unpaid or not. I’ve went over my states guidelines on what does and does not need to be paid for, but can’t figure out the language. Do I get paid for everything but sleep? Do I only get paid while standing inside the kitchen? I believe I get most of the afternoon/evening “off” but seeing as I can’t leave the camp, that maybe falls under “engaged to wait” time, since I’m not entirely free. Gosh, this is all so confusing!
Is this lawful? Is it worth fighting? Sorry if this is all normal, I’m new to all this. I’ve been talking with my parents trying to get advice but my dad is kinda (I love him) a karen, and just wants his special-est little boy to get everything the job is capable of offering, so I can’t tell what they are illegally withholding from what they are within their right to refuse, because he’s outraged by everything.
Other sus details I’d really like advice on:
– there was zero contact with my parents during this despite me being a minor. Coupled with the incredibly low pay, I think this may have been malicious
– I got very few details on my hours/conditions. Thank god I happen to have a friend who works up there who can fill me in on details, because they gave me NOTHING. I’m supposed to start tomorrow. Is it normal to be so in the dark? (PS: I’m autistic (currently fighting for a clinical diagnosis) so this astounding vague-ness is killing me, normal jobs better not be like this istg)