So, inspired by all the other personal work stories on the sub, I thought I'd share what happened to me at my own workplace when I was doing an internship.
A little backstory: the polytechnic I attended required students to take an internship in between second and third year. If you dont do it, you don't graduate. I was given a list of companies to choose from, and I chose one company I'll call JT.
When I started at JT, the owner whom I'll dub Helen told me if I wasn't given anything to do, I should ask around. Fair enough, except even after asking around nobody would give me anything to do. I got told off for using my phone since, you know, nothing to do. On occasions when I was given things to do, they complained when I took too long even though I was new to the system so I was still figuring it out. And I was also given paper to cut with a penknife which I've never used (I'm a scissors user) so I messed that up which they weren't too happy with. I'll admit that was my fault though, I should've been able to use a penknife. And maybe I really was too slow despite the fact that I'm new.
Anyway, within the first day, they complained to my school and said they wanted to fire me, but the school convinced them to let me stay for 2 weeks while they found me another attachment. On the last day, HR got my bank details so I could receive the 2 weeks pay, but I never got it. Helen claimed instead to have paid me in cash (a lie) and yelled at me when I politely asked for my money. My school took Helen's side and refused to help me, so I got my mum involved. After a long telephone call where my mum got cussed at by Helen and my mum being firm, Helen relented and agreed to pay me. The school was not happy at that and I got a talking to from my lecturer for involving my mum.
The other company I was attached with was a whole another set of problems, but that's a story for another time. Anyway, months later, I caught up with another student who worked with me (and was more popular). After chatting a while, I realized he was also shortchanged (to the tune of 2 weeks' worth of work). I told him so but he didn't seem too bothered so I dropped it. However, I'm still pissed at JT because it wasn't as if Helen couldn't afford the pay – she had the money to import a British purebred pedigree dog with flight and quarantine to our country (where it spends it's time in the office trying to steal our food with no consequences).
So anyway, that's what happened to me. I'm glad for my mum because she sticks up for me no matter what because I'm too meek to do so.