Hello!
I work part-time in retail and I am a full-time university student.
My salary is pretty poor and the store I work in is understaffed, so last year, when we had a change in management with a new store owner, my new boss asked me if I wanted to work more hours under a „student contract“ (it’s a very common thing where I am from: basically means I get to work up to 20 hours and keep my student status, which means I pay less taxes than the average part-timer. It’s beneficial for employer and employee).
At first, I refused, due to a large amount of university work and also because I quit my previous job to have more flexibility, but then my schedule started to clear up and at the start of February I said that I would give it a try.
The weeks went by and… nothing. No contract, no nothing. So I started asking my manger and my coworkers if they had seen my boss, who’s rarely around.
My manager assured me that the new contract would be finished by March.
March rolled around and still nothing. I was getting pretty frustrated, and started looking into new jobs (without applying to any). I started pestering management a little and my boss finally gave me a contract, two weeks before April and also without the right legal phrases to make this a „student contract“. So I tried to contact my boss again and offered some written phrases that need to be in the contract.
He assured me that the contract would be done by April, but I already lost hope and now actively started to apply for other jobs. Less than one week before April he gave me a new contract which I read and agreed to and signed.
Today is the last day of March and I asked my manager if the contract had gone through and if everything was settled, to which she just shrugged.
I am at my limit.
I feel so frustrated and betrayed and angry.
Unfortunately I do not have any luck in finding a new position at this time with Easter just around the corner, so I can’t quit just yet.
I feel so unsure. We both signed the contract, so it should be binding by April 1st, right?
My boss also scheduled me for too many hours which I was not paid for, so I basically did 14 hours of unpaid overtime for them.
I don’t know what to do. University is expensive and so is rent and food, so I can’t just quit.
I really don’t know how to handle this situation. Any advise would be appreciated.
Edit: spelling