taking on an apprentice/part time employee

[michael1703]

does anybody know the ins and outs in simple layman terms?

the main problem i have is that as i am a motor trader my insurer wont cover employees under the age of 19

he wont be driving customers cars or doing anything to the cars where safety is concerned like brakes/tyres etc

as i understand it, you have to pay them at least £95 per week for up to 16 hours

he has a place at college which he will pay for himself, he doesnt actually want paying for his 1 day a week but just wants to get on the course

it looks as though i cant give him a placement so the other option is that he gets a place elsewhere but still does 1 day a week with me

any ideas? i'm not a limited company just a sole trader not vat registered etc

 

[the snooper]

does the lad need to earn money from the job ?
if the answer is no and you cant afford to pay someone anyway then you could probably give him some work experience on a voluntary basis, athough i would check that out and do you have employers liability insurance to cover him ?

 

[michael1703]

thats what isnt clear on my insurance policy

i have a combined trade policy which is road risk/contents/liability etc

i'm not 100% sure that the person i spoke to realised i didnt want him driving etc

its odd because i had work experience at 14 in a car body shop and they must have been insured?

 

[the snooper]

i think you should just enquire if the liability cover extends to someone on a work placement it should do.
i have a combined policy for employers liability, contents and public liability

 

[brightspark]

thats what isnt clear on my insurance policy

i have a combined trade policy which is road risk/contents/liability etc

i'm not 100% sure that the person i spoke to realised i didnt want him driving etc

its odd because i had work experience at 14 in a car body shop and they must have been insured?

ive had work experience
lads there covered by the school insurance . my insurance only covers myself . i get casual labour now and then and take the chance . if anything happened id take the blame : i employ (subbies they are ok they have there own insurance

 

[blenkie1]

I thought you could claim money off the goverment for taking someone on and them starting college. Might be worth looking into?

 

[heinz57]

The apprentices get their training for free if they have an employer, otherwise they have to pay for the course themselves. There are initiatives
for employers to take on school leavers but i think it varies depending on where you live. There seems to be a lot less help than there used to be though, which is wrong to me, the government should be backing things like this.

 

[michael1703]

There seems to be a lot less help than there used to be though, which is wrong to me, the government should be backing things like this.

according to business link, labour were bad but the new gay cowboys have cut funding even more

 

[heinz57]

Hear that! I feel sorry for kids comming out of school, what are they supposed to do?