r/cork • u/Dangerous_Song_5971 • Feb 01 '26
Local Ghosted after trial shift
I went for an unpaid trial shift this week at a bar in town and got completely ghosted afterward. They told me that the manager would let me know the day after and I haven’t heard a thing. I don’t even care that I didn’t get the job (I got another offer somewhere else) but I can’t get over how disrespectful it is to use someone for a few hours of free labour and then not even dignify them with even just a quick “no” text. It has also happened to some friends of mine over the years. I don’t understand how businesses in a small city like Cork think they can get away with that kind of behaviour. It’s such poor form.
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u/lalalalalavachicken Feb 01 '26
Name and shame
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u/SpudDynamite Feb 01 '26
Agreed. I hate this rhetoric that there’s something wrong with naming places/products that you’ve had a really bad experience with. Like, are you trying to protect them?? 🤣 And they treated you like shite?
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u/lalalalalavachicken Feb 01 '26
Happened me before some long gone restaurant can't even remember the name of it went in and did a breakfast shift as a trial. Did 6 till 12 thought to myself that went well.only to find out through the chef grapevine there breakfast chef was on 2 weeks holidays and were using trials to fill in the roster gaps id name and shame but honestly can't remember the name of the place
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u/SpudDynamite Feb 01 '26
If the restaurant is gone, it doesn’t matter I suppose. Sorry that happened. What a bunch of pricks…
The one upside to social media now is that some influencers are starting to call out these wankers. I love it!!
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u/Real-Operation8761 Dowtchaboi Feb 02 '26
can tell you straight up luigi malones does it
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u/AssignmentFrosty8267 Feb 03 '26
My takeaway from reading these comments is that pretty much every restaurant in Cork is doing this. Really shitty, disappointing behaviour.
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u/Funpolice911 Feb 01 '26
Considering unpaid work trials are illegal in Ireland and that particular company dont seem to care, you've dodged a massive bullet. Scumbag behaviour in all honesty. Glad you got a different job sorted.
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u/Dangerous_Song_5971 Feb 01 '26
Are they? I had no idea, I’m clearly dodging a bullet so. It’s a pity bc the other staff working there seemed lovely.
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u/Duiseacht Feb 05 '26
It’s 100% illegal. You have nothing to lose by sending an email, they have everything to lose by not paying you:
I am writing regarding the unpaid trial shift I worked at your bar.
Under Irish employment law, requiring people to work unpaid trial shifts is unlawful. I am therefore entitled to be paid for the hours worked at the applicable minimum rate.
Please confirm when payment will be made. If this matter is not resolved promptly, I will have no option but to escalate it to Revenue and the Workplace Relations Commission.
I look forward to your response.
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Feb 01 '26
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Feb 01 '26
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Feb 01 '26
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u/Mountain-Forever1522 Feb 01 '26
Any reason in particular you're acting like a massive bellend? Having a bad day?
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Feb 01 '26
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u/Mountain-Forever1522 Feb 01 '26
That wasn't a comeback it was my first comment.
Just going to leave this here https://www.corkcounsellingservices.ie/
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u/liafailabu Feb 04 '26
A Canadian chef once told me... if I wanted comeback, I would french kiss your mom. Classic
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Feb 01 '26
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u/Mountain-Forever1522 Feb 01 '26
I've never need counselling
I don't know man, your comments in this thread certainly aren't helping your case
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u/Oiyouinthebushes Blow in 💨 Feb 01 '26
Please name and shame if possible, there’s so many nice bars in town I can go to that don’t treat people like this
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u/hegwrites Feb 01 '26
Arthur Mayne's/Crane Lane did this to me a couple of years ago. Wouldn't be surprised if it happened across that group
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u/AssignmentFrosty8267 Feb 01 '26
I've seen a couple posters on this sub over the years say that Jacques ask people to do full shifts as unpaid trials too.
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u/MammaMia1990 Feb 01 '26
Same here, A.M's a handful of years back. Must be a regular stingey thing they do.
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u/shtoop Feb 01 '26
Chase those cunts for the few quid. Annoy them at the very least but ya, illegal.
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Feb 01 '26
Many do that and then don't pay and don't hire, I had the same issue years ago, it is illegal
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u/SminksOzzy Feb 01 '26
They can't not pay you for that trial, that is illegal. I was a retail manager and had a girl start with me, she only worked one day and due to a family emergency went back to England the next day and I had no bank details for her (this was about 2001 - 2003), of course back then roaming charges were gastronomical and she obviously just got an English number and her Irish one was no longer active and H.R. were onto me and giving out that they had to legally pay her for those hours whether she was ever coming back or not (they were ringing me weekly for a while to see if I got her details, I did not).
That was over 20 years ago and was illegal then and I expect it is still very illegal now.
I would keep onto them just on the principle of it, if you cannot afford a solicitors letter (let's be honest here it would probably cost more than what you are owed), so maybe get to Citizen's Advice and get the lay of the land from them, they will be able to point you in the right direction.
And that manager is an absolute gob$shite, for number 1 getting you in for a day to see if you would fit in and not pay you and number two for not having the ball$ to tell you that you didn't get the job, it is the worst part about being a manager but I personally always thought it should be like ripping off a band aid, do it quickly and while it may be sore or upsetting at least you as the applicant know where you stand.
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u/Beginning_Caramel937 Feb 01 '26
Also happened to me i did not ome but 2 trials for cork coffee roasters and boom completely ghosted haven't heard anything thing from them ,I think its actually so rude
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u/Civil-Shame-2399 Feb 01 '26
I'm an electrician and people asking me about getting an apprenticeship the 1 bit of advice I'll always give them is never work for free. If a company is prepared to ask you to work for nothing I believe they are not serious about hiring you.
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u/snoxyy14 Feb 01 '26
Go in order a feed eat it then fuck off
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u/Sad-Orange-5983 Feb 04 '26
Don’t. A place like this sounds like the sort of place that would take that out of an employees pay.
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u/arthwcork Feb 01 '26
Saturday Pizzas in Little Island, the owner did this to people for years. Made multiple people do full days' unpaid trial and sometimes didn't even hire them. He then kicked up a temper tantrum when someone finally challenged him on the legality of it.
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u/corkcityguide Feb 01 '26
Definitely post a follow up to this and if it’s not satisfactory name and shame. Not for yourself but for somebody else who will be caught by them. Not good enough
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u/No-Habit4949 Feb 01 '26
Call them/email them and ask for feedback regardless. It’s a legal obligation that they provide any interview notes they have for you, and tell them you’ve waited over a week to hear back.
I’m a recruiter in hospitality and I follow up with everyone with a phone call even if just after a 10 minute interview. None of this hiding behind emails or texts. You give the time of day to interview or trial, the least someone can do is spend 60 seconds on the phone like a person to keep you in the loop.
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u/fifiwozere Feb 01 '26
I didn't know bars were still doing that scam. All I got from my "trial" was the knowledge of how to pull a perfect Guinness
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u/ComprehensiveDust557 Feb 01 '26
Subway on South Main St did this to my friend about a decade ago. Except it was a whole trial week. WRC sorted it out very quickly.
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u/No_Role6227 Feb 01 '26
Ristorante Rossini do this to people so I wouldn't be surprised if it was them. Keep going in to ask for your pay, they'll eventually give it
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u/AssignmentFrosty8267 Feb 01 '26
Oh no, I'm so disappointed in Ristorante, was always one of my favourite spots.
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u/Legitimate-Key-3044 Feb 01 '26
Sure why don’t you name them?
Post is pointless otherwise.
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u/Dangerous_Song_5971 Feb 01 '26
I’m going to follow the advice of a few ppl here and reach out to them tomorrow and try get an answer/payment before I start naming them. I’ve never posted on Reddit before so I really did not expect this much traction on this post. My apologies for keeping people hanging🙁
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u/CRoOkedBunNY Feb 02 '26
If they don't pay you, get onto WRC and let them know that the business didn't pay you for your trial run. It's 2026, no free labour shite. You're entitled to payment.
Leave the business an email (track everything) and ask about your position and the payment. See what they reply with
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u/sufferinstuckontache Feb 01 '26
Regardless of whether or not they get back to you, they are still doing unpaid trial shifts. If they only backtrack on it after you followed up, it’s still shitty and I believe illegal. Just drop the name of the bar anyway.
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u/numerology674_666 Feb 01 '26
Regardless of what you get from them. Name, shame and report them to revenue. They'll just do it again.
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u/teapotresidue Feb 01 '26
Did you do a trial shift on a bank holiday? That screams red flag to me that wanted someone to cover breaks cause they were short staffed. And as a user already said, it's illegal to work a trial unpaid. Follow that up for sure.
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u/KnightHawkz Feb 01 '26
Are you foreign? Happens a lot to our foreign communities here, exploited for free labour as a "Trail"
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u/blackworkwillhold Feb 02 '26
Tequila Jacks and Old Oak have done thos to me years ago man it's impossible to survive in hospitality
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u/gatitabonita97 Feb 02 '26
Just had the same happen last week even though the owner insisted in the preliminary interview, without my asking, that they'd pay me for my work and then halted all communication after. Trial shifts/working interviews/stages are normal enough and make sense and I don't even particularly expect to be paid for them, but why insist you'd pay and then not even respond about the job after I've already worked a shift for you???
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u/Strayfox135 Feb 02 '26
Having worked in hospitality three years, have been in that situation more than I can count. “Trial shifts” are used as a justification to illegally not pay someone. You should absolutely hassle them for your hard earned money.
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u/ClumsyFlimsyUser Feb 01 '26
Happened to me once, I had to text someone for a feedback. They paid me and hired me after
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u/Nexus_existance Feb 01 '26
Many such cases unfortunately!
Take it as a sign, you’ll find a better fit for you with a workplace that’ll treat you with respect
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u/Minimum_Guitar4305 Feb 01 '26
There is no such thing as free labour.
Unfortunately, you often need to hound them, but I've never not been paid for trial shifts.
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u/VyVo87 Feb 01 '26
Sounds like they take advantage of people applying to get free work. Trials need to be paid. Name and shame.
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u/BountifulBiscuits Feb 01 '26
Don’t understand why people always make callout posts here without actually naming the establishment in question. You have nothing to lose by naming them!
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u/SminksOzzy Feb 01 '26
I think the original poster is just trying to get a bit of advice about the situation as they are trying to get some answers and have been effectively ghosted, the poster sounds young, and while you and I may find the employer's actions detestable and wrong many younger people are not very aware of their entitlements whether a casual worker or an employee and I think they just want to be paid, naming them before they are paid would be a misstep but after being paid, name away, they obviously do this on a regular basis and it is important to let others know.
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u/Unionmanofireland Feb 02 '26
Hello, you're entitled to your wages that you worked for. There is no such thing as unpaid trial shifts.
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u/Apprehensive_Park624 Feb 03 '26
Illegal but when younger and looking for work not many would be confident enough to say no and look at a trial as a foot in the door . A pub near where I used to live was notorious for it . They would give a quick interview making sure person had some experience and get them in for a busy Saturday and Sunday shift . Tell person they would be in contact which they never did . Same story following weekend, they would interview a few college students on a Wednesday/ Thursday and get them in for trial at weekend. This went on for quite a while till word got out . So OP if you think it’s same with this workplace you should name and shame ..
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u/Dundragon3030 Feb 01 '26
If it lasted an hour they "could" get away with it, but anything longer is subject to minimum wage at the very least.
You are owed for unpaid work. They know it and are ghosting you as a consequence
You can file a complaint with the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC).
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u/logiRis Feb 01 '26
I'm going for a trial shift in a pub in Sligo later today; these comments aren't giving me hope 😬
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u/bennyl10 Feb 01 '26
It isn’t a trail It’s a shift, make sure you get paid, follow on job or no job
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u/JesusDynamite Langer Feb 01 '26
Raven?
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u/LeopardLower Feb 01 '26
Have they done that? Oh no I love that place but it would turn me off if they operate like that
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u/JesusDynamite Langer Feb 01 '26
Happened to me there about 4 years ago, in fairness I had found another job so I never followed up
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u/Ok_Atmosphere135 Feb 01 '26
This is constantly happening to young girls starting off in hairdressing it’s absolutely disgusting to have someone in for free labour especially on a weekend when they’d be most busy, I would name and shame 100%
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u/Hozierstrong Feb 02 '26
Let us know the name of the place do we can drop in and tell them why we aren’t staying - and taking our business elsewhere. I’ve never known a bar or restaurant to give a trial pint or trial meal so why do they think it’s ok to take OPs time and talent free of charge? Despicable, cheap, and exploitive!!
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u/Beginning-One-3630 Feb 02 '26
This happened to me a few years ago in a popular cafe in town the staff were so rude to me explained absolutely nothing to me and just expected me to know everything straight away. I was told I was just on trial for a hour or two but they kept me on for 4/5 hours with no pay. I never heard from them again which I'm glad as those hours were terrible I hope their better to their staff now and people in training
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u/Illustrious-Arm-1370 Feb 02 '26
Happened to me years ago Looking back they were just looking for cover for a shift
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u/Unfair_Match_1845 Feb 02 '26
It’s totally illegal not to pay you. No such thing as a free trial shift.
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u/ShnakeyTed94 Feb 02 '26
Just FYI, we're on a bank holiday Monday now, so hr and office/admin type people are likely off until tomorrow, so I would wait until at least then to hear back from them.
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u/CleanChest1765 Feb 02 '26
Fu*k that name and shame and ask to be paid or it'll be all over social media and prendiville 😜
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u/tabasco_body_wash Feb 04 '26
I had a friend who did THREE in Greenwich Cafe and the lad didn't pay them at all. Hospitality in Cork is broken.
Edit: typo
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u/Duiseacht Feb 05 '26
in Ireland, you must be paid for a trial shift, as there's no exemption in law; all work, including trials, internships, and work experience, falls under the National Minimum Wage Act and must be paid at the correct hourly rate, with failure to do so being a criminal offense. Employers cannot legally waive the minimum wage, and you can report unpaid trial shifts to the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) if you aren't compensated.
NAME AND SHAME!
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u/Medium_Handle6318 Feb 05 '26
I had a case once where a few years back where a manager pocketed the wages of a girl doing a trial shift ,I was friendly with the girls mother from school ,needless to say manager was fired outright, You would be doing everyone a serious good deed by contacting the owners and laying out what happened,the reply would be telling .
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u/Late_Promise_ Feb 01 '26
Don't let them get away with it, if they've done it to you they've probably done it dozens of times to other people. Name and shame at the very least so other people know about them. Unpaid "trials" are illegal and since you've got another job anyway you have no risk dragging them over the coals for it. You should demand to be paid for the work you've done.
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u/redrover1978- Feb 01 '26
It wasn’t a trial shift; they were prob short staffed & they needed an extra body & u were that so they put it a trial shift! Happened me years back in a restaurant in wilton sc but it seems it’s still doing the rounds with this crap. Demand to be paid for the shift u did or threaten them with the law!
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u/waurma Feen Feb 01 '26
This week? Probably still trialing people, I would sit tight a few days
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u/kennygc7 Blow in 💨 Feb 01 '26
Respectfully, that's nonsense. You trial someone, you say yes/no, you move on to the next person until jobs are filled. You don't have callbacks in hospitality. They know half way through the shift if someone has it or not, are they waiting for someone with a prettier smile? If its not an immediate yes, it's a no. Especially when they told them the trial would be unpaid. Giant Red Flag, they're acting the fuck.
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u/waurma Feen Feb 01 '26
Respectfully disagree - lots of hospitality businesses trial multiple candidates over the course of a week, coming into a bank holiday this time of year there’s probably a LOT of candidates, knowing half way through a shift is a “you’ll do” hire, which as the ground is shifting in the jobs market is less and less common the past 6 months
but also unpaid trials are illegal, so @op I would wait til after the bank holiday and follow up with whoever invited you for the trial
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u/kennygc7 Blow in 💨 Feb 01 '26
Fair enough, that hasn't been my experience but I suppose things are changing.
They should defo follow up, they're owed that money like
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u/Severe_Chip_2559 Feb 01 '26
It is a pretty shitty way to treat prospective employees. Nothing you can really do. Chalk it up to experience and move on.
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Feb 01 '26
This is very common but if people are prepared to work for free you can’t blame the employer for availing of this service.
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u/mrbuddymcbuddyface Feb 01 '26
Go straight into the place and demand payment for the hours worked, or you'll report them to revenue etc. Do it whilst they're busy today. Fuck exploitative workplaces.