Teenage hairdresser sacked for being too quiet

Oct 12 2012 by Lalita Augustine, Paisley Daily Express

A fuming teenager claims her bid to carve out a career as a hairdresser was given the chop when she was fired by her boss...for being TOO QUIET.

Lauren Smart, 17, was thrilled when she was offered a job at JR’S Hairdressing.

She even abandoned her hairdressing course at college so she could take up the post.

But Lauren was left stunned when, just weeks later, salon owner Eleanor Baldrey decided her services were no longer required.

And the fed-up Johnstone girl claims she was sacked because she wasn’t ‘chatty’ enough.

Lauren told the Paisley Daily Express: “I was shocked when she sacked me because there had been no hint that was coming.

“When I asked her if I had done anything wrong, she wouldn’t give me a reason but she later told my dad it was because I was too quiet.

“It was totally out of the blue. I thought everything had been going well.”

Lauren’s dad, Richard, said he is disgusted by the way his daughter has been treated.

He added: “She was upset when she came home, so I phoned the salon and asked why they had told her to go.

“They just said she was too quiet.

“I said ‘you can’t sack people for that. There are procedures to follow.’”

Budding stylist Lauren, who earned £100 a week, also claims she was paid cash in hand, wasn’t given a contract of employment and didn’t receive any formal training at the salon, which is in Bridge of Weir.

Luckily, she has now been accepted back on her college course and still hopes to go on to have a successful career in hairdressing.

Lauren said: “I would love to open my own salon one day.”

When contacted by the Express, Ms Baldrey confirmed that Lauren had been paid cash in hand for her first month but she stressed that the teenager would have been given a contract “within the statutory eight-week period” had she remained at JR’S salon.

She added: “Lauren did receive training. I am a qualified assessor and I vigorously train all my staff.

“She was unsuitable for the position and I said that to her father.

“I may have said other things as well in that conversation.”

Bosses at the Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) have said help is available for young employees such as Lauren.

Kay Taylor, manager of Renfrewshire CAB, added: “Young people are finding it so hard to get work and it is so important that they are aware of their rights.

“Anyone who has suffered problems such as this and needs help can get free, impartial and confidential advice from the CAB.”