Company charging for training and no work after

My friend was offered a position as on call beauty therapist/accupunturist/massage therapist with an hotel chain. She was told there would be about 10/20 hrs per week work.

They told her at the infterview that she would have to do their corporate training for which the cost was e400, but that she would get this back when she had worked 160 hrs with them.

However, at one of the training days, they said that not only would she have to pay for training upfront, but also that she would have to pay for the room in their spa to rent. This was never mentioned to her or the other trainees/beauty therapists at the interview.

Than, after the first day of training, the manager for my friend's local hotel fo that chain, said that they would rarely have much call for her in that area as the spa had become a lot quieter recently, and a lot of the local girls/beauty therapists still had full-time positions ther.

My friend felt really duped! Is this kind of stuff normalish?

Then my friend asked for her money back, stating her reasons. She emailed and wrote but nobody from the hotel chain contacted her back.

Anyone any comments or advice to make on this?

Did she finish the training course ? I would think she could have a cooling off period. Problem is it will take time to get the money back. I would bombard them with letters and use any legal language she can in order to make her such a nuisance as to force them to pay her back just to get her off their back. Use all quotes she can and selectively use the terms and conditions to back her case. Don't forget to tell them she will ba calling Joe Duffy as well. Hope she's from Clontaaarf ....

Company paid money for training

Hi! Elacto, very funny! She's not from Clontaarf! A country bumpkin! Living and working in the South.

She finished part of the training. She's already asked them politely for her money back, but no luck yet. I think she probably does need to start bombarding them now.

There are about 20 others who did the training too, and I think there are 7/8 of them banding together to get a solicitor's letter out.

The training she did was corporate and not even accredited - I wonder have any other companies started this lark in the recession.

Thanks.

The 7/8 that bandierd together should do as I suggested as well. There's strength in numbers. Maybe even picket the hotel on her own. I'm sure the manager would not want the guests being met by her and she explaining the story. I presume she is specific to that area and the others are in different places around the country.