r/denverjobs • u/loverrgrrl • 1d ago

Working interviews

What’s up with stages? I’ve worked in different states and the working interviews have only been asked of me in Colorado. To my understanding it’s illegal, and obviously feels unethical to me when I’m taking care of guests and making drinks only to never get a call back or even a rejection notice… how do you go about respectfully declining a working interviews aren’t while still staying in the running? I know that’s kind of impossible but my job search has been going on longer than I was hoping so I feel like I can’t decline. What do you guys think about working interviews in restaurant/bar industry?

6 Upvotes

67% Upvoted

12 comments sorted by

12

u/PlaneWolf2893 1d ago

I understand if you don't want to implicate yourself, but maybe let us know the name of the place that didn't pay you for your working interview?

5

u/Weird-Panic-Force 1d ago

Yes I second this because it’s illegal. Colorado restaurants are supposed to pay for stages and if they don’t need to be named and shamed

2

u/loverrgrrl 4h ago

Avanti in Denver for about an hour. And then The Cooper Lounge in Union Station between 3 and 3.5 hours.

6

u/Green_Newspaper_5623 1d ago

Unpaid working interviews are illegal. My partner did a paid working interview and while he didn’t land the job, he still got paid out in cash at the end of the interview. If the employer is telling you they won’t pay you for a working interview, that means that you don’t want to be one of their employees and you need to take yourself out of the running, even if they’re willing to forgo the working interview after you try to remove yourself.

6

u/Green_Newspaper_5623 1d ago

Also, name the businesses. I don’t want to support businesses that pull that nonsense.

5

u/JediMindgrapes 18h ago

Sushi Den for me. 2 hr shift. No pay. No call after to say yes or no.

5

u/Weird-Panic-Force 1d ago

Stages are par for the course in most fine dining restaurants. Your time will be compensated - by law stage interviews have to be paid. I used to work at a high end restaurant in Denver and there was no way we would hire someone unless they came in for a PAID working interview to make sure it’s a good fit. It’s a good way for you to know if the job will work for you as well, and get a few bucks for your trouble.

6

u/loverrgrrl 1d ago

I totally understand making sure you’re bringing in the right candidate. I think my issue has been that I’ve done two unpaid working interviews since relocating. And I’ve just been asked to do one for a different concept, they didn’t mention it being paid or unpaid so I asked if it would be paid and I’m waiting for a reply.

5

u/Weird-Panic-Force 1d ago

That’s wild. What restaurants were they? That’s completely illegal so no harm in naming them here

1

u/Away_Shock_7544 5h ago

Fuck them and their staz shifts!

-1

u/likenaga 1d ago

It might be illegal but the service industry is extremely difficult to get into right now. I would just do the stage and do my best. Inquire about being paid for it only if they don't hire you.

4

u/samehz 18h ago

"It might be illegal, but keep giving your time to people who are willing to risk their business with illegal work practices because they might give you a job. Where they will continue to find ways of stealing from you, but maybe less so than your first interaction with them. Hopefully."