Not programming, but in the same vein, A Trek Bicycle store manager asked me in an interview if I would be willing to work a trial shift the next day building bicycles. Unpaid, of course. Just to see if I was a good fit.

Of course, since I was used to building 50 a day, I would have gotten all of them done in a single shift whereas they were needing to call in stores from surrounding areas to come help in a few days.

I laughed and said if they needed help tomorrow I would be happy to work for my usual fee of $20/bike.

Oddly, I did not get the job

[–] SatouKazuma@programming.dev 16 points 1 day ago (2 children)

Was this in the US? How the fuck is that legal?

[–] chuckleslord@lemmy.world 28 points 1 day ago

The largest category of us theft is wage theft. So, ya know, gonna guess it's not legal

[–] SARGE@startrek.website 14 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)

It was.

In Ohio? I'm almost positive it isn't legal. It's definitely illegal in states like California. But they're banking on nobody recording their interview audio (which I will now be doing as Ohio is single-party state) and nobody complaining if asked.

I doubt it's a company policy, but I did send an email to their company offices to complain about it, for all the good it will do.

[–] SatouKazuma@programming.dev 3 points 1 day ago

Sorry that happened :(

Hopefully your next role or whatever you're aiming for isn't so shit.

[–] ulterno@programming.dev 2 points 1 day ago

The manager will get his salary by saying - They are looking for staff.
But won't get anything extra if he needs to pay to get work done.
He will get more, if he can manage unpaid labour.

[–] roofuskit@lemmy.world 17 points 1 day ago

Notice the "cook" in username. Unpaid labor is a common practice in the restaurant industry. They call it a "stag". It's supposed to be an unpaid working interview, but restaurants will schedule stages with people even when they aren't hiring.