Restaurant: The whole thing was a misunderstanding

Owner of restaurant Bindia explains to the University Post that they always pay staff for trial-periods

by Elisabeth Ginsberg

The case of Canadian student Lawrence Chun-Yu Lai working for free at the restaurant Bindia is based on »sheer misunderstanding and lack of communication.«

This is according to restaurant owner, Amer Suleman, who contacted us after the University Post talked to his deputy, Ugne Pranskute.

Read the Canadian student's story here: Students slave away for free at restaurants

Choice of money or gift card

»I had no idea that Ugne had called Lawrence to dismiss him. She is in no capacity to hire, evaluate, decide, or fire anyone. Lawrence should have contacted me when he was notified. I had no intention of terminating his employment,« he says to the University Post.

According to Amer, everyone who has gone through the training period without getting a job is compensated with the form of payment they wish: money or a gift card.

He explains that there is only one other incident where a girl wasn't compensated for her training period, but that was because the restaurant did not have her bank account information and was unable to get a hold of her.

Long hours of hard work

Canadian student Lawrence had undergone an indeterminate trial period that included observation of other waiters working, but also, from the second day, waitering, with one day until midnight.

Lawrence was to continue the training period until he »was ready,« as Ugne, the deputy manager of the restaurant, told him at the time.

He was subsequently let go after a week with no salary offered.

Offered compensation

Lawrence says to the University Post that he was offered to call the restaurant owner Amer, but that Ugne made him understand that he would get the same message from Amer.

Now Amer apologises for the misunderstanding.

»Lawrence has been offered the position he was originally promised,« says Amer. »No matter what, he will be compensated for the hours he worked during the training period.«

ginsberg@adm.ku.dk

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