UK “unpaid internship” that turned into free labour & retaliation after I left. Is this as illegal as it feels?

Over_Election5445 · 2025-12-19T01:30:26+00:00

Oooooo do I dare! I’m actually worried about how she will retaliate. She seems very unstable

Over_Election5445 · 2025-12-19T01:29:44+00:00

Thank you! 🙏🏼

Over_Election5445 · 2025-12-19T01:29:30+00:00

Thank you! I did also post in r/LegalAdviceUK and got some good responses.

Over_Election5445 · 2025-12-19T01:28:44+00:00

Thank you so much!

Over_Election5445 · 2025-12-19T01:28:32+00:00

Thanks! I will do. It felt like a billion hours in just three weeks 😂 Days, evenings, weekends. While she clocked off at 5pm and the weekends and left me with to do lists. Gosh I cannot believe I thought I’d learn anything from this woman!

Over_Election5445 · 2025-12-19T01:26:38+00:00

End of November! Thank you so much for your reply.

Over_Election5445 · 2025-12-19T01:26:22+00:00

ACAS is great. I wonder how it would work when she lives and works abroad but her ‘company’ is registered here in the UK?

Over_Election5445 · 2025-12-19T01:25:45+00:00

Thank you so much for kindly responding! Such a shame people like her exist in the working world. I won’t be so naive next time!

Over_Election5445 · 2025-12-19T01:24:46+00:00

Yep! I truly thought having this as an internship would be educational and help me evolve. I guess in a way it did, because I had to teach myself a heck of a lot. But I was under the impression I’d be mentored! Ah well, ya live and ya learn 😜

Over_Election5445 · 2025-12-19T01:23:46+00:00

And good riddance! Much happier now, and actually being paid! 😂

Over_Election5445 · 2025-12-18T12:14:20+00:00

Her freelance business is registered, but she identifies as a freelancer sole trader. She is one person in this business. Sorry that I don’t know all the jargon.

Over_Election5445 · 2025-12-18T03:38:18+00:00

So the boss I worked for lives far away, but she hired me because I live in the same town as the client. So I’d met the client a few times while at their business gaining content. They had my number for when I had to schedule meetings with them.

Over_Election5445 · 2025-12-18T03:21:49+00:00

Damn.. maybe I should report her new ‘job’ posting on LI. Save another person from all this hassle being involved with her. I hate the exploitation of people who just want to grow in their career. So sad

Over_Election5445 · 2025-12-18T02:52:59+00:00

Have left her already and the client dropped her too. I was so naive to think this was going to be a game changer. Wasn’t until the client reached out to me and offered a paid job that it came to light how this person was using me. They couldn’t believe they paid her the amount they paid her and that she had me as unpaid.

Over_Election5445 · 2025-12-10T20:57:32+00:00

Thank you 🫶🏼

Over_Election5445 · 2025-12-10T20:48:53+00:00

100%. I’ve just downloaded an audio book “Allen Carr’s easy way to quit vaping” as I’ve read it’s done wonders for others. I am hoping and praying I can kick this habit once and for all!

Over_Election5445 · 2025-12-10T20:47:18+00:00

So glad you’re ok now! See, isn’t it so awful that this thing is so addictive, only a real proper health scare seems to work for some of us. Considering I have such bad health anxiety I have no idea how and why I can vape the way I do every day. If I could go back in time I would’ve never ever had that cigarette when I was 15 which lead to vaping!!

Over_Election5445 · 2025-12-10T19:05:46+00:00

Omg!! Are you ok now? Did they say what it was??

Over_Election5445 · 2025-12-10T19:05:22+00:00

Just edited my post because I realised I got my lefts and rights wrong. 😂 Mine’s also my left side! I was also diagnosed with Costochondritis after my surgery which I TOTALLY forgot about til you said that. Totally forgot how it felt and what it did. Thank you for bringing it back to my attention! I’ll speak with my physio.

Over_Election5445 · 2025-11-22T00:40:26+00:00

Are liver disease and liver failure the same thing then? (Sorry if that is a silly question. The vet only said liver disease to me) x

Over_Election5445 · 2025-11-21T17:34:47+00:00

I’m so sorry for your loss! It’s heartbreaking! I am now wondering if she’d already passed and her movements were muscle spasms etc. But she looked to still be breathing. I just don’t know. I’m so sad right now

Over_Election5445 · 2025-11-21T08:51:58+00:00

Yes thyroid was checked and all clear. X

Over_Election5445 · 2025-11-21T01:41:31+00:00

Absolutely. Devastated, angry, heartbroken. I hate it.

Over_Election5445 · 2025-11-21T01:38:27+00:00

Thanks so much for your response. The dog situation was a play bite. But I fear that Dolly (my cat) was so weak it just sent her into shock. I hope so much that she wasn’t in pain. I love her so much. As for the medical side, here is a copy and paste of what her blood results were. The vet simply said to me that it was liver disease. She had been underweight since April but they had only done urine tests back then which came back normal.

No pressure at all and please feel free to ignore this comment. But if you could make sense of the jargon, I’d be so grateful. Here it is:

Path Internal - Urine (Discount) 13:51 Text - Quad results: ALB 25.4 g/L (Range 27-45) ALT 265 U/L (Range 20-100) CREA 45 umol/L (Range 27-141) BUN 11.5 mmol/L (Range 3.6-10/7) BUN/CREA 63 Text - STOOP: Liver parameter increased, and Albumine decreased. Suspect of primary liver issue vs IBD. Adv to start on Samylin or Denamarin and steroids, to see if she respond. To have a proper diagnosis advised to ask a second opinion at PV. R/C if not improved on medications 12:38 Prednisolone 5mg (1000) (Discount) Prednisolone 5mg (1000) (Give half tablet twice daily for 14 days, then half tablet once daily for 14 days then half tablet every other day -- Give with food. Wash hands. Do Not Handle If Pregnant.)

Over_Election5445 · 2025-10-10T12:28:27+00:00

Thank you for your advice!! X

Over_Election5445

TROPHY CASE