SUMMER JOBS: THE DREAM TURNS TO NIGHTMARE | M6 | Enquête Exclusive

Every year nearly a million of them sacrifice their vacation to put a little butter on their bread. Waiters, ‘scrunchie’ vendors, campsite activity leaders. Summer jobs are the opportunity to discover the world of work and its constraints. Low wages, long hours. Not to forget that, sometimes, certain employers don’t observe the law. At Saint-Malo, a major operation is being planned. Employment inspectors are intent on ensuring that employee rights are respected. In their sights are the lack of rest days, illegal hours and working on the black. It has to be said that young people are easy prey for unscrupulous employers. In Nice, the boss of a temping agency specializing in the catering trade heaps abuse on abuse. He’s even incorporated them into his business model. Young employees chase after their wages in vain, cheated. The investigation by reporters exposes a cleverly developed scheme of which students were the main victims. For some years,  the digital revolution has been offering other, ultra-flexible recruitment systems. In return for a commission, applications offer to put students and businesses in contact. With one click, the student accepts or refuses the job that is offered, which may be for several hours or for several days. He is paid more than the minimum. But he is required to declare himself as self-employed. Which does not provide the same rights for unemployment… nor for retirement.

And yet the dream job does exist! Marie is living it this summer.  This bubbly young student, a spare-time Youtuber, has landed the coolest job of the summer: for a globetrotters app, she will travel the islands of the Indian Ocean, filming herself testing the most enjoyable activities and posting her footage and photos on line. Some people would pay a small fortune to spend a summer like that, but Marie will be paid. Dream job, insecure work and exploitation of seasonal staff… we dive into the dynamic, but not always beautiful world of summer jobs.