B&Q rebuked for job ad asking staff to work for free

National retailer B&Q has been forced to remove a job advert asking candidates to work three days unpaid and pay-up-front for their own drugs tests.

The job listing appeared in Swindon, offering up the role of order-pickers for £7.50 and £8 an hour, dependant on the time of the day.

The listing read: “Each candidate will undergo three-day induction programme which will be unpaid.” It then went on to explain that every applicant would have to pay an additional £15 to make a mandatory narcotics test – the money will only be refunded if the hopeful candidates pass the test.

The Guardian brought the advert to the attention of the recruitment team at B&Q, who promptly removed it - claiming that it went against their hiring standards. B&Q highlighted the fact that distribution centre Wincanton is used by them as an employment agency to recruit staff, according to The Guardian.