Volvie, we’re talking DAY camps here. They do not provide food. They do not provide board. They usually do not provide transportation. I think the problem is not being told how much you’re going to be paid. If $400 a month is agreed upon, then what can you do besides negotiate for more (which no 14 year old would do.) You do realize that $400 a month works out to be something like $3.50 an hour. When we babysit, we get $6-10, and the kids are often sleeping!!
Real life example: I was asked to be a counselor in a day camp, but never gave a reply. I happened to be at the camp on the first day for an errand, where I was given the message “Where are you? Everyone is looking for you! You made a promise you’d work here and now they’re short on staff because you didn’t show up!!” I never made a commitment, I never signed a contract, I was never told how much I’d be paid. I told them this, so they begged me to just stay for the week until they could find a replacement. I very very apprehensively agreed. I was given the title ‘gofer’ which ended up meaning being a fill-in counselor for three days of the week, being a baking counselor for one day of the week (which is literally back braking work) and running errands the last day of the week. Thank g-d the week actually ended. I had to be there at 9am, having finished davening, and I had to deal with obnoxious and bored kids until 4pm. Then I had to help clean up.
After pestering them for my paycheck for three weeks, they made me come in to get it, and wait an hour until they could see me. I got a check for $50. A counselor makes $100 a week, and a gofer who serves as counselor for 4/5 o the time gets $50. 33 hours work, $50. $1.50 an hour.
If you ever run a camp and hire girls, please please please tell them how much you are planning on paying them. Then when you find no one wants to work for you, think about increasing wages.