Unit 1Employment Basics

Unit 1 Vocabulary• Base Period• Benefits• Childcare Leave• Commission• Direct Deposit• Discount• Double-time Pay• Employment Agency• Family Health Care• Fee Paid• FICA• Form W-4• Gross Pay• Hourly Rate• Individual Health Care• Insurance

• Maximum Taxable Income• Medicare Tax• Minimum Wage• Overtime Rate• Paid Holiday Time• Paid Vacation Time• Pension• Piecework Rate• Regular Hours• Resume• Retirement Plans• Royalty• Social Security Number• Stock Ownership Plans• Unemployment Insurance• Workers Compensation

• What are the processes of looking for employment?

Essential Question 1Employment Basics

Choosing Your Career

• Job Analysis: A procedure that lists the positive and negative attributes of a given career choice.– Positive Features:

• Salary: The amount of monthly or annual gross pay.

• Benefits: Incentives added to salary such as sick pay, vacation time, profit-sharing plans, health insurance, etc.

• Opportunities for promotion

Choosing Your Career

• Job Analysis: – Negative Features:

• Employee Expenses: Costs paid by the employee that are not reimbursed by the employer.

– Uniforms or Special Clothing– Licensing Fees

• Work Characteristics:– Routine vs Changing Tasks– Indoor vs Outdoor Work– Working Alone vs Working with People– Supervisory Relationships– Company Rules and Policies

Choosing Your Career

• Job Analysis: – Other considerations that could be a positive or a

negative depending on your outlook:• Travel time to and from work

• Company’s stability

• Work hours and flexibility

• Personnel policies

• Additional training required

• Type of work

• Specific job tasks

Choosing Your Career• Sources of career information:

– Dictionary of Occupational Titles

– Monthly Labor Review

– The American Almanac of Jobs and Salaries

– The Occupational Outlook Handbook

• Sources of company information:– Standard & Poor’s Register of Corporations,

Directors and Executives, United States and Canada

– The 100 Best Companies to Work for in America

Planning Your Career

• Factors Affecting Career Choice– Aptitudes: Natural physical or mental ability

that allows you to do certain tasks well.• Finger and manual dexterity

• Spatial reasoning

• Mechanical ability

Planning Your Career• Factors Affecting Career Choice

– Interests: Things you like to do and the reason you enjoy doing them.

• Like working alone or with others or both

• Like working inside or outside or both

• Like manual work or thinking work or both• Like repetitive tasks or various tasks

or both

Planning Your Career

• Factors Affecting Career Choice– Personality: Individual qualities and traits

that make you unique.• Appearance

• Intelligence

• Creativity

• Sense of humor

• General attitude

Planning Your Career

• Sources of Job Opportunity Information– Contacts: A person you know who can help you get an

interview for a job.• Relatives• Friends• People you have worked for

– School Counseling and Placement Services– Periodicals, Books, and Other Publications– Public and Private Employment Agencies– Newspaper, Yellow Pages, and Private Job Listings

Planning Your Career• Job Search Techniques

– Keep a record of your work history:• A record of jobs you have held and how long you stayed

with each employer.

• A work history which shows you changing jobs six times in six months will make you appear immature and unstable and could hurt your chances of getting a job you might want.

Planning Your Career

• Job Search Techniques– Get Organized

• List prospective companies you might want to work for.• Research job descriptions, skills and aptitudes needed, and

other job requirements.• Make lists of personal contacts.• Prepare a current resume and letter of application.• Ask previous employers and teachers for recommendations.

Planning Your Career

• Job Search Techniques– Make a Plan

• List your goals and time frames for accomplishment.– Short-term goals (days or weeks) should be detailed and specific.– Intermediate goals (months or years) should be specific but may not be

as detailed.– Long-term goals (five years or longer) may be general.

• Each step or goal should be checked off as accomplished.• Follow Through. The most important – and the most difficult –

step to follow.

Planning Your Career

• Job Search Techniques– Check back from time to time with potential

employers after filling out a job application or an interview to show you are still interested in the job.

– Don’t Give Up– Sometimes you get your job on the first try;

sometimes it takes a lot more.– Looking for a job IS a job.

Getting the Job• Letter of Application: Introduces you to the potential

employer and gives you a chance to “sell” your qualifications.– Sent together with a resume.

– Parts of the Letter of Application• Return Address: Your address at the top of the letter.

• Letter Address: The name and address of the person or company to whom you are writing.

• Salutation: (Greeting) Addresses your letter to the particular person you want to read it.

– Use: Dear Mr., Mrs., Ms., Sir, Ma’am, or Sir or Ma’am.

– NEVER use: To whom it may concern.

Getting the Job• Letter of Application:

– Parts of the Letter of Application• Body: The main part with from one to four paragraphs in length, and

should– Attract the employer’s attention.– State your interest in the company and position.– Arouse the employer’s desire to interview you.– Request that the employer take action in the form of an interview.– AIDA – Attention, Interest, Desire, Action

• Complimentary Close: Courteously ends the letter.– Ex.: Sincerely yours, Sincerely, or Respectfully.– Your name is printed or typed several lines below the closing and your signature is

above your name.

Getting the Job• Resume: Briefly describes your work

experiences, education, abilities, interests, and other information such as awards, offices, and activities.– General Guidelines

• There are no set rules for preparing a resume.

• You should choose the style which best presents you to an employer.

• Keep your resume to one page, if possible.

• Should be attractive and easy to read with the most important information in the upper one-third.

Getting the Job• Resume:

– General Guidelines• Include all information pertinent to the job for which you are

applying.• Do not prepare a “generic” resume.• Use bond quality, standard size paper.• Proofread carefully. THERE SHOULD BE NO ERRORS!• Use a good quality laser printer and choose fonts that are

attractive and business like.• The resume not only shows information, it shows an employer

how you organize and present yourself.

Getting the Job

• Resume:– Parts of the Resume

• Personal Information: Appears first and includes your name, address, telephone number, and e-mail address.

• Career Objective: A short, assertive statement indicating your career goal.

• Education: List all secondary and postsecondary schools you have attended, starting with the most recent and working backwards.

Getting the Job

• Resume:– Parts of the Resume

• Work Experience: List all jobs, paid and unpaid, that you have held, including assisting at school functions, working as a teacher’s aide, and any part- or full-time summer or vacation jobs.

• Additional Qualifications: Additional skills and abilities that you want to bring to a potential employer’s attention.

Getting the Job

• Resume:– Parts of the Resume

• References: Persons who have known you for at least one year and can provide information about your character and achievements.

– Be sure to ask permission of the people you wish to list as references.

– If references are not listed on the resume then include the statement, “References available on request.”

– References should include the name, address, and telephone number.

Getting the Job

• Letter of Reference: A statement, in letter form, attesting to your character, abilities, and experience, written by someone who can be relied upon to give a sincere report.

• Make several copies and save the original.

Getting the Job• Employment Application: Form provided

by a potential employer to ensure pertinent information is obtained prior to an interview.– Type, if possible, or print neatly in black pen.– Be truthful.– Have all information available that might be

requested.

Application Forms Procedures

• Use a pen with dark ink that does not skip or blot.• Write legibly and small enough that information will fit

into the space provided. Be as neat as possible.• Fill in all blanks with the information requested; if the

question does not apply to you, use one of these:– N/A (meaning information not available or not applicable).– Fill in the space with a broken line (- - -) to indicate that you

saw the question but have no answer.

Application Forms Procedures

• Read the form carefully and be sure you are answering the questions properly.

• Be truthful in your responses.• Read all the small print before you sign the form.• Have with you pertinent information.• If you make a mistake, draw one line through it

and write the correct information above or below it. DO NOT make big scratch marks on the paper.

Getting the Job• Job Interview: A procedure in which you may

be questioned about statements you made on the application form or about information contained in the letter of application and resume.– Preparing for the Interview

• Practice, practice, practice, and then practice some more.

• Arrive on time.

• Dress appropriately.

• Go alone.

• Appear poised and self-confident.

Getting the Job• Job Interview:

– Reasons for NOT Being Hired• Poor personal appearance

• Over-aggressiveness

• Poor Communication Skills

• Lack of Desire/Enthusiasm

• Lack of Purpose or Goals

• Lack of Confidence

• Lack of Career Planning

• Lack of Tact and Courtesy

• Lack of Maturity

• Condemning Past Employers

• Sloppy Application Form

• No Sense of Humor

• Failure to ask Questions

• No Knowledge of the Company

Getting the Job• Job Interview:

– What To DO When Interviewing• DO stress your qualifications.

• DO recount experience that fits the opening.

• DO talk and think about the future, not the past.

• DO maintain poise and self-control.

• DO show interest and enthusiasm.

• DO show flexibility and a willingness to learn.

• DO learn about the company and its products.

Getting the Job

• Follow-up: Positive contact with the employer after the interview.– Reminds the employer of your appearance,

personality, and qualifications.– Designed to improve your chance of getting the

job.– Usually done in the form of a Thank-you letter:

Letter written to remind the interviewer of your interest in and desire to work for the company.

• What is Social Security and Medicare and how do they affect your paycheck?

Essential Question 2 Employment Basics

Keeping Your Job• Form W-4: Employee’s Withholding Allowance

Certificate: Determines the amount of money your employer will deduct from your paycheck for income taxes.– Allowance: Persons claimed that reduce the amount of

tax withheld from your paycheck.• The more allowances you can claim, the less tax you will have

withheld.• You may automatically claim yourself; other allowances may be

claimed for spouse or children.• You do not have to claim your full allowance however, you

CANNOT claim more than your authorized allowances.

Taxes

Form W-4

Keeping Your Job• Social Security Number: Your federal

permanent work identification number.– Required before a person turns age one.– Required for assessment of Social Security and

Medicare taxes.– Required for eligibility of funds received from

federal programs.

Keeping Your Job

• Employment Laws– Federal Insurance Contributions Act of 1935

(FICA)• Established Social Security.• Amended in 1965 to provide Medicare.• Every state must provide Unemployment Insurance.

– Involuntarily left job.– Actively seeking a new job.

Keeping Your Job

• Employment Laws– Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938

• Established minimum wage at .25/hour.• Maximum work week for hourly employees is 40 hours.• Established Worker’s Compensation.

– Civil Rights Act of 1964• Commonly referred to as Title VII.• Established the Equal Employment Opportunity

Commission (EEOC).• Established laws against sexual harassment.

Keeping Your Job• FICA: Federal Insurance Contributions Act

of 1935; also known as Social Security.– Money contributed to Social Security provides

the following benefits:• Retirement income.• Income for disabled persons who can no longer work.• Survivor’s benefits for the dependents of a worker

who dies.• Medical costs for persons covered by Medicare.

Keeping Your Job

• FICA– You are required to contribute 7.65% of your

pay to social security.– Your employer is required to match your

contributions.– If you own your own business, you are

considered both the employee and employer and must contribute both shares or 15.3% of your pay to Social Security.

Keeping Your Job

• Example:– You earned $300 last month. How much was

withheld for Social Security?• x = (0.0765)($300)

• x = $22.95

Keeping Your Job

• Examples:– Your friend Alicia earned $475 last month.

How much was withheld for Social Security? How much was left over after paying Social Security?

– You own your own craft and hobby store and made $1565 in income last month. How much do you have to contribute to Social Security.

• How is piecework and commission calculated?

Essential Question 3 Employment Basics

Piecework and Commission

• Incentive pay: A payment or benefit given to encourage employees to do more and better quality work.

• Piecework Rate: Pay based on the number of items produced or jobs completed .

• Commission: An amount of money paid for selling a product or a service.

Piecework and Commission

• Examples:– Suppose you are paid $4.67 for each garment

you complete while working in a clothing factory. If you complete an average of 2 garments per h, what is your average pay for a 40 h work week?

• (2)(40) = 80 garments produced per wk

• (80)($4.67) = $373.60

Piecework and Commission• Examples:

– Alex works part time at home typing papers for others on his word processor. Alex charges $1.75 per page and averages 9 pages per h. Alex needs to earn $250 per wk. About how many hours must he work each week? About how many pages will he need to type each week?

– Bonnie is a telemarketing caller and makes 18¢ per answered call. She made $172.44 last week. How many calls did she make?

Piecework and Commission

• Examples:– As a magazine salesman John makes a

commission of $8.25 per subscription sold. If John sells 60 subscriptions, how much money will he make?

• (60)($8.25) = $495.00

Piecework and Commission

• Examples:– Susannah is in automobile sales. She has a

monthly salary of $1200 and earns a commission of 2.8% on her auto sales. If she had sales of $93,250, what was her gross pay for the month?

– Jim is an appliance salesman and earns a commission of 5¼% on each sale. Jim sold a washer and dryer set totaling $945. What was his commission on the sale?

• How do you calculate your wages?

Essential Question 4 Employment Basics

Employee Pay• Gross Pay: The total or agreed-upon rate of pay

before any deductions are made.

• Hourly Rate: Amount of money you earn for every hour you work.

• Salary: Amount of money you earn on a monthly or yearly basis regardless of hours worked.

• Overtime Rate: Pay received for any hour worked above 40 h per wk. Overtime pay is 1½ times your regular hourly wage. Salaried workers do not earn overtime pay.

Employee Pay

• Example:– You work as a mechanic in a garage and earn

$8.40 per h. What is your regular weekly pay if you work 37½ h each week?

• pay = (37.5)($8.40)

• pay = $315

Employee Pay

• Example:– You work as a mechanic in a garage and earn

$8.40 per h. During a very busy week, you are asked to work 44 hours. What was your total pay for that week?

• regular pay = (40)($8.40) = $336.00

• overtime pay = (4)($8.40)(1.5) = $50.40

• gross pay = $336.00 + $50.40 = $386.40

• Examples:– Jason has contracted to work for a monthly salary

of $2,400 plus $25 per hour for overtime. If he worked 56 hours last week, what was pay?

• regular pay = $2,400 × 12 = $28,800 ÷ 52 = $553.85

• overtime pay = 16 × $25 = $400

• gross pay = $553.84 + $400 = $953.85

Employee Pay

• Examples:– Kaylan earned $342 in a 40 hour week. What

is her hourly wage?• pay = $342 ÷ 40

• pay = $8.55

Employee Pay

• Examples:– Angela has an annual salary of $36,000.

Calculate her monthly pay.• pay = $36,000 ÷ 12

• pay = $3000

Employee Pay

Employee Pay• Time sheet: Anything used to keep track of

the hours you work. Can be a punch card, log book, sheet of paper, etc.

• Deductions: Amounts subtracted from your gross pay. Examples include federal and state withholding taxes, social security, retirement, insurance, and other voluntary deductions.

• Net pay: The amount left after all deductions are taken out of the gross pay. Also known as “take home pay.”

Employee Pay

• Examples:– If your gross pay was $345.00 and your net pay

was $213.98, how much were your deductions?• $345.00 $213.98 = $131.02

– How much will be deducted from your pay over the course of a year (52 weekly paychecks) for Federal Withholding Tax ($54.40 per wk) and Social Security Tax ($28.76 per wk).

• ($54.40)(52) = $2,828.80

• ($28.76)(52) = $1,495.52

Withholdings and Deductions

• Examples (Refer to tax tables):– Jasmine is single, claims 0 allowances, and

made $360 this week. What is her Federal and State Withholding Tax.

• Federal: $47

• State: $24

Withholdings and Deductions

• Examples (Refer to tax tables):– Rusty is married, claims 3 allowances, and

made $549.83 this week. What is his Federal and State Withholding Tax?

• Federal: $53

• State: $30

Withholdings and Deductions

• Examples (Refer to tax tables):– Marie’s monthly salary is $1,636 and she

claims single 1 allowance. What is her Federal and State Withholding Tax?

• Federal: $133

• State: $102