Term 4 - Book 1 - My first job

Term 4 - Book 1 - My first job

by Tracy Priest

​Workbook Introduction

​When a young person gets a job, they often get a sense of financial freedom - a feeling that they have lots of money to spend. However, this is the time when careful planning can put them in good stead to work towards their short and long term financial goals.

​There are a number of expenses including in having a job, such as transport to get to work, petrol for the car, lunches, uniforms and other items.

​Therefore, it's a good idea to learn how to do a personal budget so that you can manage your money. By adding up all of your financial commitments and comparing that with your income, you can work out how much you have left to spend on entertainment and purchases.

​It's also a good idea to think about saving some of your money to help you pay for the things you want in the long term.

​Activity 1.1

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​Activity 1.1 - Nick has problems managing his money

​Nick’s Story:

Nick ended up quitting his pizza job and now he has a job working in retail in the middle of town. He buys his lunch from the café next door every day and he drives his car to work – so paying for petrol and parking is getting to be expensive. He also loves going out with his workmates after work for dinner.

Nick gets discounts on buying things from the shop he works in, so he’s been buying lots of stuff that he doesn’t really need. He thinks he should get the stuff while his job lasts because he’s saving money, right?

Nick wants to save up for a car. Even though the pay is better in his new job, he’s finding he has no money left by the end of each pay period.

​Questions

​1. Why is Nick not saving any money when his earnings have increased?

​2. What other expenses could be involved in having a job?

​3. What suggestions do you have for Nick on how he can start saving money to buy a car?

​4. What is a budget?

​Knowing your job rights and responsibilities

​When a person starts a job, they have a right to certain pay, allowances and entitlements that are governed by an award, enterprise agreement or written contract of employment. Allowances and entitlements are extra payments people receive for things such as having a certain skill or working in hazardous conditions.

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You need to know your responsibilities in the workplace and ensure you always behave appropriately. In return, your employer must provide you with a safe workplace.

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People need to know whether they’re being hired as full-time employee, a part-time employee, a casual employee or an independent contractor. Each has different rights and responsibilities. If people are not sure of their employment type, they should ask their boss.

​Knowing your job rights and responsibilities

​If a person wants to find out what the minimum pay and conditions are for their job, or if they are having problems at work, they can:

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• Visit the Fair Work Ombudsman’s website and search for ‘finding the right pay’.

• Call the Fair Work Ombudsman

• Read the Young Workers eToolkit (safework.nsw.gov.au/resource-library/young-workers-toolkit)

​Activity 1.2 - Nick checks up on his workplace rights

​Nick got a new job with full-time hours. But his first fortnightly payslip seems wrong - the hours are listed correctly but the pay is about half of what Nick expected. He asked his boss about it and his boss said that he told Nick his first week was a 'trial period' and there's no pay for working in the trial period.

​Nick's not sure whether it's OK for the employer to make his first week a trial period.

​He's also wondering whether the hourly rate is fair. A friend of his does a similar job at a different company but gets paid a lot more.

​Questions

​1. Can you think of any of Nick's workplace rights that his employer might not be respecting?

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​2. Where can Nick go for help to find out what his workplace rights are and how can he protect them?

​Activity 1.3 - What's on Nick's payslip?

​1. What is this document?

2. What period of time does it cover?

3. How much tax is taken out of Nick's pay each fortnight?

​4. How much money does Nick get every fortnight after tax and other deductions are taken out (this is sometimes called 'take-home pay')?

​5. How much is Nick paid per hour?

​6. Which employee does an employer have to give a payslip to?

​7. When does the employer have to give a payslip to the employee?

​Questions

​8. Does the payslip have to be on paper?

​9. Where does the tax you pay go to?

​10. Who gets the superannuation money?

​11. How much superannuation is paid each fortnight by Nick's employer into his superannuation fund?

​12. How many hours did Nick work that fortnight?

​13. If you don't understand something on your payslip. who is the best person to ask about it?

​Activity 1.4 - Match the tax words to their meanings

​Net Pay: The pay you receive after you have had things taken out such as tax.

​Tax Free threshold: The amount you can earn in one year without having to pay tax for that year.

​Tax File Number: A number given to you by the Australian Tax Office. You give this number to your employer so they can take out the right amount of tax from your pay.

​Gross Pay: The pay you receive before you have things like tax taken out.

​Activity 1.5 - Superannuation

​1. What is superannuation?

2. ​What is a superannuation fund?

​3. What must employers do with superannuation for full-time workers?

​4. What happens with superannuation if you are a casual worker?

​5. True or false: Superannuation is something only old people have to think about?

​6. True or false: If you are a sub-contractor, you have to pay your own superannuation?

​Activity 1.6 - Summing it all up

​1. What are the main differences between a casual and a part-time job?

​2. What are the two basic rights of all employees regardless of whether they are casual or part-time workers?

​3. Have you ever been offered an employment contract? If yes, can you describe it?

​4. What is superannuation and who pays it?

​5. Did you receive any appropriate industry training before starting your current first job? If yes, what was it?

6. ​What does WHS mean?

​7. Why is WHS important to any job?

​Activity 1.6 - Summing it all up

​8. Why is tax deducted from our pay?

​9. Name three organisations you could seek advice from to check if you are receiving the correct pay and conditions in your job.

​10. What do you spend your weekly/fortnightly pay on?

​11. Do you try to save or budget your pay to achieve a long-term financial goal, for example a computer, a car or a holiday?

​12. What key questions will you ask an employer when you apply for your next (or first) casual or part-time job?

​13. Explain why it is important to read your payslip.

​Activity 1.6 - Summing it all up

​For the next 12 questions use the given website to define the following and answer the questions:

​14. Date of payment

15. ​Pay period

​​16. Rate

​17. Entitlements

​18. Deductions

​19. Gross

​20. Net Pay

​21. Superannuation

​22. Leave Balance

​Activity 1.6 - Summing it all up

​23. Besides paying superannuation, what other things do employers have to do by law?

​24. What are some of YOUR responsibilities as an employee?

​25. What happens to all the tax taken out of your pay?