1
Q
Key reasons people work:
A
- To earn money: Most people work to survive financially by selling their labour (becoming employees).
- To improve living standards: Income lets people satisfy needs and wants, like buying clothes or going out.
- To gain status and prestige: Society places different values on jobs.
2
Q
Who is in the workplace?
A
- Employees
- Contractors
- Employers
- Trade unions
- Employer Associations
- Governments
3
Q
Employees
A
- People who work for an employer in return for pay.
- Types of employment: Full-time, part-time, casual, seasonal, and contract.
- Trend: Approx 31% of the workforce are casual or contract workers — more flexibility but fewer rights (e.g., no paid leave).
- All employees (from burger flippers to CEOs) are part of the workforce.
4
Q
Contractors
A
- Not employees, but hired for specific tasks or time periods (e.g., maternity leave cover or special projects).
- Usually don’t get employee entitlements (e.g., paid leave).
- Example: Target hiring a visual merchandiser for Christmas window displays.
5
Q
Employers
A
- Hire employees
- Responsible for providing: Safe workplace, Proper pay, Superannuation contributions, Breaks and training
- Fair Work Commission (FWC): Sets minimum wage, approves agreements, deals with unfair dismissal.
6
Q
Trade unions
A
- Organisations of workers fighting for: Better pay, Safer conditions, Job security, Fair treatment (e.g., against unfair dismissal)
- Use industrial action (e.g. strikes, work bans) to pressure employers/government.
- Not compulsory to join, but encouraged.
7
Q
Employer associations
A
- Help employers (especially small businesses) with: Negotiating with unions, Advice on tax, industrial relations, and legal issues, Lobbying the government
Examples:
- Australian Industry Group (AIG)
- Australian Retailers Association (ARA)
8
Q
Governments
A
-Federal, State, Local)
Set and enforce employment standards:
- Minimum wage
- Leave entitlements
- Superannuation
9
Q
Paid work
A
Doing tasks for 1+ hours a week in return for income.
10
Q
Unpaid work
A
Includes household chores, volunteering, family duties, and schoolwork — not considered employment.
11
Q
Full time
A
38+ hrs/week, ongoing, all entitlements (leave, super), more job security.
12
Q
Part time
A
Fewer than 38 hrs/week, entitlements on pro-rata basis, job security.
13
Q
Casual
A
Irregular hours, no entitlements, but gets casual loading. Less job security.
14
Q
Self employed
A
Works for themselves, flexible, responsible for their own entitlements, risky.
15
Q
Work from home
A
Flexible, good work–life balance, but requires self-motivation.
16
Q
Traineeship
A
Combines work and study, leads to a qualification, paid while training.
17
Q
Apprenticeship
A
Learn trade on the job + go to TAFE, lower pay but costs covered, leads to career.
18
Q
Labour force
A
People aged 15+ who are employed or actively seeking work.
19
Q
To be employed, you must:
A
- Be 15+
- Have worked at least 1 hour per week
- Receive some form of payment
20
Q
Voluntary Work
A
- Volunteers: Work for no pay, but make valuable contributions (e.g. SES, surf lifesavers).
- Motivation: Helping others, being active, giving back to the community.
- Even without pay, volunteer work is still important and meaningful.
21
Q
different forms of income
A
- Wages
- Salaries
- Commission
- Profit
- Dividends
22
Q
Wages
A
Paid by the hour or week — common for casual, part-time, and full-time.
23
Q
Salaries
A
Annual fixed payment (includes base pay + leave + super).
24
Q
Commission
A
A payment based on a percentage of sales — common in retail and sales jobs.
25
Profit
Income from running your own business (Revenue − Expenses).
26
Dividends
Money a company gives you as a reward for owning a small part (called a share) of that company.
27
An industry
a group of businesses doing similar work
28
An occupation
the job someone does to earn a living
29
Primary Industry
- Use natural resources
- **Examples**: Farming, mining, fishing
30
Secondary Industry
- Turn raw materials into products
- **Examples**: Factories, manufacturing steel
31
Tertiary Industry
- Provides service to others
- **Examples**: Retailers, dentists, lawyers
32
Quaternary Industry
- Process information and knowledge
- **Examples**: IT workers, teachers, librarians
33
Quinary Industry
- Domestic and personal services (paid/unpaid)
- **Examples**: Childcare, cleaners, hospitality
34
Income Tax
Deducted from wages via PAYG system
35
Company Tax
Tax on business profits
36
Excise Duty
Tax on goods like alcohol, petrol, cigarettes
37
Customs Duty
Tax on some imported goods
38
Capital Gains Tax
Tax on profit made from selling property or shares
39
GST (10%)
- On most goods/services (except fresh food, medical, ed.)
- GST is added at each stage of production, but the consumer pays it at final purchase.
40
How Tax is Paid
- TFN Declaration
- Must complete when starting a new job
- Used by ATO to calculate correct PAYG tax
41
Income Tax Return
- Done at end of financial year (July 1 – June 30)
- Must self-assess income, claim deductions
- You may get a refund if too much was deducted
42
Important Records to Keep for Tax Return:
- Payslips
- Job-related expense receipts (e.g. clothing, tools, equipment)
- Donation receipts
- Logbook for work-related car use
43
Paid Parental Leave
- Introduced in 2011
- Funded by the government
- 18 weeks paid leave for the primary carer within the first year
- Since 2012: Dads and partners also get 2 weeks paid leave
44
What is Superannuation?
- A compulsory savings scheme for retirement
- Employer contributes a percentage of your wage (was 9.5%, now 12% in 2025)
- Goes into a super fund, which is invested to grow over time
45
when can superannuation be accessed
- Normally can’t access until at least 60
- Super is meant to replace or support the aged pension
46
advantages of superannuation
- Forced savings system
- Grows over time through investment
- Keeps your lifestyle stable after retirement
- Super follows you between jobs
- You can choose how it’s invested
47
disadvantages of superannuation
- Can’t access until 60+
- Investments can lose value
- No government guarantee
- Fees are charged
- Some lump sum withdrawals are taxed
48
Employer Responsibilities:
- Provide a safe workplace
- Regularly check and maintain machinery
- Provide training and protective gear
- Create WHS committees
- Have a written WHS policy
49
Employee Responsibilities:
- Follow safety rules
- Report dangers
- Help with accident investigations
50
What is workplace bullying?
Repeated actions that risk someone’s health and safety
Can be:
- Obvious: yelling, violence, verbal abuse, slamming doors, touching
- Subtle: isolating someone, giving pointless jobs
51
sexual harassment laws
- Sex Discrimination Act 1984 (Cwlth)
- Anti-Discrimination Act 1997 (NSW)
52
What is sexual harassment?
- Any unwanted sexual behaviour that offends, humiliates or threatens someone
Includes:
- Sexual jokes or comments
- Questions about someone’s sex life
- Displaying pornographic material (e.g. screensavers, posters)
- Saying “It was a joke” is not a defence
53
What to do if sexually harassed:
- Contact the Australian Human Rights Commission (free advice)
- They can investigate and help resolve complaints
54
anti discrimination laws
- Racial Discrimination Act 1975
- Sex Discrimination Act 1984
- Disability Discrimination Act 1992
- Age Discrimination Act 2004
55
Types of dismissal:
- **Summary dismissal** = Fired immediately for serious reasons like theft, violence, being drunk at work.
- **Dismissal by notice** = Fired for poor performance, but given notice.
**Redundancy/retrenchment**= Job no longer needed (e.g. company changes, not your fault).
56
Unfair Dismissal
Unfair dismissal happens when someone is sacked in a way that is harsh, unjust, or unreasonable.
57
Minimum Employment Time:
- **Small business (less than 15 employees)**: must work 12 months before applying
- **Larger businesses**: only need to work 6 months
58
Methods of Resolving Disputes
- Disputes at work can be time-consuming and expensive, especially if they go to court.
- Alternative methods have been developed to resolve issues earlier and more efficiently.
**Usual order of dispute resolution**:
- Grievance procedures
- Negotiation
- Mediation
- Conciliation and arbitration
59
Grievance Procedures
- A grievance is a formal complaint made by an employee.
- Usually occurs when someone feels they’ve been treated unfairly.
- Most workplaces have set steps (grievance procedures) to follow to fix these complaints.
- **Example**: An unfair roster issue may be raised with a supervisor, who then follows procedures to resolve it.
60
Negotiation
- Involves both parties discussing the issue directly to reach a compromise.
- Supervisors/managers usually approve the agreement.
- Effective negotiation aims for a win–win outcome, not just “winning.”
Requires give and take from both sides.
- If unsuccessful, the next step is mediation.
61
Mediation
- An informal process where a neutral third party helps both sides talk through the problem.
- The mediator does not take sides or make decisions.
- Encourages both parties to examine the issues in a calm, private setting.
**Main benefits**:
- Each side feels they’ve contributed to the solution.
- More likely to result in a mutual win–win outcome.
62
Conciliation
- A more formal process run by the Fair Work Commission.
- The Commission helps both parties come to an acceptable solution by offering advice/suggestions.
63
Arbitration
If conciliation fails, the Commission can hold a formal hearing.
- Both sides present their case.
- The Commission then makes a legally binding decision that must be followed.
- **Downside**: Both sides lose some control over the final outcome.
64
Personal Costs of Unemployment
Poverty – No income = can’t afford to job hunt properly
Boredom – Leads to frustration and possibly crime
Poor health – Mental and physical health suffer
COMMERCE
flashcards
Decks in class (6)
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