Employment Standards Curriculum Resource Benchmark 3 - 4

UNIT TWO: WAGES Employment Standards Curriculum Resource Benchmark 3 - 4 UNDERSTANDING MINIMUM WAGE Susan Smith works full time at George’s restaurant. She works 40 hours in one week. She gets paid every two weeks. She is a waitress and she makes minimum wage. The minimum wage is will be $9.50 after October 1, 2010. The government decides when minimum wage will increase. The employer decides when they will increase the wage above minimum wage. There is no law requiring the employer to increase the wage above the minimum. No jobs covered by Employment Standards can get less than minimum wage. There are only a few jobs that can pay their workers less than minimum wage. They are often jobs in a home. For example, last year Susan took care of her friend Ann’s children for three hours a week. She got paid less than minimum wage. Susan’s husband Bob is a salesperson. He works on commission. He gets more money when people buy more. One pay period he was at the store full time, for 80 hours. He made only $500 commission. The minimum wage laws apply to salespeople who work for commission. He worked 80 hours in September 2010, and 80 times $9.00 is $720. His employer had to pay him an extra $220 so that he would earn the minimum wage for his two weeks of work. Susan is glad there are laws to protect her family’s money. Her employer has to pay her twice a month. She always checks her pay ...