Lesson Plan04 - Employee Responsibilities and Rights

National Cosumer & Financial Literacy

Framework

• Identify types of consumer and financial risks to individuals, families and the broader community, and ways of managing them

ACT

22.LA.5• [Understand and learn about] different types of laws that protect people’s rights (e.g. Statute law, common law, Indigenous customary law) 22.LA.14• [Learn to] reflect on their rights and responsibilities as young adults and consider ways in which people, individually and collectively, make decisions to contribute to the common good (e.g. contact a local member of parliament, take informed civil action on issues)

22.LA.5• [Understand and learn about] different types of laws that protect people’s rights (e.g. Statute law, common law, Indigenous customary law) 22.LA.14• [Learn to] reflect on their rights and responsibilities as young adults and consider ways in which people, individually and collectively, make decisions to contribute to the common good (e.g. contact a local member of parliament, take informed civil action on issues)

Commerce (Recommended content) • Industrial relations in Australia and industrial conflict

NSW

Commerce • A student analyses the rights and responsibilities of individuals in a range of consumer, financial, business, legal and employment contexts (5.2) • Discuss the extent to which antidiscrimination laws protect individuals in the workplace Work education • A student defines and assesses the roles and responsibilities of diverse organisations within the community (5.3)

Commerce • A student analyses the rights and responsibilities of individuals in a range of consumer, financial, business, legal and employment contexts (5.2) • Discuss the extent to which antidiscrimination laws protect individuals in the workplace Work Education • A student defines and assesses the roles and responsibilities of diverse organisations within the community (5.3)

Business Studies • Management strategies and their effectiveness• The student analyses the responsibilities of business to internal and external stakeholders (P6)

Curriculum Points Year 9 Year 10 Year 11

Lesson Plan04 - Employee Responsibilities and Rights

Curriculum Points Year 9 Year 10 Year 11

NT N/A N/A N/A

QLD

Essential Leanrings by the end of Year 9 (Studies of Society & Environment: Political and Economic Systems) • Australia’s economic system is shaped by a range of economic activities, including production and consumption, and government regulation

Business (Work Environments) • Work environments are influenced by the various roles and responsibilities of employees, employers, industrial organisations, state, territory and Commonwealth governments, and the community Business (Work Environments) • Workplace practices and regulations are necessary to ensure safe, non-discriminatory and fair conditions in the workplace Business (Business, Economic and Legal Systems) • Systems that influence and regulate business and economic activity assist with the allocation of scarce resources and protect parties who are directly and indirectly affected by this activity

Business Communication and Technologies (3. Industrial relations) • Commonwealth and/or State legislation relating to workplace relations and discrimination Business Communication and Technologies (3. Industrial relations) • Employer and employee rights and responsibilities (e.g. obligation of the employer regarding safety, non-discrimination, legal/ethical requirements, inclusive environments; obligation of employee concerning attendance, following directions, confidentiality, work performance, and care) Business Communication and Technologies (3. Industrial relations) • Awards and entitlements

SA

Society & Environment (Social Systems) • Compare features of economies, in terms of power, equity and justice, in relation to how they impact on national systems, individuals and environments in poor and rich countries

Society & Environment (Social Systems) • Compare features of economies, in terms of power, equity and justice, in relation to how they impact on national systems, individuals and environments in poor and rich countries

N/A

Lesson Plan04 - Employee Responsibilities and Rights

Curriculum Points Year 9 Year 10 Year 11

TAS

Society and History - (Democratic Values and Processes; Standard 4: Stage 10) • Examine how rights and responsibilities are protected in Australian democracy Society and History (Interconnections between systems; Standard 4: Stage 10) • Understand how needs and wants are met by groups in society

Society and History - (Democratic Values and Processes; Standard 4: Stage 10) • Examine how rights and responsibilities are protected in Australian democracy Society and History (Interconnections between systems; Standard 4: Stage 10) • Understand how needs and wants are met by groups in society

Business Studies (Level 2) • Develop an appreciation of the business environment • Laws affecting business (employees) Business Studies (Level 3) • Describe business principles, concepts and issues • The role of employment relations

VIC

Economics (Learning focus) • [Students] examine vocational pathways and education and training requirements, considering possible work and career options. They develop skills and strategies for transition to employment and further education and training, including job seeking, job application and interview skills

Economics (Learning focus) • [Students] examine vocational pathways and education and training requirements, considering possible work and career options. They develop skills and strategies for transition to employment and further education and training, including job seeking, job application and interview skills

N/A

WA

Society & Environment (Resources: Economics) • Entry conditions and work opportunities change over time N/A

Economics (UNIT 1 AECO: Economic Reasoning and Interpretation - Analysis) • Select and organise sources of economic information on personal economic or financial concepts, events or issues e.g. newspapers, business magazines, websites of banks and consumer protection agencies

1

Lesson PlanEmployee Responsibilities and Rights

Suggested Introduction1. Facilitate a class discussion about work. Ask students if any of

them have jobs and what they do. Do they have very clear job descriptions which tell them exactly what their responsibilities are in the workplace? Are there any responsibilities in their working life that they hadn’t anticipated, or that are common to everyone, regardless of their job or position? Examples of this might include adhering to occupation health and safety standards.

2. Hand out the Employee Responsibilities and Rights worksheet. Initiate a whole-class brainstorming session about the different responsibilities and rights that people have at work and have students take notes on this worksheet. At this stage, they don’t have to research this topic. The conversation is rather a measure of the students’ current awareness of workplace rights. Some ideas might include:

2.1 Employees have a responsibility to be punctual and appropriately groomed at work.

2.2 Employees have a responsibility to take reasonable care for the health and safety of others in the workplace.

2.3 Employees have a responsibility not to engage in inappropriate behaviour, such as discrimination or bullying.

2.4 Employees have the right to be free from unlawful discrimination

2.5 Employees have the right to freely become, or not become, members of an industrial association.

2.6 Employees have the right to be safe at work.

2.7 Employers have a responsibility to make and keep accurate and up-to-date records for all their employees (time worked, wages paid, etc).

Lesson Objectives

✔ Students will be aware of employee responsibilities and rights, including appropriate notice of termination of employment, award wages and legislative protection from discrimination.

TimeAllowance

✔ 1 hour.

Materials and Preparation

✔ Copies of the Employee Responsibilities and Rights worksheet (one per student).

✔ Copies of Role-Playing Scenarios (one of each scenario, cut out).

✔ Copies of the Your Workplace Rights worksheet (one per student).

✔ Copy of the Your Workplace Rights – Teacher Copy.

2.8 Employers have the responsibility to issue pay slips to each employee within one working day of payday.

2.9 More information can be found at: http://www.fairwork.gov.au/factsheets/FWO-Fact- sheet-General-Workplace-Protections.pdf http://www.fairwork.gov.au/factsheets/FWO-Fact-sheet-Employer-obligations.pdf

Teaching Points1. Explain to the students that with these responsibilities and rights

in mind, they are going to see a few different scenarios and try to figure out what rights and responsibilities are being violated.

2. Choose students to either read or act out each of the scenarios.

3. After all the scenarios have been presented, hand out the Your Workplace Rights worksheets. For homework or in class (provided internet is accessible), ask the students to research what rights/responsibilities are being violated in each scenario. They can find this information at www.fairwork.gov.au. Alternatively, have them complete this in pairs. Make sure they write down specifically what the employee/employer has done and what legally he/she is required to do.

4. This information can be recorded on the Your Workplace Rights worksheet, or as a ‘brochure’ the students make to inform other students of their rights at work.

Consolidation1. Go through the violations with the students. Ask students what

answers they found. Compare them against the Your Workplace Rights – Teacher Copy worksheet. Make sure students have the answers listed there, but note they may have discovered others as well.

Scenario 1 Jo works at the local grocery store. It has been a quiet afternoon so he’s been juggling apples in the fruit section and bowling oranges down the aisles. Because there aren’t any customers around the boss says he can leave early.

Jo packs up and starts to count out the money in his till. His boss comes over and sees that the money equals $340. His boss tells him that because he hasn’t collected more than $400, which is the minimum amount for the store to break even, that last $60 has to be taken out of Jo’s pay.

Scenario 2 Sam makes pizzas at a local café. His usual Saturday shift is 8 hours. Recently, the other cook has quit and so Sam has to work extra hard to get everything done. This Saturday is really busy and Sam is frantic trying to get all the pizzas cooked for the customers. He is in the 6th hour of his shift and hasn’t eaten anything and feels very tired.

His boss won’t give him a break until the end of his shift, as they are so busy. He suggests that instead, he sends some food home with Sam after his shift as a ‘thank you.’

Scenario 3 Mel works as a receptionist in an office. She tries to arrive on time but it takes so long to get ready, often she’s pretty late. She also really dislikes filing, so lets documents pile up on the floor and they’re beginning to take over the reception area.

Mel is paid the award rate, but her boss says it’s up to her to transfer 9% of that pay into a superannuation fund. He also says that Mel must be at the office 15 minutes before the start of business in order to open it up, turn lights on, have everything in order etc. She is not paid for that time because it is ‘set up’ time, not ‘work time.’

Role-Playing Scenarios

Employee Responsibilities and Rights

Scenario Violations

1. Grocery Store

Jo works at the local grocery store. It has been a quiet afternoon so he’s been juggling apples in the fruit section and bowling oranges down the aisles. Because there aren’t any customers around the boss says he can leave early.

Jo packs up and starts to count out the money in his till. His boss comes over and sees that the money equals $340. His boss tells him that because he hasn’t collected more than $400, which is the minimum amount for the store to break even, that last $60 has to be taken out of Jo’s pay.

2. Pizza Joint

Sam makes pizzas at a local café. His usual Saturday shift is 8 hours. Recently, the other cook has quit and so Sam has to work extra hard to get everything done. This Saturday is really busy and Sam is frantic trying to get all the pizzas cooked for the customers. He is in the 6th hour of his shift and hasn’t eaten anything and feels very tired.

His boss won’t give him a break until the end of his shift, as they are so busy. He suggests that instead, he sends some food home with Sam after his shift as a ‘thank you.’

3. Office

Mel works as a receptionist in an office. She tries to arrive on time but it takes so long to get ready, often she’s pretty late. She also really dislikes filing, so lets documents pile up on the floor and they’re beginning to take over the reception area.

Mel is paid the award rate, but her boss says it’s up to her to transfer 9% of that pay into a superannuation fund. He also says that Mel must be at the office 15 minutes before the start of business in order to open it up, turn lights on, have everything in order etc. She is not paid for that time because it is ‘set up’ time, not ‘work time.’

Your Workplace Rights

Scenario Violations

1. Grocery Store

Jo works at the local grocery store. It has been a quiet afternoon so he’s been juggling apples in the fruit section and bowling oranges down the aisles. Because there aren’t any customers around the boss says he can leave early.

Jo packs up and starts to count out the money in his till. His boss comes over and sees that the money equals $340. His boss tells him that because he hasn’t collected more than $400, which is the minimum amount for the store to break even, that last $60 has to be taken out of Jo’s pay.

Juggling apples and bowling oranges – you have a responsibility to maintain a safe working environment and care for your employers’ products.

Being sent home from work early – you should start and finish your shift at the rostered time no matter how busy or quiet it is, unless you and your employer agree otherwise

Having money taken out of your pay to cover customers who have left without paying or if the registers are short.

2. Pizza Joint

Sam makes pizzas at a local café. His usual Saturday shift is 8 hours. Recently, the other cook has quit and so Sam has to work extra hard to get everything done. This Saturday is really busy and Sam is frantic trying to get all the pizzas cooked for the customers. He is in the 6th hour of his shift and hasn’t eaten anything and feels very tired.

His boss won’t give him a break until the end of his shift, as they are so busy. He suggests that instead, he sends some food home with Sam after his shift as a ‘thank you.’

Fast food employees working between 5 and 9 hours are entitled to one 10-minute rest break and one 30-60 minute meal break.

Fast food employees cannot work for more than 5 hours without a meal break.

3. Office

Mel works as a receptionist in an office. She tries to arrive on time but it takes so long to get ready, often she’s pretty late. She also really dislikes filing, so lets documents pile up on the floor and they’re beginning to take over the reception area.

Mel is paid the award rate, but her boss says it’s up to her to transfer 9% of that pay into a superannuation fund. He also says that Mel must be at the office 15 minutes before the start of business in order to open it up, turn lights on, have everything in order etc. She is not paid for that time because it is ‘set up’ time, not ‘work time.’

You have a responsibility to be on time to work.

You have a responsibility to keep a tidy work environment and to watch out for any occupational health and safety issues.

Your employer must make superannuation contributions on your behalf and those contributions must be 9% on top of your pay, not deducted from your pay.

You should be paid for all hours you work, including the time you spend opening and closing the business.

Your Workplace Rights

Teachers copy