Friday, November 29, 2019

Minimum Wage for Workers Who Receive Tips

Minimum Wage for Workers Who Receive TipsMinimum Wage for Workers Who Receive TipsThe nadir wage for tipped workers is lower than theregular tiefpunkt wage, but that doesnt mean that employers can get away with paying tipped workers less than regular staff. If youre a tipped worker, its important to understand state and federal law regarding employees who receive tips as a regular parte of their compensation. How much you earn will depend on where you live and what the laws are in your state. The federal government sets a required minimum wage for workers who receive tips on a regular basis and defines tipped employees as those who receive at least $30 a month in tips. However, some states have a higher minimum wage than the federal tarif and, in that case, the higher rate applies. If youre anemployee who receives tips, even though your hourly rate may be low, your total hourly rate must reach the designated minimum wage. That amount varies based on your location. For example, the fe deral minimum wage is $7.25 per hour. That means that in every state, your combined cash and tip rate must equal (or exceed) that amount. In Florida, for example, for the calendar year 2018, the total combined rate is $8.25. The total hourly wage you will earn is the minimum wage for your state. Other states, like Alaska, require that tipped workers be paid the full state minimum wage ($9.84 in 2018) before tips. Federal Minimum Wage for Tipped Workers The Fair Labor Standards Act mandates that employees who earn $30 or more per month in tips be paidat least $2.13 in wages. This means that if youre a waiter, bartender, or aother service employee who receives tips, your employer is only required to pay you $2.13 per hour in wages. However, the total amount earned ($2.13/hour plus tips) must equal the federal minimum wage. This is known as the tip credit provision or tip credit allowance. This provision allows your employer to pay you less than the minimum wage because you are rec eiving tips on a regular basis. The exception to the rule applies to federal contract workers who receive tips. These federal employees must be paid a cash wage of at least $7.25 per hour. If their total pay does not reach $10.35 per hour, the minimum for federal contract workers, their employer must raise their wage to make up the difference. (Note that these rates were set byexecutive order13658, applied from January 1, 2018 to December 31, 2018. They may be subject to change.) State-by-State Minimum Wage for Tipped Workers Some states require employers to pay their workers more than the federal tipped minimum wage. For example, for 2018, the Arizona minimum cash wage for tipped workers was $7.50 per hour and in thestate of Massachusettsit was $3.75 per hour. In both cases, the combined cash and tip state minimum wages were higher- $11 per hour in Massachusetts and $10.50 per hour in Arizona. All employers must adhere to the law in their state when paying employees. If youre n ot sure what you should be paid, checkthis chart of state minimum wage laws for tipped workers. If there are no laws stipulating a minimum wage in the state where you work, the federal minimum wage is applicable. Calculating Total Hourly Earnings With Tip Credits The federal minimum tip wage is combined with a tip credit to reach the federal minimum wage. For example, the maximum tip credit is currently $5.12 per hour. If you add the $5.12 per hour plus the minimum tipped wage of $2.13, you reach the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour. While the federal minimum wage is guaranteed, tipped workers receive some of this income from employers and some from tips. Workers always earn more if the tips received bring their earnings above the minimum wage. In a state with a higher minimum wage, the total will reach the highest minimum wage for that location. Lets use Colorado as an example. In Colorado, the tip credit is $7.18 add that to the tipped worker minimum wage of $3.02, and yo u get the state minimum wage of $10.20. Again, the hourly earnings can be higher based on the amount of tips the worker earns. But if youre a tipped worker, its in your best interests to know the minimum your employer is allowed to pay you under state and federal law.

Sunday, November 24, 2019

How Much Is Your Resume Worth

How Much Is Your Resume WorthHow Much Is Your Resume WorthA well organized, easy to read, and error free resume is your gateway into getting the interview.Have you ever considered how much your resume is worth? Put an actual dollar value on it? I sometimes ask people seeking resume help how much they think their two-page resume is worth (hopefully their resume is only two pages and not the 10+ Ive seen). I get answers from five cents to a lot, but the right answer is it depends on how much I make. If I earn $100,000 every year for the next ten years, these two pages are worth $1,000,000 dollars to me. Think about that for a second. The resume I thought of as a burden to create and update, which I worked on while watching The Big Bang Theory or Game of Thrones, is possibly worth $1mm or more to me. What other documents have you recently created worth $1mm+ to you?While your resume is far from the only factor in getting a job, it is your gateway into getting the interview. Malcolm Glad well describes in his book Blink how people, especially interviewers, make snap judgments. When you first meet someone and shake their hand, you make a snap judgment about that person. A strong handshake might indicate a smart and put together individual or a weak handshake might indicate a timid and unmotivated individual. The interviewer sub-consciously continues to reinforce that initial judgment throughout the discussion. For example,Do you know Java? the interviewer asks.You reply, No, but I read a lot and can quickly learn.If the interviewer snap-judged that they dont like you, they subconsciously think, Hmm, doesnt seem to have the right skills. No hire. If the interviewer snap-judged that they like you, they subconsciously think, Wow, seems to have a real can-do attitude and has great potential. Hire The very first snap judgment a hiring manager makes about you is based on your resume.A well organized, easy to read, and error free resume indicates an intelligent and well-o rganized individual. A sloppy, dense, or error-filled resume indicates a lazy and lacks attention to detail individual.That is why we said, lets build something that helps people build the best resume possible, create a great first impression, and get them the right job The Resume Reviewer.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

The Value of Thanks-Giving in Your Job Search

The Value of Thanks-Giving in Your Job SearchThe Value of Thanks-Giving in Your Job SearchThe Value of Thanks-Giving in Your Job SearchIts a lesson nearly all parents teach their kids but one thats not always sustained throughout life. As we celebrate Thanksgiving this week, the lesson of giving thanks is certainly one to be reinforced with job seekers, especially the growing ranks of the laid off.Saying thank you is not just professional, its the right thing to do whether youre looking for a new job or directions when youre lost even if you dont get what you want or need. If youre receiving bad news, such as We decided to hire the other finalist for the job, or Youre not the kind of candidate were looking to hire at this time, you may at least be remembered for saying thank you and being appreciative.Heres where saying thank you can make a difference in the job searchINTERVIEWThe opening thank youThank you for calling me to interview for the position.This is a good way to start off the interview, and its best to say it with a smile. First impressions are critical, and this can contribute to the hiring managers opinion of you.The closing thank youI appreciate your taking the time to talk with me about the job and the company.Last impressions are also important, so show the same grace you did when you walked into the room. This is especially helpful if youre being interviewed by a group of people. Dont forget to acknowledge each interviewerby name if possible.POST-INTERVIEWThe follow-up thank you noteThank you for the time and effort you put into our interview, helping me learn more about the position and the organization. I am further convinced that I could contribute to the success of ABC International in this role, and I look forward to hearing from you to discuss the next steps in the process.Most hiring managers are impressed with a candidate who takes the time to write a quick thank you note after the interview. It demonstrates your interpersonal and comm unications skills, and offers a glimpse at how you might fit in should you be hired.Even if youre not interested in the job, send a thank you note after the interview. You never know when the employer might have a job thats right for you later on and remember you for your courtesy and professionalism.The rejection appreciationIt was kind of you to let me know in such a timely fashion. I would have welcomed the opportunity to work for such a strong company as ABC, and I hope you will consider me for any future openings in which my skills could benefit the business.Sure, the job would have been great and youre a bit bummed you didnt get it. But if you like the idea of working for the company, a post-rejection thank you will underscore your professionalism.NETWORKINGThe golden rule of networking is to give more than you receive. But when you do receive a job lead or a hiring managers contact information, be sure to offer a gracious thank you. Even if a networking contact doesnt have in formation for you, be just as gracious for their time.Thanks (wink) for reading Happy Thanksgiving