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Being a teenager does not always mean everything is paid for by mum and dad. Many teens need to work in order to pay for all the things they feel they need, or indeed to pay for really crucial things. Whether this is because they’re from a low income family, supporting themselves, or have a tendency to spend way to much on video games, plenty of teens need work. This article is a short guide to tips on finding jobs for teenagers, as well as advice on tax, the minimum wage, and the best superannuation advice for teenagers.
It can be hard finding your first part-time job – but once you have a chance at proving yourself, things can get easier. Chances are, you’re not going to jump into a high-paid job, and so it’s best to start at the more obvious places. The kind of jobs teens are usually given a shot at are, obviously, jobs that are deemed to require less responsibility. So, fast food joints and cafes, as well as other retail places are fond of taking on teens, who often don’t mind working evenings when older staff would rather be at home. The same thing applies to supermarkets, service stations, cinemas and video game arcades. These types of jobs are sometimes advertised by a sign in the window, but it can still be worth going into the place you’re interested in working at and asking if anything is available. Make sure you’re not scruffily dressed when you do this, and also make sure you know a little about the company, and could easily answer why it is you want to work there. If you have a good knowledge of music, try a music store; the same applies to other areas such as computers or fashion.
Any minor (under eighteen years old) who is an Australian resident doesn’t have to lodge a tax return if they earn less than $1,334 (Source: ATO). The reason for this is that the low income tax offset of $600 offsets this. So, if you’re only doing a casual job occasionally, you don’t need to cough up any tax. However, chances are that a teen working a few shifts a week will clear this quite easily.
If a minor only has ‘accepted income’ – this includes income from part time work – normal rates of tax apply. However, according to the ATO, if, over the course of a tax year ‘the minor’s taxable income is less than $40,000, they will get the low income tax offset. The maximum tax offset of $600 applies if their taxable income is $25,000 or less (for more information click here). This is reduced by four cents for each dollar over $25,000.
Many unscrupulous employers know that it can be hard for a teen to find a job, and will try and not only cheat them out of a decent hourly rate, but also shirk their responsibility regarding health and safety and superannuation.
Since the AFPC (Australian Fair Pay Commission) was created, this area has been toyed with by the federal government. Essentially, the minimum wage for adults is now $13.47 per hour, while minors are entitled to 60 per cent of this – in affect this means that a minor doing the same job as an adult should be getting at least 60 per cent that of their fellow adult employee. For more information visit www.fairpay.gov.au, or for some of the changes , visit www.workchoices.gov.au.