Employment Vocabulary

Question 1

Apprentice

Answer 1

A person who has agreed to work for a master of the trade, and gain practical experience and knowledge in their field of interest for a lower wage.

Question 2

Apprenticeship

Answer 2

Training/education in a trade.

Question 3

Arbitration

Answer 3

A method of resolving disputes between employers and employees in a court with an unbiased 3rd party.

Question 4

Award

Answer 4

A document outlining a worker’s minimum pay and conditions.

Question 5

Casual

Answer 5

Employed on an hourly, “as-needed” basis.

Question 6

Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

Answer 6

The most senior person in charge of managing an organisation.

Question 7

Collective wants

Answer 7

Goods and services that are used for the whole community.

Question 8

Common law (employment) contracts

Answer 8

When an employer and employee negotiate a contract that covers pay and conditions.

Question 9

Discrimination

Answer 9

Treating a person less fairly/nicely because of groups they belong to/ things they believe in.

Question 10

Economy

Answer 10

All activities undertaken for the purpose of production, distribution and consumption of goods/services in a country.

Question 11

Employee

Answer 11

A person who works for a wage/salary.

Question 12

Employer

Answer 12

A person who hires employees.

Question 13

Employment contract

Answer 13

Formal and legally binding agreement between an employer and employee.

Question 14

Enterprise agreement

Answer 14

Agreement about pay/conditions made at a workplace/enterprise level.

Question 15

Entitlements

Answer 15

Non-wage benefits.

Question 16

Full-time

Answer 16

Continuous, ongoing employment working 38+ weekly hours.

Question 17

Goods and Services Tax (GST)

Answer 17

Value-added tax levied on most goods/services sold for domestic purposes. Paid by consumers but passed on to the government by businesses.

Question 18

Industrial action

Answer 18

Temporary show of unhappiness by employees

Question 19

Labour force

Answer 19

Everyone above 15 who is employed or unemployed (looking for work)

Question 20

Loading

Answer 20

Extra pay on top of the full-time pay rate for casual employees who don’t receive entitlements.

Question 21

Participation rate

Answer 21

The percentage of people working age who are working or looking for work.

Question 22

Part-time

Answer 22

Ongoing employment with less than 38 hrs per week.

Question 23

Primary industry

Answer 23

Industry involved in growing/extracting natural resources

Question 24

Pro-rata

Answer 24

Proportional to full-time benefits in relation to hours worked.

Question 25

Quaternary industry

Answer 25

Industry involved in the transfer and processing of information and knowledge.

Question 26

Quinary industry

Answer 26

Industry providing domestic services.

Question 27

Redundancy

Answer 27

Termination of employment because the employee's role is no longer required/the employer goes bankrupt.

Question 28

Seasonal

Answer 28

Employment that is not continuous year-round but reoccurs.

Question 29

Secondary industry

Answer 29

Industry involved in turning raw materials into finished products.

Question 30

Sharing economy

Answer 30

AKA collaborative consumption, involves people sharing their possessions for payment

Question 31

Standard of living

Answer 31

The degree of wealth and material comfort available.

Question 32

Superannuation

Answer 32

Money set aside whilst you work by your employer to fund your retirement.

Question 33

Taxes

Answer 33

Part of income that's taken by the government to pay for collective goods/services.

Question 34

Tertiary industry

Answer 34

An industry that provides a service to others.

Question 35

Unemployment

Answer 35

When people are trying to find work but have been unsuccessful so far.

Question 36

Wellbeing

Answer 36

Being comfortable, happy and healthy.

Question 37

Work-life balance

Answer 37

Achieving the right balance between the time spent on work and personal life.

Question 38

Conciliation

Answer 38

Similar to mediation except the conciliator can suggest possible solutions

Question 39

Gender segregation

Answer 39

The physical/legal/cultural separation of people according to their sex

Question 40

Grievance procedures

Answer 40

Predetermined steps followed to resolve a dispute (employment)

Question 41

Industry

Answer 41

Area of economic activity/employment/trade/manufacturing/production/gathering of resources

Question 42

Mediation

Answer 42

When a 3rd party helps those involved in a dispute to negotiate a solution acceptable for both sides

Question 43

Negotiation

Answer 43

Method of resolving disputes where the parties discuss issues and try to compromise

Question 44

Unfair dismissal

Answer 44

Employment termination considered to be harsh/unreasonable/unjust