Download FE - Unit 4 Notes/Study Guide

Name _____________________________________ Class Period ______
Study Guide #4 - The Labor Force in the United States
1. The civilian labor force includes all people who are at least _____ years old and who are __________
full or part time or actively looking for work, and in the U.S. this includes ________% of the total population
or (#)_____________people. In spite of the fact that they may be actively engaged in some type of labor,
those excluded (not counted as part of the civilian labor force) include ______________________,
_______________________, the __________________, _______________________, and
____________________________.
2. There are currently _________ million members of the ____________________ (____________) who
are not counted as part of the civilian labor force either, despite the fact that they are workers. Of this
number ________ million are active members of the military: Army _____________, Navy __ _________,
Air Force __________, and Marines __ _________. Another
________
members of the Coast
Guard, now part of Homeland Security, are likewise not counted in the civilian labor force.
3. All combined, there are about
employment in the job market.
__
people in America who, in essence, are competing for
4. In general, jobs can be classified into four categories:
or
--craft workers (plumbers, painters, electricians), workers in manufacturing, and
non-farm workers.
or
--office workers, salespeople, professionals (doctors, lawyers, accountants),
cooks, hairstylists, repairmen or anyone providing a service to a consumer.
(“white collar” generally refers to someone who works in an office or in retail)
--agriculture jobs at the point of production (fruit pickers, farmers, harvesters)
--a member of one of the branches of the armed services.
5.
By far, the largest percentage of the labor force is made up of members of the ____________ sector.
6. The labor force has gone through many changes:
A) _______________________ -- first major change. Shift from _____________________________
based economy to industrial based economy. Caused economy to become _______________________
(producing goods with machines) rather than ____________________________ (producing goods through
animal and human power).
B) Dramatic increase in number of ________________ as part of labor force. In 1900 ______% of
women worked outside the home. Today ____% do. Of the nearly ___ million women in the workforce,
_______% are mothers with children under the age of 18. In spite of the fact that women comprise over
___% of the workforce, a number which _________________ each year, women only earn on the average
______% as much as men—an all time high.
C) ________________ is third major change. Labor force becomes increasingly ___________________.
Direct relationship exists between education levels and __________________________, not to mention
_________________. The more _____________________ a person has, the more _________________
his/her job will be and the more _____________________ he or she is likely to make. In 2004 average
annual income of full-time workers, 18 yrs. or older, based on education is as follows:
No high school diploma
High school graduate, no college
Some college, but no degree
Associates degree (2 years of college)
Bachelor’s degree (4 years of college)
Master’s degree (6 years of college)
Doctorate degree
Professional degree
D) Passage of _____________________________laws is fourth major change. These include:
-- females who do same job as males get equal pay.
--sex, race, religion, or country of national origin may not be used to
discriminate against someone who is employed or seeking
employment.
-- workers age 40-65 are protected against discrimination because of
their age This law was brought about by an increasing older
population. (no forced retirement).
--for individuals with physical or mental disabilities.
7. The ______________ ____________ _______________ ________________, often referred to as the
EEOC was established to enforce all of the provisions of these anti-discrimination acts.
8. ____________________________ is a government program which is designed to eliminate
_____________ and _____________ bias in the workplace by establishing hiring _______________.
Recent trends show that affirmative action is on the _______________, because some argue it has outlived
its usefulness and sometimes may lead to _______________________ discrimination.
9. ___________________________ is the lowest wage that employers can legally pay workers. In 1938,
when the ________________________________ first established this law, the wage was ______ . Today,
this wage is __________. Bills to __________ minimum wage are regularly proposed in both the House
and Senate. However, action has not been taken to raise minimum wage since __________. In real
(____________________________) terms, the minimum wage paid in 1996 was worth the equivalent of
________ in 2005 dollars. Efforts to increase the minimum wage are generally supported by _______ and
_____________________ organizations, who say it will help the nation's working poor. Opponents include
__________________ organizations and the ____________________community, especially
_______________________________ and ________________, who argue that increasing the minimum
wage will simply increase _____________________, as small businesses who pay such wages are
______________________________________. Opponents also argue that many minimum wage workers
are _________________ or _________________ workers with few skills who need these jobs to break into
the labor force, and who are not the primary ______________________ within their households.
Supporters say that most of those affected by a minimum wage increase are adults aged 20 and over, and
more than half of all teenagers earning the minimum wage are in households with __________________.
10. Wages in the U.S. today vary. Nationally, the _____________ (average) income is ___________ per
hour and the _______________ (middle range between the lowest and highest) is _____________ per
hour. In Louisiana the mean is ______________ per hour and the median is ______________ per hour.
Major forces that determine wage rates are 1) ________________________--when the demand for
workers is ______________ than the supply, wages go _____. 2) ___________________________—
Congress decides what the minimum wage should be. 3) _________________________—historically,
unions have fought to increase wages and fought for the passage of Fair Labor Standards Act. 4)
____________________—generally speaking, the more education or skill that is required for a particular
job, the more it pays. 5) _____________________—certain regions of the U.S. have higher standards of
living and therefore workers earn higher wages.
11. A ____________ _________ is an organization of workers that negotiates with employers for better
wages, job security, and improved working conditions. Labor unions help to determine wages by choosing
a ____________________________ to negotiate with the company on behalf of ___________________.
A ____________ ___________ is composed only of specially skilled workers such as plumbers,
electricians, or carpenters. An _____________ __________ includes all workers whether skilled,
semiskilled, or unskilled.
12. Today approximately ________% of all workers are members of a union. The __________ is the
largest union in the U.S.
13. Six major issues that have traditionally been or are currently a part of the labor movement in the U.S.
are:
1)
--including COLAs (Cost of Living Adjustments) to keep up with inflation
2)
--including insurance, paid vacations, sick leave, retirement plans, paid
holidays
3)
--trend is fewer days per week; 4 ten hr. days instead of 5 eight hr. days.
4)
--set procedure employee can follow to have his complaint heard by boss.
5)
--seniority system established; “last hired, first fired” concept
6)
--U.S. corporations are closing factories here and opening up in foreign
countries to take advantage of cheap labor.
14. The written agreement that is made between labor and management regarding wages, benefits, and
working conditions is known as a ________________. Three possible ways in which labor and
management reach an agreement on a contract are:
1)
--the process by which a union representative speaks for all union members in
an effort to negotiate a contract between management and labor.
2)
--when collective bargaining ends in a deadlock, management and labor hire a
neutral third party to listen to both sides of the argument and offers
suggestions on how to resolve the disagreement.
3)
--when mediation does not work, management and labor submit their demands
to a neutral third party, each agreeing that they will allow the third party to
decide on the binding terms of settlement. Each side must accept the
arbitrators decision, in spite of the fact that they may not agree with it.
15. When union representatives and management are unable to reach an agreement, unions can resort to
a ______________ which is a halt in production until the contract demands are met. They may also resort
to a ____________________, when workers continue to produce goods for a company but at a much
slower rate. Recent examples of strikes include the ___________ (1988-89) which lasted for 191 days. In
2005 _______ work stoppages involving 1000 workers or more took place, compared to ________ in 1952.
16. Two main tactics used to carry out strikes are:
1)
--public protest held by workers at entrance of the plant. Protesters carry signs.
2)
--organized effort to get public to stop buying a firm’s products until strike is settled.
Sometimes both of these are used simultaneously. ______________________, a well-known labor leader
led several strikes and boycotts during the 1960s and 1970s as a representative of the
_____________________.
17. Main reasons that strikers picket are to ______________ the public, to _____________ the company,
gain public ________________, and discourage _______________ (non-strikers) from crossing the picket
line and entering the premises.
18. Three ways that management resists the demands of labor:
1)
--employer closes plant’s doors until contract agreement is reached.
2)
--employer gets govt. to issue an order to halt strike and force workers to
return to work.
3)
--management “speeds up” production lines, forcing workers to work faster
than they normally do. This tactic is often used in a punitive manner.
19. Since 1947 a number of states have passed __________________________. Right-to-work laws are
established by states to ______________________________________________. There are presently
________ states that have passed this law, including Louisiana, Arkansas, and Texas. The states with
right-to-work laws are primarily located in the ____________ and the ______________ where wages are
typically lower than the national average and where migrant workers are common.
20. A major area of concern to the government is the _______________________________, the
percentage of the labor force who are not employed. It generally fluctuates between ____% and ____%.
Compared with other nations, the United States has a relatively ________ unemployment rate.
21. Unemployment is divided into four categories:
--when workers are temporarily out of work, in normal course of changing jobs
--when a worker’s specific skills become obsolete (are no longer in demand)
--an economic downturn (recession) lowers demand for workers
--workers are out of work part of year due to changes in seasons
22. _______________________ occurs when people in a labor force are employed at less than full-time or
regular jobs or at jobs inadequate with respect to their training or economic needs. Because of
underemployment, looking at the unemployment rate alone does not sufficiently describe the employment
situation.
23. __________________________________ is the money provided by ___________ governments to
workers who are laid off from their jobs. Workers collect between ____% and _____% of lost wages for
______weeks. Some states extend this for an additional ____ weeks in periods of recession.
24. Making career decisions is one of the most ___________________ tasks you will face throughout your
life. Unfortunately, most students spend more time planning their _____________ and summer
_______________ than they do planning their _______________choice. Like most things, the
___________________________ you put into your career development the more likely you are to reach a
___________________________. Making choices about your future is a _________________ process that
you will revisit ______________________ during your life. Consider your _________________,
_________________ and ____________________, then explore the opportunities.
25. When you have settled on a career, begin your job search by preparing a _______________ and/or a
__________________. A resume is a one or two page summary your __________________, _________,
________________________, and _____________________ presented in a positive and concise manner.
Be sure to pay special attention to preparing your resume demonstrating to the employer your
____________________ background. A cover letter is a business letter that accompanies or "covers" your
resume whether you mail, email, or fax your resume. It is often the first correspondence an organization
receives from you and is therefore their _____________________ of you. The cover letter's purpose is to
________________________ and provide support for your _____________________. You need to use the
cover letter to express your _______________________ for and ___________________
_____________________________. Writing a cover letter can be a challenging and time-consuming task,
especially because you must ____________________________ towards each organization.
26. Following a job interview, a ___________________________ should be sent. It should be used to
thank everyone who ________________ you with your job search. The thank you letter is used to say
much more than thanks. It is an opportunity to 1) show that you are courteous, knowledgeable and
professional, 2) further demonstrate your written communication skills, 3) stand out in the minds of the
interviewers, 4) elevate you above competing candidates who didn't write a letter, 5) reinforce your
candidacy and reiterate your interest in the position, 6) include something important you may have forgotten
to mention during your interview, 7) restate your appreciation for the opportunity to interview, and 8) restate
why you want the job.
27. A _______________ is a personalized collection of items that illustrates your _______________and
______________________. It is a portable, _____________________________ career/job search tool. A
portfolio may be used as a tool for organizing yourself in ____________________________, or as a
___________________________ that is exhibited to a prospective employer during the interview. A
professional employment portfolio could be just the thing that _______________________ from other job
search candidates.
28. At some point in your job search, you will be called for a ____________________________. An
interview is your opportunity to ___________________________ your qualifications to a potential
employer. This allows the employer to take a more __________________ assessment of your abilities and
personality, and allows you to _____________________ to determine whether or not the position and
organization are appropriate for you. An __________________ interview should 1) convince the employer
that you are the ____________________________ for the position. 2) demonstrate how your _________
__________________________ (education, work, activities) fits the qualifications of the position, 3) show
that you have an ___________________________ of the position and organization and how you will fit in,
and 4) reflect your self-confidence and enthusiasm.
29. The employment ____________________ is often the key and final hurdle in the job campaign.
Letters, applications, references, resumes and other resources are designed with one goal, to secure an
_____________________. Your ____________________ during the interview may determine if you will
receive a job offer. Remember that the ____________________________________________ - many
times the person who _________________________ for the interview is hired. The key to an effective
interview is ____________________________.
30. ______________________ of all employers state that what they are looking for in an ideal employee is
one who demonstrates the following skills:
A)
--can be trusted and can recognize when they are faced with
making an honest/dishonest decision based on values.
B)
--can work cooperatively with other employees.
C)
--demonstrates an understanding of personal appearance (e.g.,
clean clothing/uniform) and hygiene (e.g., washed and styled hair,
clean teeth) appropriate for the company policy.
D)
--receives, interprets and responds appropriately to verbal
messages and other clues such as body language. Able to
comprehend, to learn, to critically evaluate, to appreciate, or to
support the speaker.
E)
--demonstrates understanding, friendliness, adaptability, empathy,
and politeness in new and on-going group settings and can
assert themselves in familiar and unfamiliar social situations.
F)
--exerts high levels of effort and perseverance toward goal
attainment and works to become excellent at doing tasks, even
when assigned an unpleasant task.
G)
--believing in one’s own self-worth, and maintaining a positive view
of themselves.
H)
--can communicate thoughts and key information in writing and can
record information completely and accurately.
I)
--can organize ideas and speak clearly. Can communicate
appropriately to listeners and situations and participate in
conversations, discussions and group presentations. Ask
questions when needed.
31. Within the __________________________of meeting someone, an impression has already been
formed. This _______________________ is based mostly on ____________________, ______________
and a ________________. One of the new trends in the world of work is "____________________,"
however it is important to note that such dress is _____________________ for an interview. As a rule of
thumb always dress _____________________________________. Trying to make an impression by
choosing clothes that will _____________________________ is a bad idea. The interviewer will most likely
remember such a candidate for the _____________________ (such as odd colored hair or clothing).
32.
Nationally, employment growth will continue to be concentrated in the ___________________
sector of the economy. _____________________ services, __________________ and _____________
____________________, and __________________ and ____________________ services represent the
industry sectors with the strongest employment growth; these sectors are projected to grow more than
__________________as fast as the overall economy. The chart below lists the top ten projections for
employment growth in Louisiana, all of which are in the service sector.
# of Job
openings
anticipated in
next 10 yrs.
% Job
growth over
next ten
years
Average
hourly
wage in
2001
Educational
Requirements
670
91.3
$29.33
Bachelor's degree
1,340
82.3
$26.68
Bachelor's degree
420
78.4
$30.56
Bachelor's degree
2,530
76.8
$18.82
Associate degree
Personal Financial Advisors
170
60.9
$27.51
Bachelor's degree
Manicurists and Pedicurists
180
60.5
$8.27
Postsecondary voc.
Personal and Home Care Aides
3,370
59.2
$6.36
Short-term Tng. & Exp.
Social and Human Service Assistants
1,690
58.7
$9.27
Mod.-term Tng. & Exp.
Network Systems and Data Communications Analysts
230
55.9
$23.31
Bachelor's degree
Desktop Publishers
140
54.7
$12.78
Postsecondary voc.
Employment Projections for
Top Ten Jobs in Louisiana
Computer Software Engineers, Applications
Network and Computer Systems Administrators
Computer Software Engineers, Systems Software
Computer Support Specialists
Employment Projections for Louisiana
http://www.laworks.net/qm_LMIOccIndustryProj.asp
Fastest Growing Occupations in Louisiana
http://www.laworks.net/qm_LMIOccTopGrowth.asp
Louisiana Dept. of Labor
http://www.laworks.net/homepage.asp
Assorted Employment Statistics
http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0854971.html
Bossier Workforce Center
http://www.laworks.net/qm_SLdetailSR.asp?JobCentersSiteResources_ID=11
Wages for Various Occupations in LA
http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_la.htm#b00-0000
Wages for Various Occupations in U.S.
http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_nat.htm
Average Salaries for Various Occupations
http://www.salaryexpert.com/
http://www.rileyguide.com/salary.html
Wages and Data on Military Occupations
http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos249.htm
Occupational Handbook (outlook, wages, education required, etc.)
http://bls.gov/oco/home.htm
2008-18 Employment Projections
http://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecopro.nr0.htm