Latest news with #seasonalwork
Telegraph
15-07-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
Rayner reforms risk ‘chronic' overstaffing, warns Next boss
'If an employer successfully implements a system, they will have to offer contracts regardless of whether there is any work for those people going forward. 'Your lordships will not be surprised to hear that restaurants, shops and pubs simply cannot afford to have the same number of people working in their establishments in February as they have in December. Nor can we take the risk that the extra hours required to cover many different seasonal peaks and sale events become permanent costs for the rest of the year.' Next employs around 20,000 part-time staff. Lord Wolfson stated that the business did not use zero-hours contracts but hired temporary staff during its busy end-of-season sale period. As the labour market continues to cool, the FTSE 100 retailer has reported a significant rise in applications for its temporary roles. Lord Wolfson said that so far this year, Next had recorded 61 applicants for each vacancy, up 25pc from last year. One shop in Birmingham received 1,200 applications for four jobs, he told the House of Lords on Monday. 'In my view, there is something of a crisis coming in entry-level employment', he said, adding that if low-hours contracts were not defined at eight hours a week, Ms Rayner's Bill 'could significantly exacerbate that problem'. Lord Wolfson warned that businesses would turn to temporary staff, rather than offering low-hours contracts. He said: 'If it is not clear who will benefit, it is very clear who will suffer. It will be those who choose part-time contracts, such as parents with childcare responsibilities, students balancing their studies with earning and often taking their first step into employment, carers for elderly relatives or those seeking a transition into retirement.' Sick pay and pub banter His concerns about the Bill come after senior Tories warned that Labour's plans to introduce sick pay from day one of illness will cause workers to skive. Critics of the Bill claim its proposals will lead to soaring absenteeism. Ms Rayner's Employment Rights Bill will end the rule that blocks new employees from receiving Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) for the first three days of an illness – the so-called three-day waiting period. The Bill has also come under criticism for its so-called 'pub banter' ban provision, which will force venues such as pubs and universities to do all they can to protect employees from non-sexual third-party harassment. Lord Young, a free speech campaigner, has argued that the rule will force companies to police the views of customers. He told the House of Lords in May that such a rule could also have a much broader impact on culture. He asked: 'Who will bother to pop into their local for a drink if there are banter bouncers in every beer garden, a pronoun policy on every wall, and the need to produce proof that you have had DEI training before you can get served?'
New York Times
15-07-2025
- Business
- New York Times
To Afford Montauk, He Went on ‘Jeopardy'
Stevie Ruiz lives in the sunny, beachy eastern tip of Long Island in the hamlet of Montauk. He works as a server in a restaurant and, like many who make a living in the seasonal enclave, he earns most of his income during the warmer months. Two years ago, he left a career as a front office manager because he could make more money waiting tables. It takes him just three days in the restaurant to make as much money as he used to make in two weeks at a hotel. But there was a major downside. 'The hotel provided housing,' he said. 'The restaurant doesn't.' That, he said, is the norm in Montauk. 'A lot of restaurants out here don't provide housing for front of house workers,' he said. 'Housing is pretty limited and expensive and they want to make sure they have their kitchen staff taken care of. You can always find people to pick up server shifts here and there.' Without housing from his employer, Mr. Ruiz, who is currently staying with a friend, has learned to hop from one living situation to another. For a few weeks during the winter, he stayed at his mother's home in North Carolina, where he spent part of his childhood. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
ABC News
04-06-2025
- Business
- ABC News
We asked for workers and got people — inside the temporary visa scheme putting food on your plate
Who picks and processes those yummy strawberries you're about to put in your shopping trolley, or the crisp veggies you might stir-fry tonight? Did you know it could be a nurse or a police officer from a Pacific Island or Timor Leste on a temporary seasonal visa? A workforce we rarely hear about, lives in limbo, and stories from the coalface. From economic gains and cultural exchanges to exploitation and absconding, what are the successes and problems of the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme? Join Natasha Mitchell and guests for this event organised by Griffith University and the Australian National University, and held at the ANU. Speakers Dr Kaya Barry Cultural Geographer, artist, senior lecturer, DECRA Research Fellow Centre for Social and Cultural Research, Griffith University Nunes Cosbar Musician, photographer, horticultural employee in Australia on a PALM visa. Band member with Lian Husi Timor Ken Dachi Coordinator, Welcoming Workplaces with Welcoming Australia Ema Vueti President, Pacific Islands Council of Queensland (PICQ) Thanks also to Dr Matt Withers (ANU South Asia Research Institute) and Dr Kirstie Petrou (School of Humanities and Social Sciences, UNSW Canberra) Further information The Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme Pacific Engagement Visa (PEV) scheme Turbulent Times: The State of Backpacking and Seasonal Farm Work in Australia (2023) Temporary: We Wanted Workers, We Got People photographic exhibition (2025) Home abortions and hiding pregnancy, ANU research reveals hard realities for migrant workers (ABC News, June 2025) RMIT Report reveals grim reality for Australia's migrant meat workers (February 2025) Modern slavery report uncovers dark side to PALM visa scheme leaving vulnerable workers homeless and destitute (ABC News, September 2024) Timorese abattoir workers perform at Port Fairy Folk Festival after call for musos (ABC Australia short film, April 2024)
Irish Times
03-06-2025
- Business
- Irish Times
My first job: How much will I earn – and will I be taxed?
This summer, thousands of students across the State will be embarking upon a rite of passage – their first job . Although some might have earned money casually up to now – babysitting, cutting lawns, etc – the formality of becoming a registered employee brings a certain amount of bureaucracy to the process. Finding seasonal work can be tricky but, if you do succeed, you'll want to get the most from the experience. Taxes , working hours, getting paid – it is best to familiarise yourself with what's expected this summer, so you don't get any nasty shocks when it's time to get paid. So what do you need to be aware of? READ MORE What will I get paid? This will obviously depend on your employer, but it is worth noting your rights in this respect. Since January 1st of this year, the minimum wage is €13.50 per hour. So, based on a 39-hour working week, this would be €526.50 a week. However, special rates do apply depending on your age. For example, if you're under 18, employers can pay you just 70 per cent of the main rate, or €9.45 an hour. They don't have to but the decision is theirs. This would give weekly earnings of €368.55 a week, based on 39 hours. Once you turn 18, this increases to €10.80 an hour, and to €12.15 for 19-year-olds. Also bear in mind rules around Sunday and bank holiday pay. If you work Sundays, for example, you may be entitled to additional pay, of time and a half. [ I met my younger self for coffee – and this is the financial advice I gave Opens in new window ] Getting paid is, for most young people, the best part of the job, but make sure you have a bank account you can get paid into. You might already have a Revolut card but this may not work when it comes to getting your wages paid. This is because many under-18s will have a junior card through their parents' accounts. And this is more of a payment card than a current account. A spokesman for Revolut says the bank's under-18 accounts 'are not designed to receive payments from external sources like employers'. This might change, though not in time for this summer. Given the demand, he says the fintech is 'also exploring a more independent solution with greater functionality for older teens'. For now, it is best to open a bank account with one of the main clearing banks operating in the retail market. With AIB, for example, if you're under 18 you can open a student account which will give you a current account and a debit card (if you're under 16 you'll need parental consent to do this). If you're over 16, you can enhance this by adding Google or Apple Pay to your phone, allowing you to pay for transactions – drawn from your current account – with your phone. As a student, you will avoid all the normal transaction and maintenance charges associated with bank accounts – at least for the next few years. And AIB says it will pay the €30 annual Government stamp duty associated with your card on your behalf. If you're over 16, you can open such an account online through AIB's app. You will need to show proof of identity, typically your passport, and proof of address – bear in mind that banks will typically accept a utility bill addressed to a parent to show this, if you don't have such a bill in your name. The other banks will have similar arrangements. Once it's set up, you can then supply your employer with the Iban and Bic numbers associated with your account, so this is something you should get working on before you start work. Beware emergency tax It can be tough to have done the work and be looking forward to pay day only to find out that Revenue has claimed almost half of your earnings. This happens when either you haven't given your employer your PPS (personal public service) number, or your job isn't registered with Revenue. So how to avoid the disappointment? According to Laura Whelan, a tax director with PwC, the first step is to register your employment with Revenue. To do this, Revenue suggests you set up a MyAccount, which can take a couple of days to go live. 'Ideally do it in advance,' says Whelan. For this, you'll need your PPSN, your date of birth and contact details. [ How do you find a job and career that makes you happy? Opens in new window ] If you were born in Ireland, you will have been assigned a PPS number at birth. If you don't know it, check with your parents first. If they cannot dig it up, or if you were born outside the State, you will need to contact the Department of Social Protection to get your number or have one assigned to you. That could take about two working weeks so, again, it is worth sorting out in advance. When you have it, do remember to pass it on to your employer also. Once you have a MyAccount, you need to transfer your tax credits to your employer. You can do this by accessing the 'Add Job or Pension Details' link under the 'PAYE Services' tab. Revenue will then send a notification to your employer indicating your tax credits and rate bands. Your pay should then be taxed as normal. Will I have to pay tax? If you're just working for the summer and you're in a job paying about the minimum wage, you likely won't have a tax bill. But there are some important points to note to ensure that you don't. First is how your tax credits are allocated. The options are emergency, cumulative or Week 1 basis. And, as Whelan points out, each can have quite different outcomes for your pocket. If you're starting work for the first time this summer, 'you want to make sure tax credits are considered cumulative', advises Whelan. This means that you will benefit from credits unused in the first five months of the year, and will mean your chances of paying tax will be lower this summer. 'Really, for anyone earning €250-€450 a week, tax credits could cover them for that period over the summer,' says Whelan, 'but if they continue on working after that, they might end up paying tax'. Tax credits come to €4,000 per person, per year. 'So if you're just starting in June, you have essentially 5/12ths of that €4,000 built up unused,' says Whelan, or about €1,667. Thereafter, on a weekly basis you will have a tax credit of €77. You also need to consider what rate of tax might apply. For 2025, the standard rate of tax – 20 per cent – extends to the first €44,000 you earn. Above that, it's 40 per cent. For most casual summer workers, it is the 20 per cent rate that will apply – if any. [ A rite of passage: 'My first summer job means I won't be relying on my parents anymore' Opens in new window ] Let's consider someone earning €250 a week. As Whelan notes, this suggests a tax charge of €50 at 20 per cent. Given your weekly tax credit is €77, it would cover the tax owed, so none is due. Push these earnings up to €500, and the tax due would be €100. That's obviously above the €77 weekly credit. However, those cumulative credits built up over the early months of the year when you weren't working will then kick in, meaning that, again, you won't pay any tax. If you opted to be taxed on a Week 1 basis, only the credit of €77 would apply – so you would pay tax. However, if this happens, notify Revenue and you should get any tax you have paid back. If you don't get around to doing that, Whelan suggests doing a tax return at year end as another way of getting any tax you paid during the summer months in work back. You can check how your credits are allocated on your payslip and if it's not what you want, get in touch with Revenue and ask to change it. Of course, it's not just income tax you have to worry about – universal social charge (USC) and PRSI (pay-related social insurance) can also bring down your take-home pay. 'If you have income in a tax year of less than €13,000, you do not pay any USC,' says Whelan. So, it's not a deduction for most summer workers. However, Revenue won't know how much you might earn, and so USC might be charged. To avoid this, Whelan says get in touch with the tax office (via MyEnquiries on MyAccount) and let them know that you don't expect to earn more than €13,000 this year. If you don't notify Revenue and you pay USC, you can claim this back at year-end in a tax return. Once you earn more than €13,000, USC kicks in at a rate of 0.5 per cent on earnings of up to €12,012, and 2 per cent on the next €15,370. Finally, there is PRSI, or social insurance. 'If you're earning less than €350 a week, no PRSI is due,' says Whelan. If you earn between €352 and €424 you do pay PRSI at a rate of 4.1 per cent but credits apply. Once above the €424 a week earnings level, the full weight of PRSI applies and is not reclaimable. Claiming back tax If you do get caught short, and end up being hit with emergency tax on your first pay cheque, don't despair. It is possible to get it back. To do this, you will first need to ensure you take the above steps and that your employer has your tax details. They will then take you off emergency tax, so you will be paid the correct amount going forward. If you have overpaid tax, you should get this back in your next pay cheque. 'The following week in your pay, you'll get that tax back,' says Whelan. How much tax will I pay? If I earn €200 a week this summer Income tax: €0 USC: €0 PRSI: €0 If I earn €350 a week this summer Income tax: €0 USC: €0 PRSI: €0 If I earn €500 a week this summer Income tax: €0 USC: €0 PRSI: €20.50 Source: PwC, based on working three months of the year, annual earnings of €13,000 or less
