Log inSign up for FREE
Library

E-Lesson 08 - Work (minimum wage & generations)

Last updated over 6 years ago
48 questions
1

Enter your first name (ex: Pierre)

1

Enter your last name (ex: Dupont)

1

Enter your SKEMA Student ID Number

Watch the video below and answer the following questions.
1

Which US President started the national minimum wage?

1

The minimum wage started around the same time as the Great Depression in the 1930s.

1

The minimum wage in the US didn't change from 1981 to 1990.

1

"Because we had inflation in those years, it eroded the p____________ p__________ of the minimum wage..."

1

"...and the value of the mimimum wage f_______ by over 20% in that period..."

1

In the U.S. the minimum wage is different for each state.

1

There's some people who actually walked out of the store while we showed up ____ s__________.

1

"Globally you see the number of billionaires increasing, but ____________ is also increasing and magnifying."

1

There is economic inequality and it's a ____________ of our free market system....

1

the more you do to fix that inequality, the more you put at risk the potential for economic ______________.

1

....and, or cut costs for every year for the next ten years based on an increase to $15 an hour. That's a pretty heavy burden to ________ on a small business.

1

I do see my bank account declining over the next few years, but I would rather that than feeling like my employees might need to go to a f______ b______.

1

I get a pension from the Navy, but with the price of food, _______, and clothing, it's not enough.

1

If you're a dishwasher or a server at McDonald's, is your rental price any different? Do you get to go to your ____________ and tell him or her, "well, you know I'm an entry-level worker so you're an entry-level.....

1

Another ten years I'll be at retirement age and I have no ___________ left. That was all obliterated.

1

The nation's highest minimum wage is coming to Seattle. The Seattle c_____ c__________ voted unanimously on Monday to gradually raise the minimum wage over several years to $15 an hour.

1

According to the Mayor of Seattle, Ed Murray, which of the following things stimulate the economy? (select all that apply)

1

"My out of reach dream would be to pay off all my mom's _________, buy her a new house, and just completely take care of her."

1

Do you think that it would be better or worse for governments to increase the minimum wage? Please explain in your own words.

Now answer the following True/False question before reading the text and then answering the questions about the text.
1

Baby Boomers were born between 1946 and 1964. Baby Boomers are defined as being from the huge population increase that followed World War II, and the Great Depression. They grew up in a time of prosperity and an absence of world wars.

OLDER, WISER
In 2018 the baby-boomer generation will be reaching retirement age on a grand scale. The boomers are the most successful, most confident and most individualistic generation that ever set foot on Earth. They are also about to become the longest-lived. Across the OECD, someone who is now 65 can look forward to another 20 years of life on average. The share of over-65s in the total population is already 16%, and is due to rise to 25% by mid-century.
But although many of the boomers have enjoyed enviable lives, they are now running into a collective problem. In a world focused on youth, older workers are often snubbed. As a group, the boomers are financially comfortable. Many of them can look forward to, or are already enjoying, pensions far more generous than their children can expect. But some will need to go on working to make ends meet. Many will also want to carry on because they actually enjoy work.
But employers tend to shun older workers because they consider them physically and mentally less vigorous, less good at working with new technology. To prove them wrong, boomers can resort to setting themselves up as self-employed consultants, but many give up on paid jobs altogether and work in the voluntary sector instead.
An older person will bring less physical strength to a job and may be slower. But often employers are just biased. Physical decline may be counteracted by technology, and slower reactions are frequently outweighed by knowledge and experience. Seasoned workers have skills that employers are finding hard to replace; in Germany companies retain and recruit older engineers. Older workers are in many cases more conscientious than younger ones, and they do particularly well as part of mixed-age teams.
So what can be done to avoid wasting older workers’ potential? Since age discrimination is based on prejudice, it needs to be fought. Outlawing it is a good start. It is not enough on its own, but it sets the tone. Another signal is gradually raising the minimum age for drawing the state pension, which many countries are already doing.
But the biggest need is for a change in attitudes. Being more careful with language would help. So would a more enlightened approach to training. Employers often pass over older employees for courses. But if older workers do not update their skills, they will perform less well. Harvard and Stanford have recently introduced one-year programmes to prepare high-flyers over 50 for a career change late in life. Most importantly, there needs to be give and take on both sides. People working past the age of retirement typically want more flexibility. But in return they also need to ditch their expectations of ever-rising pay and seniority, and learn to take orders from younger people. Many boomers may struggle with that.
In many walks of life older folk are already trusted to do a fine job. Warren Buffett, 88 in 2018, is widely acknowledged to be good with money. The average age of FTSE 100 CEOs is 54. Are they old enough?
512 words
ADAPTED FROM THE ECONOMIST/BY BARBARA BECK/EDITION THE WORLD IN 2018,DEC 2017
1

According to the article, the baby boomers are one of the most collective and socialistic generations in history.

1

The article states that people over 65 will comprise of a quarter of the population by 2050.

1

The article states that the children of baby boomers will receive less retirement payments from the government than their parents.

1

According to the article, employers consider that older people .... (select all that apply)

1

According to the article, what an older person lacks physically can be compensated by their knowledge and experience.

1

In your own words, do you agree or disagree with the last statement? Please explain.

1

According to the text, some companies are finding it difficult to replace workers who have more experience.

1

In Germany they prefer older engineers because they are more open-minded.

1

The author suggests that increasing the age for receiving retirement funds from the government will help reduce wasting older workers' potential.

1

If older people don't update their skills through training they will not work as well.

1

The article suggests that young people don't like to take orders from older people.

1

In what ways do you think a generational gap in the workplace can be an advantage or disadvantage? Explain in your own words.

Find the translations for the following words in the text. (they are in chronological order)
1

snobé

1

avoir hate de

1

joindre les deux bouts

1

fuir / éviter

1

partial / en faveur de

1

être plus important / avoir plus d'influence que

1

hors-la-loi

1

élcairé / ouvert

1

éluder / court-circuiter

1

personnes de haute volée

1

jeter / abondonner

1

luter / avoir du mal

1

gens / personnes