Might Be Moving to The Nashville Area From PA (Franklin: sales, apartment complex)

[CountryGirl2b=]

Dove, here is a website about taxes in TN.

Taxes (http://www.tennessee.gov/revenue/tntaxes/index.htm - broken link)

Probably good to start your research there.

You are right, Tennessee has no minimum wage law. Employers pay the employee what they think the job is worth. It's up to you to accept the offer or not. No one will force you to work for less than you think you deserve. I think it's a good thing - free market and all that. But certainly if you need to make $7.25 an hour, Tennessee may not be the right place for you. Have you researched other states?

Best of luck.

[Edgefield D]

I actually had to look this up...because I had never heard of TN not having a minimum wage?? Basically, if a job is subject to the Fair Labor Standards Act...then the Federal Min Wage of $7.25/hr applies. So...if a company has revenues of $500,000 or more and they engage in interstate commerce (business outside the state of TN)...then they must pay the $7.25/hr. Obviously, only small businesses could pay less than the $7.25/hr. However, I haven't known anyone to pay less than that (based on my own experience). I just had no idea??

[Secret Dove]

I found this website: Nashville, TN MSA - 1999 OES Metropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

Under retail(which is what I was doing) it says annual median= $8.11 an hour. Is that around the wage a high end retail store would pay? Like Ralph Lauren, Coach, Tommy H,etc?

If you look at career type jobs, like techs,etc, are the wages that are listed kind of what you should expect to be paid?

Right now the wage doesn't matter much, I'm okay with a wage that is appropriate for the job. I'll probably look for entry level office work when I'm feeling better and able to work. I can't see a office paying lower then $7.25 an hour. The lowest I've been paid is $5.00 and hour, but that was working at a barn...

[puzzlingconcept]

Just a quick note from the business end: I don't know of any business owners around my area who pay under minimum. To be frank, you get what you pay for and therefor must compete with other employers for good people.

[puzzlingconcept]

I've never known a small business to pay under minimum, unless they supplement with commissions and tips. (Just some anecdotal evidence here.)

Moving is rough and can be expensive on its own. I really wish you good luck finding a place to settle and finding jobs right away! But be warned: I get several applications daily, which leads me to believe landing a job could be a luck of the draw.

Tips (in case you need them): Take your time on the application. Be thorough, clear, and careful with spelling. If you've ever been terminated from a job, be honest and explain why.

There are some apps that immediately make the "no!" pile for us. One kid wrote, as explanation for why he left a local grocery store, "lame plc 2 wurk. =)" I'm pretty sure he didn't want to work anywhere and so he sabotaged himself, but still. You'd be surprised at the apps we sometimes get.

[agraciado]

I would not, not, not move to this area unless you already have a job. I've been looking for a non-retail job for over a year, and both my roommates (who have degrees in computer programming) have been laid off twice in two years.

Things like houses, electric bills, food might be cheaper here but that's because we are paid less than you'd make in Pennsylvania.

[Secret Dove]

Originally Posted by puzzlingconcept

I've never known a small business to pay under minimum, unless they supplement with commissions and tips. (Just some anecdotal evidence here.)

Moving is rough and can be expensive on its own. I really wish you good luck finding a place to settle and finding jobs right away! But be warned: I get several applications daily, which leads me to believe landing a job could be a luck of the draw.

Tips (in case you need them): Take your time on the application. Be thorough, clear, and careful with spelling. If you've ever been terminated from a job, be honest and explain why.

There are some apps that immediately make the "no!" pile for us. One kid wrote, as explanation for why he left a local grocery store, "lame plc 2 wurk. =)" I'm pretty sure he didn't want to work anywhere and so he sabotaged himself, but still. You'd be surprised at the apps we sometimes get.

LOL @ what the kid wrote! that in it's self would make sure you won't get the job let alone be considered.

The problem out here is that the kids don't want to work. A woman in a store told my mother that they have kids who come in to work for a few days then stop showing up for their shifts. They get tired of working and just don't show up. Of course that makes it 10X harder for good kids to get a job.

[Secret Dove]

Originally Posted by agraciado

I would not, not, not move to this area unless you already have a job. I've been looking for a non-retail job for over a year, and both my roommates (who have degrees in computer programming) have been laid off twice in two years.

Things like houses, electric bills, food might be cheaper here but that's because we are paid less than you'd make in Pennsylvania.

Unfortunately that's easier said then done. Fortunately my father has a guaranteed income, but it's not a lot of money.

PA is just way to expensive for us, prices have skyrocketed since we moved here in 2000. I guess compared to NJ it's cheap, but not cheap enough for us. We could move outside of Hershey,Pa and pay less in taxes/utilities,etc, but it's still not affordable for us.

From what I saw on the website that I posted above, salary's in Nashville are not that much lower then they are in PA for what I'm thinking of going to school for . Yes, they're lower but not by a huge amount.

[puzzlingconcept]

I know what you mean about the good kids not getting a break thanks to the bad ones. That happens everywhere, though. And I have to say: Some of my best and most reliable employees are under 20.

This might be a silly question, and forgive me if you've talked about this and I just missed it, but have you looked at rental pricing online? You say that you can't find a house to rent in PA that fits your budget, but what about around here?

Before you even consider leaving the state, I'd do some searches and then definitely call around to confirm prices and that there aren't any hidden fees.

I know you don't have the luxury of landing a job before you get here, but I hope that you're preparing wherever you can. I've been lucky enough not to be in a position of having to move without having a job secured, and so I can't imagine the fears you must be feeling. I'm just worried for you.

I mean, not to be discouraging, but what happens if you move down here and can't find any work? You've already spent the gas money at the very least to move down, a rental deposit of some kind, etc., so what happens if your only income is your dad's modest guaranteed amount?

I don't know much about your situation--only what I've read here--and I worry for you. It sounds like you're just a few bad breaks away from really being in a bind.

I'm not saying that moving down here will mean homelessness... but I do worry.

I'm sorry if I seem like I'm prying or being discouraging.

[Secret Dove]

Originally Posted by puzzlingconcept

I know what you mean about the good kids not getting a break thanks to the bad ones. That happens everywhere, though. And I have to say: Some of my best and most reliable employees are under 20.

This might be a silly question, and forgive me if you've talked about this and I just missed it, but have you looked at rental pricing online? You say that you can't find a house to rent in PA that fits your budget, but what about around here?

Before you even consider leaving the state, I'd do some searches and then definitely call around to confirm prices and that there aren't any hidden fees.

I know you don't have the luxury of landing a job before you get here, but I hope that you're preparing wherever you can. I've been lucky enough not to be in a position of having to move without having a job secured, and so I can't imagine the fears you must be feeling. I'm just worried for you.

I mean, not to be discouraging, but what happens if you move down here and can't find any work? You've already spent the gas money at the very least to move down, a rental deposit of some kind, etc., so what happens if your only income is your dad's modest guaranteed amount?

I don't know much about your situation--only what I've read here--and I worry for you. It sounds like you're just a few bad breaks away from really being in a bind.

I'm not saying that moving down here will mean homelessness... but I do worry.

I'm sorry if I seem like I'm prying or being discouraging.

About the rental house question: Yes, I've looked around at rental houses and yes, the prices are more affordable for us.Here in Pa you can't find a house that's under $1200 a month. If there are any they only have 1 or 1/2 baths, we need at least 2 baths with medical conditions we have. We wouldn't make it with 1 bath or even 1 1/2 bath! I've seen some nice, older and newer houses in the $1100s or even in the $1000s around Nashville that would be nice options for us.

When we know what we're going to be doing, my mom will be calling Realtors out there to see what is available,etc. We're hoping that we're going to be able to find someone that'll rent to us though. The economy's really done us in, luckily my parents have a fantastic record, so hopefully that'll help. We just need someone to have mercy on us!

As far as not being able to find work, I've been in that position before, so I know very well how it feels. Around here it's impossible to find work. I've been lucky enough to land 2 retail jobs though, so I have some experience. Right now I'm unable to work because of illness, but when I'm able to work again I'll be filling out applications everywhere. Meanwhile we'll have no choice but to make due on what we have. We're doing it now, so it's not anything different.

If our house is foreclosed on(it's definitely looking that way) we're going to have to move out of our beautiful house. We can't afford to stay in PA, so we have to go somewhere else and that's looking like TN/Nashville area. I know the good lord has a plan for us, we have no choice but to have faith that he'll do what's best for us and everything will work out better then we ever thought it would!