Reading a Pay Stub Task Box: Paycheck Math and Job Skills for Transition, Ages 14 to 21

This reading a pay stub task box teaches gross pay, deductions, net pay, and overtime in three levels, using 3 practice pay stubs, and ends with checking your own stub for mistakes.

Why I made this: The first paycheck is a big moment, and it is often a confusing one: "Why is it less than I thought?" Students need to know what gross pay, deductions, and net pay mean, and how to check that the hours are right. This box teaches pay stubs one level at a time, from finding the basics to catching a mistake and planning with take home pay.

What’s included (26 pages):

• A "Words on a pay stub" page and 3 practice pay stubs

• Level A ●: 12 cards about Pay stub 1

• Level B ■: 24 cards comparing Pay stubs 1 and 2

• Level C ▲: 24 cards on overtime, year to date pay, checking for mistakes, and planning with net pay

• An answer mat, a "How to read a pay stub" page, and a "Check my own pay stub" page

• 3 practice pages, one for each level

• Answer key for every card

• Data sheet and a 10 session accuracy graph

• A try it for real page with an adult check

• Ideas for practice at school, home, and job sites, and blank cards

How I use it: We go over the words page together, then students work on their level with the 3 practice pay stubs and a calculator. When a student starts a paid job, we use the "Check my own pay stub" page after the first payday.

Who it is for: Transition, special education, life skills, and vocational teachers, job coaches, and paras working with students in grades 9 to 12 and 18 to 21 programs.

What you download: Reading a Paystub Task Box Job Ready.pdf (26 pages, US Letter, print ready).

How this is different: The live Reading a Pay Stub set has worksheets and task cards, including an overtime stub and a mistake to catch. This is a leveled task box with 3 new stubs, year to date pay, a "Check my own pay stub" page, 60 cards, a data sheet, and an adult check. All stubs and card text are new.

Part of the Job Ready Task Box series.

Made by Jeremy D. Gooch, special education teacher and transition coordinator. Drafting and layout had AI assistance; every page was checked by me.