A Career Start for Jasmine

This fictional case introduces Jasmine Lawson, who has just been offered a position as an executive assistant after a grueling, months-long job search. Lawson, a formerly incarcerated woman with a young child to care for, had to endure several rejections from prospective employers before getting this job offer, and she is excited about both the position and the annual salary that comes with it. But Lawson must consider federal and state income taxes, Social Security and Medicare taxes, and the everyday costs of living such as rent and childcare. Will the salary she's being offered really be enough to live on? Could Lawson afford to turn down the offer and resume the exhausting process of applying to companies and interviewing in the hopes that a better-paying position would come her way? This case is best suited for use in a non-MBA course on financial literacy, or in other educational settings wherein learners are exploring resilience, especially navigating life after incarceration and finding a job.