the word "award"

[alan gould]

I'm American.  In Australia, I got temp jobs from an employment office where they'd refer to the job's rate of pay as an "award."  I've never heard this in the US.  I think the winner of certain int'l competitions gets a prize, and the winner in a children's games might get a prize, but award is the most common word -- the Oscars are awarded by the film industry and winner wins an award. 

The French dictionary gives me la récompense and le prix.  are they interchangeable?  in US law, the jury awards money as compensation.  I had to look up the word "indemnity" which refers to a security paid.  The dictionary says it refers in French to damages.  I would like to know what word is used for compensation.  I suspect la recompense and le prix are similar to their use in English when referring to a competition.  tx

[Chantal Savignat]

Hello Alan

Labor laws are very complex in France.

The first word, basis, is "Salaire" 

salaire = money you earn for doing a work.

Salaire brut is in 2 parts :

    Salaire net = money in your pocket.

+ charges = the whole big family of levies and tax whose only french people have the secret.

In France, for a temp job, the word for the compensation is "Rémunération". 

Rémunération = salaire + avantages.

avantages = for 1 working month you earn 2,5 days (for holidays) + some money because of temp job + some money because of transport, and other reasons.

Some special jobs used sometimes other special words instead of rémunération : rétribution, honoraires (médical - notaires...) émoluement ....

Indemnité : not the same meaning. Indemnité is used for money you may earn in a job, but not for the work. For the transport, or the lunch, for medical vacation for exemple, or for unemployement time.

Récompense : may be used for a work but with the idea of thanks. You did a great job or an extra, or a very helpful job, you may have une récompense.

Un prix is not used for a compensation. Un prix is for competitions or games.

Une récompense is used too in this situation. Une récompense or un prix are used for a award in movie industry too.

If you win in law, the official words are "dommages et intérêts"