public class Employee
{
    [Key]
    public long AutoId { get; set; }

    [Required]
    Display(Name = "Employee ID")]
    public string EmployeeId { get; set; }

    [Required]
    [DataType(DataType.Password)]
    [Display(Name = "Password")]
    public string EmployeePassword { get; set; }
    public string FirstName { get; set; }
    public string LastName { get; set; }
    public string MiddleName { get; set; }
}

$(function () {
    ko.applyBindings(LoginVm);
});

//VIEW MODEL. MODEL IS BELOW THIS
var LoginVm = {

    thisEmp: ko.observable(EmpObject),

    LogUser: function () {
        var self = this;

        //trying to check if thisEmp properties has values by alerting
        alert("ID: " + thisEmp.EmployeeId() + " Password: " + thisEmp.EmployeePassword());

        $.ajax({
            url: '/Employee/AuthenticateUser',
            type: 'POST',
            dataType: 'json',
            data: ko.toJSON(thisEmp),
            contentType: 'application/json',
            success: function (errorMsg) {
                if (errorMsg === '') {

                }
            }
        });


    }
};

//MODEL
var EmpObject = {
    EmployeeId: ko.observable(''),
    EmployeePassword: ko.observable('')
}

@using (Html.BeginForm()) {
    @Html.ValidationSummary(true)

    <fieldset>
        <legend>Employee</legend>

        <div class="editor-label">
            @Html.LabelFor(model => model.EmployeeId)
        </div>
        <div class="editor-field">
            @Html.TextBoxFor(model => model.EmployeeId, new { data_bind="value: thisEmp.EmployeeId()"})
            @Html.ValidationMessageFor(model => model.EmployeeId)
        </div>

        <div class="editor-label">
            @Html.LabelFor(model => model.EmployeePassword)
        </div>
        <div class="editor-field">
            @Html.PasswordFor(model => model.EmployeePassword, new { data_bind="value: thisEmp.EmployeePassword()"})
            @Html.ValidationMessageFor(model => model.EmployeePassword)
        </div>B

        <p>
            @*<input type="submit" value="Create"/>*@
            <input type="button" value="Login" data-bind="click: LogUser"/>
        </p>
    </fieldset>
}

Uncaught TypeError: Unable to process binding "value: function (){return thisEmp().EmployeeId }"
Message: Cannot read property 'EmployeeId' of undefined
    at value (eval at createBindingsStringEvaluator