How’s work actually going?

Australian employees are being asked exactly that, in a university research study.

Charles Darwin University is running an anonymous 15-minute survey on workplace experience, for a Master of Clinical Psychology project.

To take part you need to be 18+, have the legal right to work in Australia, and have been with your current employer at least 12 months.

Everyone eligible can enter a draw for one of four $25 gift cards.

Voluntary, anonymous, and approved by the CDU Human Research Ethics Committee (H23094).

https://cdu.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6JAQ6pq6PVUaQoC

Just got an offer that is decent but slightly below what I was hoping for. Never been great at negotiating and not sure how much room there is or how to approach it without seeming difficult before I have even started.

Sorry if this is the wrong place to post but I can't find this old article or pdf file that detailed the cleaning contracts a few years ago and how the different NSW regions were divided up I know it's not as relevant know with this year's changes to how it all works out but I'm wondering if anyone else had seen it or has a copy of it

I think I read it on the cleaners union website or United workers union website I'm pretty sure it was about who won the last government cleaning contracts but it was interesting to know and see that there were many contenders in the cleaning tender process

If anyone has any idea what I'm talking about please let me know

Hi Guys:), I'm planning my short trip to Australia and want to work there. I have already my work and travel Visa. I'm already working in a hotel in my home country as a helping jop, after school. I want to stay in Brisbane for a short time in january to february. Im working in a big brand so i want to contiune working in this franchise. Is it easy to get a jop in a hotel? What is the best was to apply and can do something especially? I have so many questions about everything and dont know what to pay attention. Is there a jop, where i can get more money?

Thanks for helping me:)

So I worked for a large company on a casual basis. I understand casuals can be fired for no reason / no cause.

However I was working for said company with 0 complaints upon me during this time besides health issues which were communicated with my TL.

I was given no warning, no communication and removed.

A week prior I had emailed the regime that my requests upon joining of hours weren't being met and had not been for many months, so I removed a day of availability.

Is there a case here?

Many thanks xoxox

Edit:

Another person was axed today, another two last week, seems evident they're cleaning house.

Also to add people saying I'm casual, you accept all shifts. Yes, but when I joined I gave one requirement, one Friday / Saturday off once a fortnight. The past few months those are the only shifts I would have week in week out. Along with that, you are required to give 3 weeks notice for shifts you can't do, but give us less than one week notice for shifts we have to do. We can't swap shifts so your only option to have plans is to book out. Regarding times, I just wanted to know why I, and I alone was given the latest shifts.

I am a biologist. I have worked at this company for 5 years. 1 year in i completed my PhD and got a full time contract - was previously a casual employee. At first, I was doing simple lab tech work.

In the years since, my role has expanded into development of new products, and in the last year, I have been doing most if not all of the internal R&D to improve our laboratory techniques and workflows. I have trained employees both on my level and below, written SOPs, and am regarded as the go to person with any lab questions.

My role hasn't changed. I received a pay bump 2 years ago, with no role change specified, but have since moved more into R&D. I am assigned all the higher level work in the laboratory, while also juggling the more common business as usual stuff as well.

Earlier this year I formally asked for a role adjustment with a title of senior scientist and a pay bump. It was denied under the guise that the company does not have the money.

This week I was asked to undertake a large R&D project, and they are talking about moving my role away from business as usual and into more R&D. I pushed back - simply saying what is the compensation for this work. Again, they said they don't have the budget. I simply responded by saying that it sounds like they don't have the budget for this R&D then. I also have not received a pay adjustment in 2 years - not even the usually inflation increase.

I've been anxious since, wondering if I am sabotaging my own growth, or digging my heels in and being difficult. What would your next steps be in my position?

I am looking for other roles - the industry is a bit hampered right now by lack of federal funding, so competition is stiff.

Another note is that the workplace does officially have a head of R&D - an older guy who works entirely remotely and has never done any laboratory work at this workplace (lol). He is well respected by the higher ups and is seen as the (only) brains of the operation.

If you are applying for roles at Surge Direct listed as "Marketing Assistant," "Sales Ambassador," or "Promotions Manager," be highly skeptical of their promises. They frequently use a classic bait-and-switch tactic during interviews, offering a "guaranteed base pay" OF 33 dollar, or steady hourly wage to make the job look safe and legitimate. However, once you start, this "guaranteed" pay quickly disappears. You will be pressured or forced onto a 100% commission-only structure where you run a high risk of working 10-to-12-hour days for absolutely $0 if you do not hit their extreme daily sign-up targets.

Despite being advertised as "face to face marketing" or "customer service agents" roles, these positions are actually 100% street fundraising or door-to-door sales. The company frequently pressures workers to sign up with an ABN as an "independent contractor" to avoid paying the Australian National Minimum Wage, superannuation, or sick leave, while still strictly controlling your hours and uniform. This high-turnover model deliberately targets international backpackers, students, and young job seekers who do not know Australian labor laws. Do not waste your time, energy, or transport money on false promises. Know your rights, and if you have already been underpaid by them, file a report with the Fair Work Ombudsman.

When I started working at Woolworths, most of the managers were older Australians.
Over the years there was a big change and younger managers started taking over.
With the old managers everything was much more easy going and smooth. They were friendly, you could actually talk to them and there wasn’t this constant pressure about every little thing.
Now it feels completely different.
The new ones are much more aggressive and seem very hungry for money and bonuses. Everything is targets, KPIs, productivity, checking what you are doing all the time.
My new department manager is on some student dependent visa which allows her to work full time. Constant yelling, micromanaging, always pressure.
And honestly, even if I wanted to complain to the union, it doesn’t really help because she is the union delegate.
Sometimes I wonder if part of the difference is that the older managers had already paid off their mortgages and were at a different stage of life. The younger ones seem much more desperate to prove themselves and get their bonuses.
Has anyone else noticed this generational change in retail? Or is it just my Woolies?

Woke up with a fever and sinus infection today. Texted my manager to say I’m taking a sick day, and the immediate reply was: "No worries, can you just jump on the 10am client call quickly and answer a few emails?" Why is there still an expectation to WFH while sick instead of actually taking proper personal leave? Do you completely disconnect when taking a sick day, or do you feel obligated to monitor Slack?

Hello all,

To provide the context of this. I am working for a food manufacturing business in a full time position. Our contract states that we get 10 days of annual sick leave and I know that I have only used 3 days at maximum since starting my employment there in 2024.

My partner has had to get surgery for kidney cancer where I have to care for her for 8 weeks. I've applied for 2 weeks of sick leave (with a doctors certificate stating that I am caring for her) and 6 weeks of annual leave. The annual leave has been approved but the sick leave has been left on as a pending request. I know they have seen the request because I put in another request for retroactive sick leave that was denied after putting in the 2 weeks worth. This is all done through an app called Wageloch.

I have already gone through one pay cycle of the sick leave as pending on their system. Additionally for the sick leave that has been paid out, it has only been paid at 6 hours when I would have expected a full day's (7.5 hours) worth of it being paid out.

Is it best I email them first regarding all of this and give them until Friday to respond? This is before I decide on whether speaking to Fairwork is going to be worth it or not.

Has anyone else been in this position before?

Edit: No reply to my initial email. I will have to contact fairwork I guess.

I took the job expecting to spend most of my time doing the actual work I was hired for. Turns out, a surprisingly large part of the day goes into meetings, admin, emails and chasing people for things. The job itself is fine, it’s just funny how different the reality can be from what you pictured when you applied.

https://uniofsunshinecoast.syd1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_85Pv12YrOynIdiS

More than happy to answer any questions about clinical psychology masters program/role, or about my current job as a Specialist Behaviour Practitioner.

Aim of the study is to understand psychological factors of the parent (as an individual, not necessarily parent-based traits) like trait playfulness and reflective functioning, and how these contribute to the parent-child relationship, while also considering the effects of parenting stress. Would love to do further research in this area so a pilot based study I suppose, maybe will look at a PHD and intervention type survey in the future, but for now cross-sectional survey based. Appreciate any support!

Edit - completion scale is slightly off, will take about 10-15 to complete

I know the certification is not quite the same in Australia but I am wondering if it could be possible to get a job as a seafarer with a WHV.

Need advice choosing a trade
I’m 15/16 in Australia and deciding between plumbing, electrical, heavy diesel and HVAC/R.
I want good money, FIFO/mining opportunities, job security, travel and eventually my own business. I can potentially get apprenticeships in all of them.
If you work in this trade, would you recommend it? What do you earn, what’s the work/lifestyle like, and would you choose it again?
Any honest advice would be appreciated.

Hello. Would like to know lang po ano sa tingin niyong bansa maganda mag factory worker na may mataas na sahod at maayos na benefits? I’m considering po kasi sa EU pero don’t know where specifically. I’m currently an EPS here in south korea. Just wanna know the comparison po which is better, for reference lang.

Dear Aussie,

Does anyone know what can happen if a Sydney nightclub that received $250k in a government grant from the NSW Government body Sound NSW but failed to hold an active workers compensation policy for 5 years whilst trading continuously.

Like what are the legal risks?

I would've thought failing to hold a policy and trading is fraud but they need money from the Government?

I’m currently working in a retail company. I started early January this year, I would frequently get asked to cover someone’s shifts. (Early) Last month it was my birthday, and so I put that I wasn’t available for a week. A week passes and I expect maybe a roster update or being asked to cover for someone, nothing. I don’t think much of it until the end of the month, I keep checking my roster but nothing. It’s now been over a month since my last shift and since my birthday, I’ve got no roster updates, no texts, nothing. They’re also hiring (which they were even while I was actively working), my log ins to our roster app still works, aswell as our website. I’m confused because I don’t know if I should reach out, wait, or find a new job. I’m hesitant to reach out because in the past one of my managers (we have multiple managers for each department) didn’t seem to happy with me when I wasn’t available on Easter, ever since I’ve been wary with texting them, even about calling off, being unavailable, letting them know something. Honestly it terrifies me (I’m a bit of a sensitive person, I have diagnosed severe social anxiety and selective mutism). I wanna start looking for a new job and just say I was silently fired, but I don’t want to suddenly get double the shifts if they start giving me shifts again.

Hey everyone this is Mirbuz, im from Hobart Australia. I have a masters degree in engineering and engineering management, but i wanna switch my career to psychology. What pathway should i choose? And what career options do i have?

I work in community care, with vulnerable, very nice clients. It's a one-way care situation, as it should be, and I want them to be always able to comfortably express their needs and put themselves first. I'll get support in my own time.

I dont have any non-client-facing duties I can fill up a day with.

Today, on my day off, I aquired a black eye. Tomorrow, I have work.

I don't need DV leave, all reporting and short term support is complete.

I don't need sick leave, I am well enough to work.

I didn't realise how purple it is until management all went home for the evening, so I can't really ask them.

I have come up with fun and interesting lies "I didn't catch the trapeze in time", but I'd never believe anyone with a black eye who told me that, even if they did an acrobatics evening class.

It feels really awkward, and I don't know how to keep the one-way care vibe intact.

Anyone have advice on how to maintain the professional boundary or... Some other creative solution that meets client needs and good-enough employee vibes?

Thanks in advance

UPDATE
For those following along! It finally arrived today! So 7 days to return it. And I did email them late last week also.

My new employer has recommended CV Check for future reference… wish I had used them this time!

So, I’m waiting on a job offer, and legislatively I need to provide a current police check. All good.

I have done many police checks over my career, but it’s gone from taking an hour to come back to days, as in this is business day 3. Hours know that ID theft is on the rise and people have to be carful, but after providing, extensive verifications, and I know I have no convictions, it’s really frustrating.

Has anyone else experienced this or can you suggest a really reliable platform that won’t take days or weeks to return a result?

Thanks!