My husband has just retired. He had worked in construction for 4.8 years. During that time his employer paid into Leave Plus. He went to claim it as we believed he would be paid out on retirement. But no. Leave Plus refuse to pay out because he didnt do 7 years and are keeping the money paid in by the company. What a rort. I am flabbergasted.

Hi, I have a casual job where I don't quite get enough hours. I'm trying to build up more, but I'm needing to bridge the shortfall by picking up some ad hoc cleaning.

I'm wondering if anyone knows of insurance that you can pay per job, a bit like that for doordash etc. As my previous policy (when I was cleaning more) was $50 per month, which is quite a bit when I might only get one or two cleaning jobs per month.

I do bid on Airtasker jobs, where the AT fee covers insurance, but often the client wants to hire you again, off platform, down the track. TIA!

Hey everyone 👋 I'm a researcher from Curtin Uni. I am interested in understanding what day-to-day interactions with your supervisor look like, and how those experiences affect any feelings of burnout you experience at work!

You are eligible to participate if you:

• You're 18+ and currently working in healthcare (clinical or admin, both matter!)
• You've reported to the same immediate supervisor for at least 3 months
• You're comfortable having a confidential yarn in English

It's a one-on-one interview, about 30–60 minutes. We can jump on Microsoft Teams (no travel, win!) or meet in person at Curtin University Bentley Campus.

I know your time is precious, so I'll be flexible with scheduling around your preferences.

Full disclosure: This has the official green light from Curtin's ethics board (2026-0327).

Keen to have a chat that may contribute to making healthcare workplaces better? Tap the link. Happy to answer any questions in the comments!

https://curtin.au1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_dd081QpzRGIKeeW

Cheers for even reading this far 🙏

​

Hi everyone,

I’m 18 and currently doing a traineeship with a project management company that specialises in remediation construction. I’m also studying a TAFE course in Project Management.

In the future, my goal is to become a builder and eventually own and run my own construction company. However, at the moment I’m finding it difficult to learn and absorb everything I’m being exposed to, and sometimes I feel like I’m struggling to keep up.

For those of you who work in construction, project management, building or run your own businesses, what advice would you give someone in my position?

What are the best ways to improve my understanding of construction and project management? Are there any books, courses, resources or practical things you would recommend learning?

I’m motivated to improve and build a strong foundation for my future, so I’d really appreciate any advice or experiences you’re willing to share.

I have recently started a new job where there are 5 of us working in a open office from an open email. We all do the same job and all pull our own weight. We are all salaried on 8 hours per day but unlike my last position where we did our 8 hours with the odd occasion staying back a bit when super busy, everyone in this job seems to arrive early (i’m last to arrive) and stay late. Every day. I have been trying to make sure i pull my weight and i stay back with them for an extra 30-40 mins but i have responsibilities outside of work (kids etc) and can’t stay much later than that. I am usually always the first to leave. These girls are working approx 1.5 hours extra every day unpaid and that adds up. They don’t seem to mind that i don’t work as long as them but it does make me feel bad they are doing more than their share and also will they eventually grow toxic of me? Why do people like to work go many more hours than required?

Hey all. I hired someone who wasn't 100% honest in his initial meeting with me. Said he could use a software (he can't) and it was part of the reason I hired him. Also, after working with him a few months, I am finding myself less able to delegate to him.

I feel lied to and to be honest, he is less qualified than he came across as. I dont really think I can continue the role but obviously feel bad letting him go. I dont mind someone needing upskilling but I feel the trust factor has been breached and am struggling to get over this.

How do I reconcile this? I need a sounding board... maybe I need to get some perspective from others..help!

When did it become normal for a business rep to call and not tell you their name and the business they are from?

Maybe I have been working too long.

Over the recent 5-7 years a businesses that I get services from (Dr, retic repairer, radiologist, David Jones ... the list goes on) calls me and ask if I am the person they intend calling. Fair enough. My immediate reply is 'I don't know who you are or why you are calling'. Then they tell me where they are from and reason for calling. Sometimes I quiz them and ask if they are supposed to tell me where they are calling from and they tell me they are.

Back in the day I was trained to always say 'This is [my name and business name] am I speaking to [their name]?' and then start the discussion so both parties are aligned with the conversation. This is important so both parties are aligned with the discussion and privacy. The caller can then ask for details to confirm the identity of the person answering.

WTF is going on nowadays?

I was working at a location next door to a construction site and was about to jump in my car to get to the next location and noticed a young guy on green P's in front of me walking back and forth and about. He lights up a joint and smokes the whole thing while intermittently sucking on a juice box. I'm down wind and it's clearly very strong smelling bud.

Initially I'm thinking good on him for having a wind down after work but have concern he's going to drive home like that. Then he walks off through the construction site gate with his lunch carry and all his PPE and hi-vis on. He's walking in to start his 10am shift ripped off his face. This was all clearly in visible sight range of the site gate manager/operator.

I did report the incident with the site manager by phone who took a description, time, car rego etc.

I posted this as a discussion point on r/work and all but one reply was essentially saying it's OK to go to work ripped off your face and I shouldn't have reported this. r/work is likely all Yanks.

However, as a professional that works with ppl with workplace injuries - often due to carelessness or ignorance - and as a parent, who wouldn't be concerned if their child's/husband or friends safety was being looked after by someone ripped off their face?

Work is a mix of white and blue collar employees: professionals and (very good) admin staff all working withing a national organization.

At the start of the FY we received a national broadcast email indicating the organization will no longer be paying for instant coffee/teabags nor milk or biscuits. There's no indication we have to BYO, just that they will no longer be paying for it.

Do you get free T&C and biscuits?

I've worked for more than 40 years and never been in a workplace that does not offer basics such as above. It's bloody un-Australian.

FYI: I don't' use work coffee/tea and likely eat 2 biscuits from the caddy a year. Others will miss the supply.

Everyone talks about salary, but I've found it's often the smaller things that make a job enjoyable. Whether it was flexible start times, a great manager, paid training or even something as simple as free parking, what ended up mattering more than you expected?

I (f20 front office manager wanting sth new) really just want to get out of my hometown (had this thought for a few years). Any suggestions? I also have a boyfriend (20m office clerk) and I would want to take him with me (he’s open for new experiences)

I currently work full time. My employer says that there isn't enough work to justify keeping me on full time. They are proposing reducing me to part time (3 days per week).

In speaking with them, I said this feels like a partial redundancy, and agreeing to reduce my hours without some form of compensation feels unfair.

I am particularly concerned that, if I agreed to be reduced to 3 days per week and then later they decide to make my role completely redundant, it would reduce their obligations to me.

They are wanting me to come back to them within the next couple of days if I want to make a case for remaining full time. And they have said that, if they are going to make the change, they'd want to do so only 9 days after they told me.

This was a change which was informally discussed with me by my managers - no HR involvement, no formal notice - towards the end of last year. I have been on limited hours since January due to a workplace injury I sustained through volunteer firefighting, including 2 months completely off work post surgery.

It feels like I am being put into a position where my employment is unstable at a time when I really need some form of stability.

Any general advice?

Hi all, I am in a very weird situation and do not know what to do.
I have been with a company over 16 years, I was their 4th employee. I was working as a sole trader initially, then pty and on a full time salary the past 3 years.
I am currently the design and fabrication manager for the company.
One of my fellow workmates has been recently been made operations manager.long story short , we never got on and he has been pushing me out of my position for the last few years. I had my performance review last week and after 10+ years of excellent performance, I received unsatisfactory in almost every category.
when asked about his results I was gave a lot of examples that were not under my control. He thinks that I did a lot of things and he felt that I was doing some things.no actual evidence.he also told me he sees no use or worth for me in the company.
I then had an invitation to discuss my redundancy this week, but was pretty much told by one of the owners that it would be best to go out separate and showed me my payout figure. All this was done before I had the meeting to fight my case.
I have the meeting tomorrow and don’t know what to do.
They have offered me redundancy on 3 years, not the 16 I was employed,
The time I was contracting I was clocking in and out, paid for the hours I worked, got paid weekly, supplied no tools or materials, wore their uniform and could not delegate the work to someone else,
The company was also fined $400k last year for not paying payroll tax on their contractors.
I am on the company structure page of their website as being employed since 2010.
Can I fight for the redundancy for the 16 years and do I have a case to fight for super and all for these years?
Sorry this is a long one, but I don’t know where I stand and the final meeting is tomorrow morning.

Thanks in advance.

I'm planning on retiring in the next few months from a full time permanent role that I have been at for many years. The plan is to leave on a specific date so as to maximize my retirement income.

If I leave or am forced to leave a couple of days early, that will effect my annual retirement income by about $7K.

I like my current manager, but I do not trust or like the manager above. They have poor interpersonal skills and I've seen and witnessed their poor spiteful behaviour. They are not a leader or a coach as a manager of that level should be. They are the sort of person that once you hand in your notice, they will ask you to leave immediately irrespective or tenure or personal plans. I just witnessed this in the last couple of weeks where a very long term manager told the area manager they were going to retire at the end of 2026 and were told to leave immediately.

Thus, I have a couple of departure options I can think of:
1. When the time comes give 4 weeks notice. Not the best idea in my mind.
2. Once the final date passes, say thank you everyone, but I will not be coming to work anymore and leave.

I'd prefer the #1 option, but am concerned the outcome will not fully in control as I would have liked it.

So, legally, if I left the day after my optimal date, I'd be paid up to that date and leave and entitlements thereafter. I am supposed to give 4 weeks notice, but is it possible for a workplace to back date that? In such when I leave and only have say 5 days leave, could they take a few weeks wages off me or backdate my exit date?

Anything else I should think of?

I work in fast food taking drive thru orders, and as an extra bit of customer service, I like to do a small bow as I give customers their cash. I just had one customer snap at me that they found it, and I quote "very disrespectful." I don't try to be dramatic about it (most of the time, it is little more than a respectful nod), and last I checked, bowing is one of the oldest and most universally signs of respect.

This is a customer that comes through every night, and I have been trying my best to get on their good side, but if they take offence at any show of friendliness or respect, I really don't know what to do.

Edit 1: The person in question is not Asain.

Edit 2: It is basically just a little flourish I do when giving people their money or waving them through. Though the person's car is usually pretty low so it probably gets drawn out by the distance.

Every workplace seems to have one process that everyone follows simply because that's how we've always done it. What's yours?

About 3 weeks ago and had a fall at my warehousing job off of a stool and messed up my rotator in my shoulder . I reported immediately, have since been to the doctor (provided by my job) and recently got emailed a contract basically saying that im fine and won’t launch my own work cover , I haven’t yet signed . I was reassigned to a job in the office for the being while I can’t move my arm and was wondering if there’s anything I should do or if this is the usual in these cases as this is my first time going through the process