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could find, even jobs far from what she wanted. But her heart was still in coffee. Then, finally, a busy little café in inner-city Sydney said yes. “Let’s start you as a casual and see how you go.” Amira didn’t know much about payroll, Awards, or employment law—and like most workers, she hadn’t been taught to. These things just aren’t something most employees think about—until they have to. Her new workplace, Coffee Chaos, lived up to its name. It was fast- paced, popular, and constantly buzzing. The vibe was friendly, but turnover was high. Amira never thought to question any of it. The café outsourced payroll. The manager didn’t really consider classifications. Her focus was

rosters, shifts, and keeping the doors open. Not because she didn’t care, but because no one had ever told her she needed to think about casual conversion. Her job was to keep things moving. Amira worked hard. She started with one shift a week. Then two. Then five. Soon she was opening and closing the café, training new staff, chatting with regulars who knew her by name. She became the go-to person—essential, reliable, part of the furniture. Before she knew it, two and a half years had passed since she’d been hired “just to see how she’d go.” One afternoon, while training a new team member, it came up that she was still a casual. “Wait… you’ve been here how long? Aren’t you permanent by now?” That question stuck. Why wasn’t she? She worked regular hours. Took on responsibilities. She certainly felt permanent. She mentioned it to her friend Jason, a uni student studying HR across the road. He didn’t hesitate. “You were eligible for conversion ages ago,” he said.

She thought of something her grandfather used to say when she was little: “When you stay silent in the face of wrongdoing, you become part of it.”

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GLOBAL PAYROLL MAGAZINE ISSUE 14

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