Apparently, it's now so hard to get construction workers in the Northern Territory some employers are paying staff a $100 a week bonus not to take sickies. The Northern Territory News reports that paying money to ensure people don't take Monday off for fishing or drinking has proved necessary to prevent a labour shortage. Is this supply and demand in action, a sensible compromise, or an assault on the time-honoured Aussie sickie tradition? Let us know what you think -- and any good sickie deals you've managed -- in the comments.
NT workers' no-sickie bonus

As the end of the financial year approaches, it's tempting to head into the boss' office and ask for a pay rise. An article on strategies to do that at news.com.au offers a bunch of useful suggestions, including this one: don't just think about asking for cash. Getting the option of flexible working hours, or additional time to work at home, may be just as valuable as cold hard cash -- and much simpler for your immediate manager to approve. Would you accept better conditions in lieu of more cash, or does money really talk? Let us know in the comments.

How to ask for a pay rise ... and get it

Previously mentioned job search engine Indeed adds new search criteria for all listings: salary. Enter the position you're interested in with a yearly salary requirement—like web developer $70,000—and Indeed returns listings that match. Most job listings don't mention salary, so Indeed estimates the pay for each by using similar postings that do. Not a perfect system, but still a nice way to avoid wasting time on jobs that are completely out of your payscale. See also how you can compare salaries for a position in a given zip code with Indeed.

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