Money is one motivator for Ceja

Monsoon Burger, a restaurant owned by Pei Wang, has over 20 different items on the menu, but you can’t enjoy any of them until you’ve gone past Karina Ceja, if she’s on staff for the day.

Ceja has been working at Monsoon for over two years. She is normally a cashier, but since there is only one cashier and one cook on duty at a time, whenever she has free time on her shift, she tries to help the cook that is working with her.

Monsoon is open seven days a week, from 11 am to 9 pm, but Ceja only works three days a week – two night shifts and one morning shift. Each shift is five hours long. Ceja said that she prefers morning shifts since, after completing her tasks, she’s still able to have the rest of the day to herself.

Some of her customers look familiar because they come in regularly, but she has never really had full communication other than taking their order.

Every two weeks, Ceja gets a pay check that reflects her 30-hours at $12 per hour, minus taxes. “I don’t get paid enough for how busy it gets,” she said. did say she sees a customer every time she works throughout the week but has never really had full communication other than taking their order.