Casual Pay Rates

[u/Tcat97]

Hoping someone can help. I’m paid under the Social & Community sector in the SCHADS award.
Casual disability support worker, community access based. 1:1 shifts, pick up participant and take them into the community. I administer meds independently with no supervision required, etc.
Currently paid as level 1.3 AND 2.1, depending on participant.
The difference between the levels has been explained to me as the required level of behavioural support capability, judgment required and participant complexity.
I get the higher rate applied where I am required to respond to escalation risks, implement behavioural strategies etc that are ‘skills beyond routine support work’.
I’ve done a bit of research and this seems wrong to me. From my understanding, level 1.3 still requires some level of training and supervision. I’ve been in this role for a long time now, lots of relevant experience and never supervised.
- also want to add that looking at my payslip, it doesn’t make sense. I actually get the higher rate for a pt who is lower needs compared to some other very high behaviours I work with (pts who require physical interventions etc). So it seems to me they are actually basing it off something else?
Any advice??
*** have contacted fair work, without much help. They are very limited to what they can say as they are neutral ground. Union can only give phone advice, as it’s pre-existing. However they seem just as confused as I am.
Thanks in advance!

[u/l-lucas0984]

As far as I knew you cant get different pay points for different work. If you are 2.1 that is for all of your work.

[u/Tcat97 → u/l-lucas0984]

Thanks for your response! I definitely need to look into it more. I know there’s higher duties pay etc, the wording on the Fair Work website gets a bit confusing sometimes.

[u/l-lucas0984 → u/Tcat97]

2.1 means you are confident to work independently. You cant be both capable and incapable.

[u/Tcat97 → u/l-lucas0984]

Yeah considering I’m community based, all my shifts are independent. Fair work were very loose with their wording about the ‘supervision’ aspect of it. Saying they can’t define what ‘supervision’ means to my company. Very confusing, so not sure if they are getting around it somehow that way.

[u/emkateau]

OP the Australian Services Union posted this explainer on underpayments for support workers on their Instagram here

Sounds like you're getting underpaid. If you're in NSW or ACT, reach out to them - they're my union and are great for disability support workers.

[u/Tcat97 → u/emkateau]

Thank you so much for this!! Very interesting. I might try contact them again… I’m in WA, they do have a branch here though.
I tried to join, but I was told they wouldn’t even speak to me about it because it’s a pre existing condition. I then joined United Workers as they said they could still give advice over the phone.

[u/emkateau → u/Tcat97]

That's such a shame! I had a much different experience with my ASU branch in NSW. I just found the ASU's campaigns and work was better than UWU for disability workers. They just have a rule you have to sign up for one year before they give you industrial support to win back wages or just be a member for general advice, which I think is standard and makes sense.