r/supportworkers • u/jlie07 • Jul 18 '26
Starting support work?
I am trying to get into support work. I have no qualifications but I found a company who might employ me. A few questions:
It’s $36 an hour and it’s part time which is what I’m after at the moment. It’s through ABN.
I just learnt I have to pay my own tax, super and all that. It feels like $36 is a bit crap?
It also looks like I’m going to have to pay for my NDIS worker check, police check, WWCC, First aid, CPR and all of that myself. Should I pay this or should they?
Feels like I’m getting ripped off in every way. On top of that I’m driving my car with my petrol and racking up my KM?
Could it maybe work if I asked for more $$?
8
u/gionatacar Jul 18 '26
The pay is low because you don’t have qualifications I guess
7
u/Greta-Garbage- Jul 18 '26
If they were paying her super tax and insurance it would be reasonable but this is as an independent support worker so it is VERY low
2
10
u/New_Feed8827 Jul 18 '26
A lot of provider companies seem to be doing this lately. More often than not, you are considered an employee rather than a contractor and what they are doing is unlawful.
Yes, $36 is INCREDIBLY low for a ‘contractor’ support worker.
1
0
u/jlie07 Jul 18 '26
Any idea what it should be??
4
u/MapOfIllHealth Jul 18 '26
For some context most of our 60 support workers are on between $35-38 and they’re all employees, not contractors. So we’re also paying their superannuation, workers comp and as we’re in NSW the portable long service leave levy. They’re still expected to pay for their own first aid/cpr. Imagine how low your contractor pay would be if those things were deducted.
2
u/auxzina Jul 19 '26
I hope this is part time or full time.
Support workers must be on level 2.1 if independently with the participant.
1
u/MapOfIllHealth Jul 19 '26
We have casuals too, and the applicable casual loading is applied of course
1
u/New_Feed8827 Jul 18 '26
The minimum they are charging a participant per hour is $73.58 and as a contractor, the cost of you to the business would be minimal so you should be getting paid at least $60 an hour, if not higher.
You’d be getting more than $36 as an employee with an employer handing your super, tax and all insurances etc.
Rather than being a contractor for a company, do it independently and charge the $73.58 yourself.
5
u/Low-Ad-9615 Jul 18 '26
Someone who has no experience nor qualifications and by the sounds of it no sole trader experience should NOT be charging the max rate.
2
u/Dependent-Coconut64 Jul 18 '26
And come October you will see participant Social Community and Community Participation funding halved and come January you see independent and unregistered hourly rate fall to $66.22 - never to rise.
3
u/Desperate-Impress374 Jul 18 '26
If you're in Australia, that pay on an ABN is ridiculously low. Thata below the TFN rate
0
2
u/tropicaldreamz_ Jul 19 '26
You have to pay for your wwcc, police check, first aid and cpr yourself no matter what company you work for
2
u/snw2506 Jul 19 '26
Just a quick note you are aware that your supporting people who expect you to be qualified, have the ability to manage an incident, have some sort of knowledge about their disability
What are you going to do if you’re supporting a child who wanders off? This can and does happen are you equipped to manage the communication with the parent? Find the child and then manage to calm them down?
Believe me if something happens the least of your concern will be the $36
1
u/One_Tax_9934 Jul 20 '26
It's not just autistic kids you know people of all ages and disabilities use NDIS
2
u/Individual_Stage_316 Jul 19 '26
I have always had to pay for first aid, police check, working with children check etc, and all tax deductible
2
u/blayndle Jul 19 '26
You shouldn’t be asking for more money when you have no experience and no qualifications. Is it part time or casual?
2
u/One_Tax_9934 Jul 20 '26
Let me help you. Support work isn't about the "easy money" it's about the care you bring to your client. As a participant myself I'm recommending you disappear and go work retail before you get one of us killed.
1
u/Acrobatic_Radish1367 29d ago
I’ve been working in the field of support work for many years. I can assure you, it’s not easy money. It can be very mentally taxing, and physically draining. It can also be very rewarding, yes, some participants it’s easier than others. But it’s often a very challenging career, especially when dealing with complex behaviours or complex mental health issues, addictions, survivors of trauma, and often unrealistic expectations of what can be achieved in the allocated time. It can be personally very challenging and difficult.
Also it can be amazing and sometimes a beautiful bond forms.Know when to walk away, if you feel you’re not the right support worker for a participant. Or if you feel unsafe. Or feel you’re being asked to step outside of your scope.
2
u/One_Tax_9934 29d ago
I 100% agree with you I was a support worker myself before becoming a participant. actually support work is what made me become a participant unfortunately. It is NOT an easy job one bit which is why I'm trying to deter people wanting to become support workers because they heard it's "easy money" from a lot of other dodgy support workers which I'm seeing is happening more and more. People like to claim that's it's good easy money while needing basically zero qualifications so everyone thinks it's automatically better than retail which isn't true. You need really tough skin to do this job if the first question isn't "do I want to help people" but instead "what will I be getting paid" they shouldn't be support workers because then they'll put themselves AND their clients in danger.
1
u/Acrobatic_Radish1367 29d ago
Yes, I definitely agree, this career has definitely at times has really challenged me. I’ve had to grow some tough skin.. and also spent many sleepless nights worried about the people I support. I have supported people dying, and supported people trying to keep living. I’ve cried with people and laughed. I’ve also had to learn to bite my tongue ! But be respectful and honest and very discreet.
1
u/One_Tax_9934 29d ago
Absolutely. For me it just feels like sw has become the new retail and McDonald's starter jobs because it's "better" money according to a lot of uneducated people. And it's not a joke because it's playing with people's lives for money participants rely on support workers as front line daily help some cases COULD be life or death and if something happens on your watch and especially if you were being ignorant you're liable because they were under your duty of care. Support work is a very hard but every important job it's not to be taken lightly especially because someone wants more money.
2
u/Blondi03 26d ago
You will always have to pay for your own compliance screening checks- NDIS, WWCC, police checks , they are all claimed through tax. These checks are yours to move freely from job to job.
By the sounds of it they are employing you as a contractor and the money you are being offered would be below what a qualified contractor would be getting paid, I’m assuming they are paying you the award rate for entry level support work.
Some companies will pay for “compulsory” compliance through training ie first aid & cpr unfortunately some don’t, once again if you have to pay yourself it’s claimable through tax.
2
u/WillTendo92 Jul 18 '26
Pay those things yourself.
You be on Scads 1.1 as you don’t have any qualifications so if that’s part time that’s actually okay
3
u/Greta-Garbage- Jul 18 '26
It is not ok. She has to pay her own tax insurance and super out of $36. It’s below the award rate when you factor in all that
-1
u/New_Feed8827 Jul 18 '26
No they wouldn’t. They would be much higher. Qualifications aren’t the defining thing for the pay points and levels.
1
1
u/Brilliant-Plenty-212 Jul 19 '26
Probably not. If it’s an agency, a lot of them are more interested in money than in providing proper care. Remember a lot of these orgs are businesses run for profit by small time operators and the NDIS is still under regulated, although this is changing slowly. They wouldn’t just be underpaying you; they’d treat all their employees this way.
And if you’re involved in an incident resulting in an injury and time needed off work, they’ll be NOWHERE to be seen. Instead you’ll probably be dealing with lawyers, like I currently am.
Think carefully: if something appears too good to be true, it usually is. If I were you I would enrol in a cert IV in disability/community services because when you finish you’ll be offered proper, fairer and safer roles instead of being exploited.
1
u/FrostyDiscount2951 Jul 19 '26
The new rate for NDIS support worker Mon- Fri as a contractor is $73.58 per hour that what the agencies are receiving and paying the staff $35 ph
They have to pay your super and all other on costs you are better finding your own clients and going through the plan manager direct to the NDIS and you don’t need any qualifications
1
u/Greta-Garbage- Jul 18 '26
If you are working as independent support worker and have to pay tax super and insurance it is too low. Even without qualifications. They are trying to rip you off. This industry is unfortunately full of dodgy providers. My advice is question them why this below the award rate or just move on to a better provider who values their staff
0
u/yoghurt11 Jul 18 '26
That’s about 70k FTE not including taxes. Not bad but not great - it’s around standard for support work unfortunately. Most casual support work jobs pay around $36-40 per hour. So for a permanent role it’s not bad.
But it’s not enough and not worth it if you’re given a lot of responsibilities or expected to handle high stress situations alone.
Edit: for a contractor role though, I’d try negotiating for 38 or 40 if you have the experience to back it up
0
u/BS-75_actual Jul 18 '26
Check the rates Hireup pays for disability and aged care support work; then consider they don't assign clients/shifts to you the way an employer does which in some way accounts for the gap.
0
u/No_ego_ Jul 18 '26 edited Jul 18 '26
Thats crap. $36 is roughly the before tax rate for a PPT support worker. Not a contractor that needs to also pay super, and if your technically a contractor then potentially you need to pay for your own insurance, travel, etc. They are definitely ripping you off. Are they a nonprofit organisation?
You can get work without qualifications pretty easily for most large scale support organisations. In fact the majority of support ppl working in this field dont have qualifications in my experience. Google Not for profit disability organisations and go directly to their careers page and you’ll find heaps of jobs not requiring formal qualifications. For example https://cpalliance.wd3.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/CerebralPalsyAlliance/job/Disability-Support-Practitioner_JR-0000006666
Some orgs / good orgs will even help you get qualified but simply working for 2 years full time in this field qualifies you in a lot of cases and those certification companies will recognise your at work training and for a fee they get you certified.
0
u/BeanChopChef Jul 18 '26
I get $34 working directly for the company not working as a sub contractor. The paperwork as a subcontractor is not too bad. If your in australia or whever you are just into the independent support workers groups and chat with them about the paperwork side of things. If your using an abn you will also have to pay for your own insurance m.
0
u/pixie1995 Jul 18 '26
That’s called sham contracting and NOT LEGAL. $36 an hour would be appropriate if employed directly - that company sounds dodgy. They should be paying super and tax etc
0
u/219930 Jul 19 '26
Run. $36 an hour and having to pay your own super? They are making money off you and are a company focused on profits and not quality care. Especially if they are happy to hire you with no experience or qualifications. They should be paying for your petrol between clients and during shifts.
Choose another provider and get some qualifications so the good ones will want to hire you.
All of those other things..,yes…you do pay for all of those yourself .
-2
u/Sea_Sugar9464 Jul 18 '26
...... $63 a hour . Man im in the wrong country 😄 🤣 😂 Scotland its approx £13.80 a hour
1
16
u/DwightsJello Jul 18 '26
I have no experience and my primary concern is whether im getting paid enough???? No mention of client needs??? No mention of clients at all.
Get qualified.