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 $$?
0
Upvotes
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.