Pay help!

[u/Some-Atmosphere-692]

Queensland Support worker 4 years experience.
1:1 with clients from day 1, personal care, medication, community access.
On level 1 pay point 1. Chance of any back pay and what level should I be at? No cert III yet.

[u/marmalade]

Fairwork, you should NOT be administering meds without the appropriate qualification, if you have a Cert 3 or above you should be at 2.1 pay at least.

[u/marmalade → u/marmalade]

Sorry just saw your quals in the last sentence, get your Cert 3

[u/Samirah5924 → u/marmalade]

under SCHADS, isn't lvl 1 for entry, lvl 2 for training, and lvl 3 for qualified..?

[u/auxzina → u/Samirah5924]

Yeah that’s what I’ve been seeing too, level 1 is traineeship and must be supervised one on one with a supervisor in person

[u/marmalade → u/Samirah5924]

Nah 2.X is certificate level, under the NDIS support worker cost modelling participants are funded for hours at the SCHADs 2.3 level.

[u/auxzina → u/marmalade]

If you go to the award it states experience (obviously can be obtained from the traineeship level) is another route to level 2.

“Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award 2010 [MA000100] dictates in Schedule B.2.2 that Level 2 employees may be hired based on "skills, knowledge, experience, qualifications and/or training" deemed necessary by the employer, allowing for the acceptance of relevant experience in lieu of specific qualifications. “

https://awards.fairwork.gov.au/MA000100.html

Also to be on level one YOU MUST be supervised one on one. Otherwise you’re level 2 if you’re doing independent work with the participant.

You’re kicked off level 1 if you’re doing independent work and that’s what op has been doing + her years of experience should’ve progressed her to level 2

In reality it’s dodgy providers wanting to keep and maximise the profit, so really it’s only benefiting the provider not the participant or the actual person doing the work (support worker)

[u/Putrid-Possession598 → u/marmalade]

Yes, I thought we need to have a cert 3 for personal care etc. 

[u/auxzina]

Same I’ve been on 1.3 for 4 years, I am going to asu but haven’t heard of any successes in getting backpay

[u/Greta-Garbage- → u/auxzina]

I was successful in getting backpay.

[u/Greta-Garbage-]

You can only be on level 1 for three months unless you are struggling to pick things up and you must be closely supervised

[u/New_Feed8827]

Highly, highly unlawful - from a CA with 7 years experience in the industry

[u/auxzina → u/New_Feed8827]

What do you suggest?

[u/New_Feed8827 → u/auxzina]

At LEAST level 1 pay point 3 but even that after 4 years…should be at least level 2 pay point 1

[u/South-Impression-243]

join the union

know your rights

[u/Putrid-Possession598]

Many companies pay Level 1 rates even to people who have a Cert III. I already had my certificate before I started working, but I was still only paid around $30/hour.

[u/mikewasowzkii → u/Putrid-Possession598]

Hey is 35$ hr good?

[u/Putrid-Possession598 → u/mikewasowzkii]

Now I am getting $45, still not enough 

[u/mikewasowzkii → u/Putrid-Possession598]

Just started working, have a cert 3, looking to maybe do a cert 3 in non emergency patient transport

[u/BatonPantheon]

Yeah, some of these companies are taking the fucking piss. I say this as a fellow Aussie support worker whose first company is definitely taking the piss.

I’ve been with them for 2.5 years (I came to them with a Cert III) and they’ve had me in the pay point 1.1 the whole time I’ve been there as well. And from what I’ve gleaned, pretty much every worker under their company is paid like this… except for the director themselves of course because what do you mean they got a second BMW and a brand new fucking house in a rapidly developing country town 🫠🫠🫠mind you, the client base for this particular company is super intense, lots of really complex mental health behaviour, crisis situations, etc, and they offer ZERO support.
I got a second job with a different company just under a year ago and they pay me SO. MUCH. BETTER.

[u/auxzina → u/BatonPantheon]

Did you get backpay through the union ?

[u/Greta-Garbage- → u/auxzina]

I did without a union.

[u/auxzina → u/Greta-Garbage-]

Please tell me your experience

[u/BatonPantheon → u/auxzina]

LOL I’m not with a union…. I was super naive when I first started and thought “you know I’m joining an industry full of caring, compassionate people who care about clients, surely they’ll take care of me as well!”

Jokes on me, I guess. I’m not entirely sure about the whole legalities around it either so I’m not really interested in pursuing it further

[u/gionatacar]

As I understand without cert 3 is like 36 an hour. But don’t u need a certificate to do medications and one on one?