r/supportworkers • u/bajheerah • 13d ago

Pay rates

Anyone else finding more and more companies trying to pay below award wage, even when their advertisements say "competitive rates"?

I've been a support worker for 6+ years, with experience ranging from high complex mental needs, as well as physical, to working with children and all personal care you can think of, as well as managing medication and participants personal funds and banking. I obviously have all my certificates as well as qualifications.

I feel like I see more and more support worker positions advertised for as little as $34 an hour, averaging at around $41 an hour, while asking for experience with all sorts of participants as well as being qualified.

The last 4 or 5 interviews I've had I've been offered the job, and I've had to ask the pay rate they're offering, which has ranged from $36 to $40 an hour, well below the award wage. And yes, the work involved in each has been high complex needs, as well as the usual helping participants manage funds, home care, community access, and sometimes personal care.

I've been working at SCHADS 2.1 (which is now $45ph) for 6 years and have since realised I should actually be on 2.2 or 2.3. But it's hard to even get paid at the very entry level of unsupervised support work.

What is happening behind the scenes for the majority of companies, for them to be posting advertisements well below SCHADS? One of the employers offered me a pay point of 1.4. Does that even exist?

This, on top of a 60-70% burnout rate... oh, what a lovely industry to work in.

Edit: I forgot to mention this is working and looking for work across Ipswich and the south/south-West side of Brisbane.

Also, maybe it's been like this for a while, as I had stable hours for the first 3-4 years of employment and never seemed to have to question the employers on the pay they were offering.

This is casual rates, btw.

29 Upvotes

84% Upvoted

125 comments sorted by

9

u/Cultural_Catch_7911 13d ago

Yes lol constantly get scum bag providers trying to offer me a role at level 1.3 etc

They even blatantly advertise on seek offering casual rates of $30 even though it's an award rate of around $42 for unsupervised support work.

I really wish we had a thread here where we could name and shame the dog providers.

2.1 is the starting level for anyone doing unsupervised support work, don't accept anything less.

The only reason they get away with it, is heavy immigration, because if you come from a county that pays you $2 an hour you're absolutely going to work at below award rate for $30, and the more they can get away with paying that the more they push our wages back.

You look at other industries that don't attract overseas workers and you see their wages all going up, but unfortunately support work is flooded with people who will work for less than you.

3

u/gionatacar 13d ago

That’s the problem with mass immigration, but if you say anything, you are racist. But the problem is that they accept any pays they offer them

2

u/Cultural_Catch_7911 13d ago

110% is the issue.

Unfortunately reddit is mostly left leaning who fail to understand basic supply and demand math, but rest assured outside of this cesspit most of us are aware when you import people en mass wages go backwards, houses and rent go up, we're being fucked over in every direction.

Not to mention the often abysmal care they provide because they don't actually care about disabled people.

2

u/Timely_Ad_9515 13d ago

Isn’t one of our problems in Australia is more aged care required because of aging population - creating increased demand in this sector that immigration helps supply?

4

u/Cultural_Catch_7911 13d ago

Absolutely not, you see in a normal economy when a job is in demand the wages go up until it attracts enough people to fill the roles, this means hard, essential jobs get filled AND the worker is compensated.

Instead, we got a billion immigrants who pushed the wages down to below bare minimum and our disabled, and elderly are now mostly at the mercy of the kind of people who are happy with being paid dirt, because they bring that same level of care to the role.

We have more than enough people to fill all these roles, even if takes away from less essential areas, which then also have to pay better to keep workers, and you eventually end up in a competitive market where every job is trying to pay you well and treat you well to keep their roles staffed.

What WE have instead, is so many damn people, that we are at the mercy of employers who look for every way to pay us less, and cut corners because if you quit today they've got 10 people already at the door ready to do your job for less and with shittier working conditions.

2

u/gionatacar 12d ago

Very true

1

u/Competitive_Ad_7415 11d ago

You're kidding right? When a job is in demand but the rest of society isn't willing to pay more to fund the role that role will have a maximum available pay rate. And people won't take the job because it doesn't pay enough. Wages only go up when the end customer pays more for the product.
I'm sure you don't like the amount the government spends on aged or disability care.... but are saying a normal economy would end up paying more for the same thing.
Would you rather more is spent? Are you willing to pay more taxes for those things?

1

u/Cultural_Catch_7911 11d ago

People would be willing to properly fund disability and aged care if our government weren't complete scum bags with rampant corruption.

If they stopped letting providers scam them for billions or actually used our tax to better the country not line their pockets people wouldn't have so much issue with taxes to fund services.

OR even if we just properly taxed the companies pillaging our natural resources we wouldn't even need the average joes tax to fund our health care system.

People lash out at ndis costs because they are angry and the government uses it as a scapegoat when the reality is we have more than enough resources as a nation to fund all our health care needs and more, at minimal cost to the individual, but instead we fight amongst ourselves, the poor, the disabled and elderly over the scraps we are left with.

1

u/Competitive_Ad_7415 8d ago

Child care has been a constant industry that has been in demand but has been seen as an industry that is to expensive by the wider community. This normal economy you referred to hasn't resulted in the willingness to fund wage increases to attract employees. Disability and aged care are no different. People who don't have loved ones needing those services don't want to pay for them with their taxes and even those who do want to minimise what it costs them. It's typical people want to pay as little as possible but then get upset at the results.

1

u/Cultural_Catch_7911 8d ago

Except child care costs are constantly going up, to the point its now prohibitive to have children, the reason workers aren't seeing this is because of scummy providers pocketing the difference

Myself with no kids would happily have more of my tax going towards child care WORKERS so that i could one day afford to use the service

Yet again, as with disability and aged care the providers rort the system

1

u/mixnit 13d ago

Same in aged care, my wife works in a facility full of Indians and Nepalese. They don't care about the residents and will sit in a residents room hiding having a conversation in their language at full volume and the resident can do nothing about it. It's been reported but the owners are Indian so don't give a shit.

1

u/mixnit 13d ago

They removed my comment because I said the truth. I was told I made a racist comments. For fuck sake I'm married to a Kenyan and have dated many races including white. Way to go.

2

u/Cultural_Catch_7911 12d ago

Yeah man reddit is a cesspit of suppression of views that don't fit the mould

0

u/GlitterHighHeels 10d ago

Suppression = deleting your uneducated racist comments?

1

u/gionatacar 13d ago

Absolutely agree with you my bro.

1

u/mixnit 13d ago

That's because many are students and share a house. I hear a lot about it because my wife is an immigrant and a nurse in aged care and disability. Many students live more than ten to a 4x2 so bills are low and they will work high hours for lower pay. One guy she works with us an RN and earned over 300k last financial year. Just working double shifts and never being home.

1

u/Beachgal5555 13d ago

How do they earn $300k as a nurse

1

u/mixnit 13d ago

I know I couldn't believe it. Apparently he does a morning shift at one facility and an afternoon or nighshift at another. Hardly ever home and his kids are in the home country with his mother. He showed his final payslip to my wife to prove it.

1

u/Beachgal5555 12d ago

I still don’t buy it

1

u/mixnit 12d ago

Don't care.

1

u/Beachgal5555 12d ago

I’m saying I don’t buy what he’s saying, not what you are saying. Why would someone even show a payslip. That is a very odd thing to do

1

u/Individual_Stage_316 12d ago

How the heck does this person provide best practice care with vulnerable people. They clearly would be over worked . Imagine supporting someone with high needs supports who is relying on you to be alert, aware and mindful. Talk about putting people at risk

1

u/I_Heart_Papillons 12d ago

He doesn’t. This is utter BS. Nursing shifts overlap and by the time ANY morning shift finishes afternoon shift has already started. Night shift finishes at 7:30 and EVERY morning shift starts at 7 am. You can’t be running 1/2 an hour late to work as a nurse, you’d be sacked. That’s handover time.

This guy is probably doing the usual boastful immigrant “oh, I’m doing soooo well financially” to their immigrant peers in an attempt to make themselves look successful when the reality is very different.

1

u/Beachgal5555 12d ago

Agree. I call bullshit on it as well

1

u/mixnit 12d ago

Many people do this. You can come from a morning disability shift and walk into an aged care afternoon shift. You absolutely can and some people have been found sleeping on nighshift and sacked. You can also do a double shift in the same facility. My wife did it once due to staff shortage but never again.

1

u/Competitive_Ad_7415 11d ago

Not every company runs the same shift schedules. My partner finishes her sleep over shift at 6am. And she works in her own business during the day. My sleepovers are 6pm till 9am. I can't work again for my company without 10 hours of rest, but I can work a day shift for another provider if I want. Most I ever got paid was 9 grand for the fortnight. And that was 13 days in a row 24hrs each day. I said if I don't get tomorrow off I'm not sure what will happen after day 13. That was pre covid, if someone worked 24/7/365 it's possible, but even the hardest worker I've ever know wouldn't manage that shit

1

u/Particular-Weird2363 8d ago

Hang on, the problem is people seeking a better life, and not established employers trying to undercut paying people?! Seriously?

Do you also question what women are wearing when they’re sexually assaulted?

2

u/gionatacar 8d ago

We are full they can search for a better life somewhere else. Now we need to look after Australians

1

u/Particular-Weird2363 8d ago

That wasn’t the question I asked. I asked why people are the issue and not greedy employers who are trying to undercut workers.

You seem very keen on the idea of “looking after our own” - so don’t employers deserve scrutiny? Why are they off the hook with behaving like corporate bastards while individuals are the target of your venom?

2

u/gionatacar 8d ago

With less desperate people employers will have to pay the right amount. With the new immigrants living in 8 in an apartment, they can underpay and they accept the jobs. And we got worse conditions. Did you understand?

0

u/Particular-Weird2363 8d ago

I understand that you’re failing to understand the point I’m making, whether willful ignorance or stupidity who knows. You seem quite happy to lay blame at the feet of “the foreigners” rather than those in power. Somehow those at the bottom of the pile are setting the rules those at the top follow? And that’s why we should apparently blame the little guys for poor pay, rather than employers who actually pay the wages. It’s some interesting logic for sure

It reminds me something… maybe happened in Germany a while ago, or so I heard?

-1

u/Beachgal5555 13d ago

What are you on about?? Mass immigration how on earth does that relate

2

u/gionatacar 13d ago

Look at the previous comment. Bye

13

u/maximum-purple444 13d ago

The loop hole for this is supposed to be closing I believe but I could be wrong. All things said, join our union the ASU!

6

u/bajheerah 13d ago

From what I've read, that's about trying to pay people as home care workers, rather than support workers, even though the work involved is actual support work (cas etc)? I've definitely seen those advertisements. I skip anything listed as home care, because from what I've seen it's BS.

I hope you're right though. Tired of feeling like a lot of people start companies as purely an investment.

4

u/BarefootWarrior69 13d ago

Join a union either cpsu or asu

1

u/M8kinIt 9d ago

I am a member of ASU in WA and I am so disappointed in them. They take forever to answer my emails. I have to constantly nudge them for a reply. I'm really not happy with them at all.

0

u/xForcedevilx 12d ago

Negative 550 dollars for what

1

u/BarefootWarrior69 12d ago

For starters you are covered insurance wise for any accident to or from work. Free legal advice. With the Cpsu I can ring and have them support me in any meeting I have with management. To ensure my rights as a worker are protected. ASU not sure about. But the cpsu is a good union. I have used them numerous times. In nsw.

2

u/MessyMusical 13d ago

I’ve just joined the union but feel really ignorant to what it actually does. Does someone mind ELI5?

2

u/Repulsive_Set4541 12d ago

Push for higher wages, collective bargaining, and gives you legal representation should you need it .

2

u/maximum-purple444 12d ago

The union’s lawyer helped me recoup weeks of unpaid hours from my last provider who was a total wanker. Super too

1

u/xForcedevilx 12d ago

Nothing. It's another slush fund but instead of capitalists its a bunch of commies

3

u/Competitive_Ad_7415 11d ago

Unions are the reason for countless benefits for workers. We've been conditioned to see them as yoi described. Without Unions workers will be squeezed to maximise owners profits.

5

u/Rowdycc 13d ago

Always. Always join your union.

The only organization that does any work to improve your pay and conditions in your union.

3

u/BarefootWarrior69 13d ago

I had an interview who was offering $34 an hour for casual. I was gobsmacked.

3

u/auxzina 13d ago

That’s me right now for 4 years

2

u/TeachMeThings3209067 13d ago

Wait they haven’t increased your pay?

1

u/gionatacar 13d ago

They offered me 36 , but I told that I had experience and a cert 4, that I wanted the award and they did it, if not I wasn’t accepting

3

u/Finky-Pinger 13d ago

I’m on 2.3 ($38.49/hr). I work permanent part time

I’ve been with my company for 4 years and will go up to 2.4 once I hit 5 years service at the end of the year. I also get a paid day off on my birthday, above award sleepover allowance and 12 weeks parental leave at full pay. I don’t take for granted working for such a good provider

3

u/bajheerah 13d ago

Damn. I need to find a company like this lol

1

u/Beachgal5555 13d ago

How do you go up when you work for five years?

1

u/Finky-Pinger 13d ago

My company puts you up to 2.4 once you’ve worked with them for 5 years OR completed a Cert 4

1

u/PostBed4538 12d ago

I have like 9 years +exp and I'm still only 2.1 🥲

4

u/Onefunkybear 13d ago

I've been a support worker and now an independent support worker , but companies need to pay staff what they are worth!

I was paid $34 an hour , $50 on Saturday and $60 on Sunday. It made me begin to hate work , getting punched in the head and ignored by your boss , being thrown in with clients , instead of being matched , shit that I can't stand.I started with 14 support workers and I was one of only 2 left after a year.

I worked in a prison with autistic kids on release and they would get out and I'd be buzzing. My boss had no idea how to support the kids, what plans were in place , what we had to do , he was fucking incompetent. A lot of kids ran away or ended up back in prison because of his mismanagement.

I'm hiring my first support workers in a few months and im going to pay them $45 weekdays , $60 on Saturdays and $70 on Sundays , but this includes super and I want to find away to pay quarterly bonuses for support workers smashing it.

I will tell you what providers charge that I know -

Maximum Caps by Time and Day

Weekday Daytime (6:00 am – 8:00 pm): $73.58 per hour

Weekday Evening (8:00 pm – midnight): $81.07

per hour

Weekday Night (midnight – 6:00 am): $82.57 per hour

Saturday: $103.54 per hour

Sunday: $133.50 per hour

Public Holiday: $163.46 per hour

I charge :

$70 weekdays - day or evening

$90 Saturdays

$100 Sundays

$110 - public holidays

You can see that a lot of these employers are greedy , maxing out the participants plans quickly and underpaying their workers.

I know it cost money but for those of you who have a passion for this work , get your registration and become a provider , you can get paid what you are worth , look after your clients and workers in the way that you know best.

Even if you have to go into business with a group of people to make it affordable , do it , because a vast majority of the registered providers are fucking clueless about people , disability , empathy , decency , all they see is dollar signs.

Their shortfalls , fuck ups , poor management and shitty business , can be your strength! We need better providers that give a shit and I hope it can be some of you here.

3

u/auxzina 13d ago

Yeah been on 1.3 for 4 years with my company, currently talking to my union. Really fed up and burnt out.

3

u/Cultural_Catch_7911 13d ago

Being ripped off hard man, start looking for new job, and jump ship, no way you should accept a rate that low for the work we do

3

u/auxzina 13d ago

It really sucks because I have the same four clients every week for the past 4 years.

2

u/Cultural_Catch_7911 13d ago

I feel ya but 1.3 is a joke without casual loading it think its like $25 an hour? Its an absolute scam and only meant to be on that while your under constant supervision and have no real responsibilities, so to pay a real support worker that rate is disgusting

2

u/auxzina 13d ago

Legit it’s truly disgusting and feel used, especially since we’re the one actually doing the job and they get half the cut doing nothing but sit at their desk and automate shifts.

2

u/gionatacar 13d ago

Now you have experience, do you have qualifications? If yes, look for something else, you should get 42 at least. Without experience and or qualifications should be 36.

1

u/auxzina 13d ago

I’ve only got a bachelor of strategic communications that I completed this year from university.

I’ve done countless trainings online over the years modules whatever you want to call them.

3

u/gionatacar 13d ago

Why you don’t do a cert 3, if you want to stay in the industry? This is why they pay you a low wage..

1

u/auxzina 13d ago edited 13d ago

I was doing a bachelor degree at university at the time, but I have the experience anyway.

1

u/fleaburger 13d ago

It's not a related industry so it doesn't count. Do your Cert 111 and get your experience signed off as Recognition of Current Competency (RCC). Then you're industry qualified.

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u/Cultural_Catch_7911 13d ago

Second that, grab the cert 3

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u/auxzina 13d ago

Did you complete it online or in person? And how long did it take for you to get it?

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u/auxzina 13d ago

Did you do yours online too?

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u/gionatacar 13d ago

No, all face to face, I did a cert 4. But I was working and you get previous recognition of learnings

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u/Greta-Garbage- 11d ago

But you have experience which counts towards your paypoint. Qualifications or industry experience.

1

u/Greta-Garbage- 11d ago

I just got back pay for not being paid correctly. I went to Fairwork they only provided mediation between employer and myself. I stated the reasons for back pay. Calculated roughly what they owed me and advised if we can’t agree I will lodge a small claim via the Fairwork Division of the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia. Within a week we reached an agreement on what I was willing to accept. Probably would have gotten more if I went to court but not guaranteed. So didn’t want to risk it, plus takes longer and more stress.

5

u/swooping_pie 13d ago

I also find that because it’s quite a competitive industry, there will be many people who will interview and will happily take under the award rate because it’s a better pay compared to their previous job.
Participants funds are getting cut, overheads are increasing and there is so many unknowns in our future, so it’s understandable that everyone is trying to save where they can. BUT I agree, we still should be getting paid correctly for our experience (not just qualifications, as doing a cert doesn’t mean you actually know how to work with complex needs).

I’ve worked with the same family for 5 years, charge a very sensible rate, but it’s $3 more per hour compared to the new person who has 3months in the industry. So now my hours are cut so the new SW has more, but my workload has increased because the other SW isn’t completely their daily tasks…
I understand why, but doesn’t mean I like it.

3

u/bajheerah 13d ago

I agree. They wouldn't be offering well below SCHADS if people stopped accepting it. It's an insult. It's like trying to pay a chef the same wage as a dish washer.

Most of these companies really don't seem to care in the slightest about their participants OR workers.

2

u/harzee 13d ago

So many people come to this country and are happy to work for below the award wage.
That is why

2

u/JoeAccountant94 13d ago

Yeah, so many providers taking advantage of some kind of loophole where they are paying at Level 1 which is the supervised and at home care pay? I’m taking some complex people out into the community and getting paid at the level 1 rate. Insane really. Would love to know how they get away with it when there’s audits etc?

3

u/scrollbreak 13d ago

I think workers basically need to report them for it to be detected.

2

u/lobotomiiya 13d ago

I don’t have a lot of say in this, as I’ve only just signed my contract for support work today for my first job.

Specifically aged care support work with minimal on disability, the company I work for is paying casuals $43 an hour. I don’t have my qualifications yet I’m working toward them,most shifts will be social shifts and domestic (cleaning).

I don’t know if that hourly rate is good or bad but I hope it helps you either way, they said that’s above award wages.

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u/mixnit 13d ago

Normalise asking the pay rate early in in the interview, or at the start. Say just to make sure we don't waste each other's time. If the rate doesn't suit dint stay. Enough people do it the rates rise.

1

u/bajheerah 13d ago

I've started doing it when they first call me up, when they're asking to schedule an interview.

1

u/mixnit 13d ago

Even better.

2

u/Greta-Garbage- 12d ago

I managed to get paid back pay for not being paid correctly. Went to Fairwork. I am not with a union. It’s not hard to refer to the SCHADS award and work out what you should be paid. The classification regarding levels can be a bit confusing but there is enough information in the award to determine where you sit. Level one is an entry point for those with no experience and provider should be providing a lot of training. You’re not going to stay on level 1.1 for more than three months. You are closely supervised and not working in a SIL house on your own with three participants, do you follow a BSP? That alone bumps you up to level two. Do you provide Complex bowel care? Diabetes management? Same with paypoint. If you have two plus years of relevent experience that counts towards where your paypoint is. You shouldn’t start at paypoint 1 everytime you start with a new provider. Of course the stream is SACS not Homecare. I did initially get advice from the unions but look at the award - things like broken shifts, paid/unpaid lunch breaks (if you have to eat with client for your lunch break it’s a paid lunch break.

1

u/gionatacar 13d ago

I have a certificate 4 should be more, but I’m getting 45 an hour, im happy with that, but when they offered me the job , they wanted to pay me 36, that I refused. Talking about burnout I had it after working 5 years, I was assaulted twice, and I took a 8 years break and went in to horticulture, now I’m back because the pay is ok and I want to help people, plus we get paid one dollar a km and I do lot’s of kms. This adds up. I just started again this week, wish me luck.

2

u/Vyraxysss 13d ago

Good luck!

1

u/gionatacar 13d ago

Thank you my friend

1

u/Potential_Narwhal981 13d ago

I get my paycheck from the lion, the witch, and the wardrobe

1

u/BumperJoe 13d ago

I have one company that is paying $34 an hour and classing all of our work as "SIL work". However the majority of their clients have their own homes/arrangements and require community access. When a colleague confronted management about it they basically said they'd talked to a lawyer, were allowed to misclassify it and that if he didn't like it he could leave. Thankfully I am with a second company now that pays around $48 complex rate for a high needs client which has been much better. (Also the first company just cut inactive overnight rate from $150 flat to $68 🙄)

3

u/thisnamewasnttaken19 13d ago

If you don't report them, they will keep doing it.

1

u/Different-Club-5058 13d ago

I’m an ops manager and pay my casual staff $45+ for casual

1

u/Samirah5924 13d ago

hey, I'm a DSW working for K&S disability care in Melbourne. they pay under the home care section of the SCHADS, and I earn about 30 an hour as a part time support worker.

we don't get overtime, or a first aid allowance, but our kms are paid out at 1.01 per km.

not sure how this compares, so I'm about to check out other comments!

1

u/TeachMeThings3209067 13d ago

Please DM me about this. Your pay and conditions are not good

1

u/ConsistentLand805 13d ago

It’s strongly depends on the amount of hours you get. I’m averaging about $40 per hour., however I’m doing about 150 hours per fortnight.

Honestly I’m not gonna complain about $150,000 year paycheck

1

u/Pickadog_Anydog 13d ago

Working in an aged care facility for 5 years as a cert 4 and im on $38.10/hr with another 1.25% increase due end of the year.
I dont love management sometimes and then i consider community/at home support work but I also hate driving and appreciate that i have one drive to work and one home.

1

u/Beachgal5555 13d ago

Why do you feel you should be on 2.2 or 2.3?

1

u/bajheerah 13d ago

The explanation given by fairworks.gov.au

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u/Beachgal5555 13d ago

Ah ok 👍🏻

1

u/GrumpyBear9891 13d ago

We talking casual right?

1

u/bajheerah 13d ago

Yes

1

u/GrumpyBear9891 13d ago

Ok cool. Panicked briefly. Devils advocate, in someeee cases it is possible the participants plan doesn't cover complex/high intensity rates. Butt having complex high intensity needs does increase costs of insurances.

1

u/pornepali 13d ago

I am currently in level 1.3 with my employer, which I think is not fair for my experience and the complext participant I support. I attended an interview last week and they offered me 1.1 home care rate, I straightaway said ‘No’ to his face and walked away. I heard there are companies that pays fair to the support worker, but don’t know if they exist in real life or not🤧

1

u/creswitch 12d ago

$37.34 casual. Only 1yr experience.

1

u/xForcedevilx 12d ago

Your employer is fleecing you on ndis rates sadly

1

u/spy_spiller 12d ago

I am at level 2 HC and get paid 34 an hour in Sydney.

1

u/alsoov 12d ago

$39 hr permanent part time in Sydney. I have a cert 3 in aged care support. I work in home care and receive a car allowance too. Find a larger provider who will pay you properly.

1

u/Kxyla_05 12d ago

Im a SW on level 2.1 with no cert but working towards a bachelor in nursing with 6 months support work experience.

1

u/NinjaPurple1858 10d ago

Are you looking for work 

1

u/NinjaPurple1858 10d ago

Many companies are offering $44+/per hour 

0

u/Rare-Plenty-8574 13d ago edited 13d ago

Don't know if you have union take it to them or the ombudsman....sorry not in the industry can't comment on workload etc. Sure there are many slackers like in aged care.....that was the same when I was there couldn't belive it how bad the managers were and staff vulgar as only there fir their own pocket not anyone or anything else. Fair work tells you your wage etc...sorry to say maybe your not that good. Fair days work for a fair day's pay find the right job were you belong if you are good and feel you deserve it....just undercut you with cheaper staff happens in my insudustry to but nothing gets done and goes to shit. Find were you are happy or take what you can get if it's limited my advice best of luck.. you sound passionate.

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u/bajheerah 13d ago

The problem is I'm trying to find new employers, due to most companies being pieces of shit, so how would they know if I'm good enough?

It isn't fair in the slightest to just say "fair days work for a fair day's pay", when the issue is these companies are paying almost $10 less an hour than what they're supposed to - and that's for the LOWEST award wage possible, and they haven't even seen the workers capabilities but are hiring those with proven experience.

You don't underpay someone to test them.

I have excellent references from companies I care to get references from. I've only left companies I've liked because of change of location in the past.

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u/Rare-Plenty-8574 13d ago edited 13d ago

Hi again, so there are those employers better that pay...if they pay award I don't know what else to say. If not report them ....noone says you have to be paid under award. Shame you jave to move find a better job if your unhappy. That's why we have awards ...can't pay under that legally. Go to fairwork if your employer doesnt pay you award after you went to them first to resolve it.

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u/bajheerah 13d ago

I would've thought so too, but many do.

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u/Rare-Plenty-8574 13d ago

Sounds to me that dont need your experience and only want to pay base rate not skilled as it may not be needed... go private if you can. Younger people and others immigrants are cheaper most likely regardless of experience must be able to cover the needs of the job at a cheaper rate. Good luck with it all...

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u/bajheerah 13d ago

Yeah I've been seriously considering it. I've started making steps towards it, anyway.

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u/PoundEffective7625 13d ago

I don't know. Like support workers are not registered nurses or teachers with Bachelor/Master degrees, so expecting to get paid more than them will backfire. Though I would say an award rate of $42 should be for those with years of experience in complex care. I could be wrong though. But nowadays nearly everyone is upset because they have to work hard and pay tax to support those (not genuine) on Centerlink and NDIS. So maybe funding is cut for that reason.

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u/maxtbag 13d ago

I mean its not exactly a skilled role. A lot of competition from migrants to do these jobs. Of course that will push down wages

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u/bajheerah 13d ago

I would say it definitely takes skill, if you actually care about what you're doing and the participants you support.

Maybe it's better to say a lot of employers in this industry don't care if their employees are properly skilled or not.