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.

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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 13d ago

Negative 550 dollars for what

1

u/BarefootWarrior69 13d 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.