Minimum pay rates for social & community services workers in Australia under the SCHADS Award. Updated 1 July 2026.
Last verified: 21 May 2026Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award 2010 (MA000100)
$27.55
Base rate/hr
$34.44
Casual rate/hr
The minimum pay rate for social & community services workers is $27.55/hr under the SCHADS Award. Casuals receive $34.44/hr (base + 25% loading). Rates effective from 1 July 2026.
Social workers, case managers, community development workers, and youth workers are covered by the SCHADS Award (Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services). This award covers a broad range of roles across the community sector. Pay rates vary significantly depending on your qualification level.
| Level | Classification | Base Rate/hr | Casual Rate/hr | Annual (38hrs) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | SCHADS Level 1 | $27.55 | $34.44 | $54,438.80 |
| Level 2 | SCHADS Level 2 | $36.22 | $45.28 | $71,570.72 |
| Level 3 | SCHADS Level 3 | $40.49 | $50.61 | $80,008.24 |
| Level 4 | SCHADS Level 4 | $46.70 | $58.38 | $92,279.20 |
| Level 5 | SCHADS Level 5 | $53.43 | $66.79 | $105,577.68 |
| Level 6 | SCHADS Level 6 | $58.37 | $72.96 | $115,339.12 |
| Home Care L1 | Home Care Employee Level 1 | $27.28 | $34.10 | $53,905.28 |
| Home Care L2 | Home Care Employee Level 2 | $28.86 | $36.08 | $57,027.36 |
| Home Care L3 | Home Care Employee Level 3 | $29.45 | $36.81 | $58,193.20 |
| Home Care L4 | Home Care Employee Level 4 | $32.13 | $40.16 | $63,488.88 |
Rates effective from 1 July 2026 under the Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award 2010. Casual rates include 25% loading.
Casual workers get a 25% loading on top of the base rate. This compensates for no paid leave, no notice period, and no redundancy pay. Here's what that looks like for each level:
| Level | Base Rate | + 25% Loading | Casual Rate/hr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | $27.55 | +$6.89 | $34.44 |
| Level 2 | $36.22 | +$9.06 | $45.28 |
| Level 3 | $40.49 | +$10.12 | $50.61 |
| Level 4 | $46.70 | +$11.68 | $58.38 |
| Level 5 | $53.43 | +$13.36 | $66.79 |
| Level 6 | $58.37 | +$14.59 | $72.96 |
| Home Care L1 | $27.28 | +$6.82 | $34.10 |
| Home Care L2 | $28.86 | +$7.22 | $36.08 |
| Home Care L3 | $29.45 | +$7.36 | $36.81 |
| Home Care L4 | $32.13 | +$8.03 | $40.16 |
Penalty rates are calculated on the base rate (Level 1: $27.55/hr). Casual employees receive penalty rates on their base rate before casual loading is applied.
Saturday
$41.33/hr
1.5x base
Sunday
$55.10/hr
2x base
Public Holiday
$68.88/hr
2.5x base
| Penalty Type | Multiplier | Level 1 Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Saturday | 1.5x | $41.33/hr |
| Sunday | 2x | $55.10/hr |
| Public Holiday | 2.5x | $68.88/hr |
| Afternoon shift (finishes after 8pm) | 1.125x | $30.99/hr |
| Night shift (finishes after midnight / starts before 6am) | 1.15x | $31.68/hr |
| Overtime (first 2 hours) | 1.5x | $41.33/hr |
| Overtime (after 2 hours) | 2x | $55.10/hr |
View the complete SCHADS Award including all classification levels, break rules, allowances, and more.
View Full SCHADS Award Pay Rates →If your payslip shows less than $27.55/hr (or $34.44/hr casual), you might be getting underpaid. It happens more than you'd think in social & community services. Use our underpaid checker to calculate what you're actually owed.
Check If You're Underpaid →The minimum base rate under SCHADS starts at $27.55/hr (Level 1). Social workers with a degree typically come in at Level 4 or above, earning $46.70/hr base ($58.38/hr casual). Pay points increase with experience.
Yes. For permanent employees, Saturday pays 1.5x, Sunday pays 2.0x, and public holidays pay 2.5x your base rate (casuals add their 25% loading on top). Shift workers also get a 12.5% afternoon shift loading (shift finishing after 8pm) and a 15% night shift loading (shift finishing after midnight or starting before 6am).
SCHADS has 8 levels across different streams (social and community services, home care, disability services). Level 1 is entry-level support ($27.55/hr). Level 4 is a degree-qualified professional ($46.70/hr). Level 8 covers senior managers and directors.
Underpayment is common in the community sector, particularly around unpaid travel time between clients, incorrect classification, and failure to pay overtime for after-hours crisis work. All travel between clients during work hours must be paid.
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