Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award (SCHADS)
Covers FIVE distinct sectors with separate rate scales and rule sets: (a) Social and Community Services (Sch B, 8 levels), (b) Crisis Accommodation (Sch C, 4 levels), (c) Family Day Care (Sch D, 5 levels), (d) Home Care Disability (Sch E, 5 levels), (e) Home Care Aged Care (Sch F, 6 levels). 50+ classifications total. Mandatory Equal Remuneration Order (PR525485) applies to SACS L2-L8 (123-145%) and Crisis L1-L4 (126-140%) — pay the ERO rate, not the underlying minimum. Standard rate = SACS L3 PP3 pre-ERO = $1,224.90/wk for percentage-based allowances (sleepover 4.9%, on call 2.0%/3.96%, broken shift 1.7%/2.25%, first aid 1.67%, heat 0.05%/0.06%). The most complex modern award: distinctive features include sector-dependent OT first-tier (3 hrs SACS/Crisis vs 2 hrs others), sleepovers, 24-hour care shifts (home care only, paid 8 hrs at 155%), client cancellation make-up time, remote work substitutional rates (NOT cumulative), broken shifts (sector-restricted to SACS-disability + home care), shiftworker AL loading (greater of 17.5% or replayed penalties), 9 default super funds.
Fully built. Rates, allowances, penalties and any required apprentice / junior rates are all wired to the rate resolver and have been verified against the consolidated award text and the latest pay guide.
What's built
- All ~50 classifications across 5 sectors at PR786639 ppc 01Jul25 figures: SACS L1 PP1-PP3 (no ERO, $999.40 → $1,068.40); SACS L2-L8 with 123-145% ERO (L2 PP1 ERO $1,314.13 → L8 PP3 ERO $2,582.60); Crisis L1-L4 mirror SACS L3-L6 ERO; FDC L1-L5 ($1,000.60 → $1,744.70); HC Disability L1-L5 ($989.80 → $1,299.10); HC Aged Care L1-L6 substituted PR779153 ppc 01Jan25 ($1,182.80 → $1,472.00).
- Standard rate config = SACS L3 PP3 pre-ERO = $1,224.90/wk, verified against published $20.82 broken shift / $24.50 weekday on call / $48.51 weekend on call / $60.02 sleepover figures.
- All 9 cl 23.4 default super funds per PR794791 ppc 23Jan26: Aware Super, Prime Super, HESTA, Equipsuper, Australian Retirement Trust, CareSuper, NGS Super, AustralianSuper, HOSTPLUS Superannuation Fund.
- 15 allowances (cl 20): uniform / laundry / meal / first aid (1.67% std rate) / vehicle $0.99/km / on call weekday $24.50 / on call weekend $48.51 / broken shift 1 break $20.82 / broken shift 2 breaks $27.56 / sleepover $60.02 / heat 0.05%/0.06% / board & lodging deduction $31.35 + $19.52.
- Penalty rates correctly modelled: Sat ord 150% (FT/PT) / 175% (Casual additive cl 26.4); Sun ord 200% / 225%; PH 250% / 275%. Sector-scoped OT: SACS/Crisis 1.5x first 3hrs/2x after; Disability/HC/FDC 1.5x first 2hrs/2x after.
- 6 pay conditions: Full-Time / Part-Time / Casual / SACS — Disability Services Work / Home Care — 24-Hour Care / Sleepover.
- Span of ord hours Mon-SUN 06:00-20:00 (NOT Mon-Fri) — Sat and Sun ordinary hours allowed within span.
- Cl 31.4(b) shiftworker AL loading captured as advanced rule — GREATER OF 17.5% or replayed weekend/shift penalties during leave period. SCHADS shiftworker = 4+ ord hrs on 10+ weekends/year OR 8+ 24-hour care shifts/year (cl 31.2 — D12).
- Cl 23.5 SACS-only super continuation during paid leave + up to 52 weeks workers comp encoded as separate leave entitlement row + advanced rule (D15).
- Right to disconnect cl 25A inserted PR778073 from 26Aug24 with the on-call exception (cl 25A.4): employee MUST respond if receiving on-call allowance.
- 9 advanced rules (inactive by default) covering: SACS/Crisis 3-hr OT first tier, sleepover handler, 24-hour care, client cancellation, remote work substitutional rates, broken shift sector restriction, SACS non-disability casual 3-hr min engagement, shiftworker AL greater-of, SACS super continuation.
Known limitations
- Sleepover allowance dollar value is computed at seeding time ($60.02 = 4.9% × $1,224.90 standard rate). Payroll should recalculate dynamically if standard rate changes within the SCD2 effective period; the percentage is exposed as `sleepover_pct_of_standard_rate=4.9`.
- Sector-dependent OT first-tier (D4) needs the employment record to carry a current activity flag for SACS employees (disability vs non-disability work). Advanced rule has the override; default rules use 2-hr first tier.
- Casual minimum engagement (D6) — SACS non-disability casuals get 3 hrs, all others 2 hrs. Shift settings store 2 hrs default; advanced rule overrides to 3 for SACS non-disability casuals at runtime.
- Shiftworker AL 'greater of' rule (D13) requires per-shift penalty replay during AL accrual — application logic, not schema.
- Remote work rates (D10) are SUBSTITUTIONAL not cumulative. Resolver MUST detect remote work and apply the cl 25.10(d) rate set (15min/30min/1hr min payments + outside-span/Sat/Sun/PH percentages), not stack on top of OT/Sat/Sun/PH/shift premiums.
- Client cancellation make-up time (D9) — 12-hr notice / 6-week window / consult requirements need runtime enforcement; advanced rule captures parameters only.
- 24-hour care (D8) — schema records 8-hrs-at-155% pay rule; appropriate rate basis (weekday/Sat/Sun/PH) requires runtime selection.
Setup & special instructions
- Choose sector at hire (SACS / Crisis / FDC / HC Disability / HC Aged Care). The sector drives rate scale, OT first-tier, casual min engagement, broken shift availability, and applicable allowances.
- SACS L2-L8 + Crisis L1-L4 ERO is MANDATORY — pay the ERO rate, NOT the underlying minimum. SACS L1 has NO ERO.
- Standard rate for percentage allowances = $1,224.90/wk (SACS L3 PP3 pre-ERO). Verify allowance figures against this anchor — 1.7% = $20.82 broken shift, 2.0% = $24.50 on call weekday, 3.96% = $48.51 on call weekend, 4.9% = $60.02 sleepover.
- Sat/Sun casual rates are ADDITIVE per cl 26.4 NOTE: 175% Sat / 225% Sun (NOT 150% × 1.25 = 187.5%). The 25% loading is BAKED INTO the figure.
- OT first-tier is SECTOR-DEPENDENT: SACS/Crisis = 1.5x first 3 hrs Mon-Sat; Disability/HC/FDC = 1.5x first 2 hrs Mon-Sat. Sun OT 2x; PH OT 2.5x.
- Span of ordinary hours is Mon-SUN 06:00-20:00 (NOT Mon-Fri). Saturday and Sunday ordinary hours are allowed within span.
- Casual min engagement = 2 hrs ALL SECTORS EXCEPT SACS non-disability casuals = 3 hrs (cl 10.5).
- Sleepover (cl 25.7): 4.9% std rate per night ($60.02). Free board/lodging mandatory. 4 hrs work either before OR after. Work during sleepover at OT (min 1 hr).
- 24-hour care (cl 25.8): home care only, agreement only, 8 hrs paid at 155% appropriate rate, 8 hrs sleep guaranteed. Work over 8 hrs = OT.
- Broken shifts (cl 25.6): SACS-disability + home care employees ONLY. Other sectors cannot be broken-shifted. 12-hr max span; 10 hrs min between successive day broken shifts.
- Remote work (cl 25.10): SUBSTITUTIONAL rate set — NOT cumulative with OT/Sat/Sun/PH/shift premiums. Min payments 15min (on-call day) / 30min (on-call night) / 1hr (not on-call) / 1hr (meetings/training).
- Shiftworker AL loading = GREATER OF 17.5% or weekend/shift penalties they would have received. 5 weeks AL for shiftworkers.
- Right to disconnect cl 25A.4: employee MUST respond outside hours if receiving on-call allowance.
- SACS employees only: super continuation during paid leave AND up to 52 weeks workers comp absence (cl 23.5).
- • Disability services
- • Home care
- • Aged care home care
- • Social services
- • Community services
- • Crisis accommodation
- • Family day care
- • NDIS
- • SACS
- • Disability support workers
- • Case managers
- • Community development workers
The consolidated award text is the authoritative source. Always confirm specific obligations against the award itself — Mployr's implementation status reflects what we've seeded; it does not replace legal advice.
Want to see this award running on your data?
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