SCHADS Award Pay Rates 2026: Complete Guide & Calculator

If you’re managing payroll for a community service organisation or working in disability support, the SCHADS Award pay rates are the numbers that matter most, especially with the latest rates rolling out from October 2025—getting them right isn’t just about compliance, it’s about making sure your staff are paid fairly and your organisation avoids costly back-pay claims. This guide covers everything from base hourly rates and casual loadings to penalty rates and allowances, all sourced from official Fair Work documents.

Award code: MA000100 ·
Latest rates effective from: First full pay period on or after 1 October 2025 ·
Level 1 base hourly rate: $26.30 ·
Casual loading (25%): $32.88 per hour ·
Sunday penalty rate: 1.75x base ·
Public holiday rate: 2.5x base

Six key facts that define the SCHADS Award pay structure, drawn directly from the official Fair Work pay guide.

What are the SCHADS Award pay rates for 2025-2026?

Base hourly rates by level and pay point

• The SCHADS Award uses eight classification levels. Level 1 is the entry point for workers with minimal experience; Level 8 covers senior managers and specialists. (Wojo HQ SCHADS Award overview)
• As of the first full pay period on or after 1 October 2025, the Level 1 base hourly rate is $26.30. (FairWork Mate)
• Each successive level adds a percentage increment, with Level 2 approximately 5.9% above Level 1. Exact rates should be verified against the official pay guide. (Fair Work Pay Guide)

Comparison of 2025 and 2026 rates

• The 2025-2026 pay guide reflects the 3.5% increase from the Annual Wage Review effective from 1 July 2025, but the new rates were not applied until the first full pay period on or after 1 October 2025. (Wojo HQ)
• Compared to 2024-2025, Level 1 rose from approximately $25.42 to $26.30 per hour — a difference of $0.88. (FairWork Mate historical data)

How to read the pay classification table

• The official pay guide lists each level and its associated pay points (usually A, B, C) based on experience and responsibility. (Fair Work Pay Guide)
• A Level 1 employee at pay point A earns the base rate; after six months of experience they may move to pay point B or C. Employers must refer to the classification definitions to correctly assign the level. (Connecteam)

How do casual loading and penalty rates work under the SCHADS Award?

Casual loading percentage and calculation

• Casual employees under SCHADS receive a 25% loading on top of their ordinary hourly rate. (Connecteam; also confirmed by FairWork Mate)
• For a Level 1 worker, this means a casual rate of $26.30 × 1.25 = $32.88 per hour. (Connecteam)
• Unlike some awards, the casual loading under SCHADS is paid on top of penalty rates — a casual working a public holiday gets 1.25 × 2.5 = 3.125× the base rate. (Connecteam; see also Teiro calculator)

Sunday, public holiday, and overtime rates

• Permanent employees earn 1.5× on Saturday, 1.75× on Sunday, and 2.5× on public holidays for ordinary hours. (FairWork Mate; Connecteam lists Sunday at 200% — note this discrepancy; the official award specifies Sunday as 1.75× for permanent employees per FairWork Mate.)
• Overtime is paid at 1.5× for the first 2 hours and 2× thereafter, or with time off in lieu. (Shiftcare)

Evening and night shift penalties

• Evening shift (8 pm to midnight) attracts a 12.5% loading, and night shift (midnight to 6 am) attracts 15%. (Shiftcare)
• These penalties apply to both permanent and casual workers. For casuals, the loading is added on top of the base rate before applying the casual loading. (Teiro)

Where can I find the official SCHADS Award pay rates PDF?

Fair Work Ombudsman pay guide

• The authoritative source is the Fair Work Commission’s pay guide for the Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award 2010. (Fair Work Commission Pay Guide PDF)
• The PDF includes all current base rates, penalty rates, allowances, and classification definitions for the 2025-2026 period. (Same source)

How to access the latest version

• Visit the Fair Work Ombudsman website and search for “Pay guides – Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award (MA000100)”. (Direct link)
• The pay guide is updated after each annual wage review. The current version was published in late 2025 for the 2025-2026 period. (Fair Work Commission)

What the PDF contains

• Full classification structure across four streams: Social and Community Services, Home Care, Disability Services, and Crisis Accommodation. (Wojo HQ overview)
• Tables with hourly and weekly rates for each level and pay point, plus allowances (first aid, vehicle, travel, broken shifts). (Fair Work Pay Guide)

How do I calculate SCHADS Award pay using an online calculator?

Steps to use a pay rate calculator

• First, select the employee’s classification level (Level 1 to 8) and pay point (A, B, C). (Teiro SCHADS calculator)
• Choose the employment type — permanent full-time, part-time, or casual. (FairWork Mate)
• Enter the shift times and days to apply penalty loadings.

What information you need

• Classification level and pay point (found in the employee’s contract or role description).
• Employment type (casual or permanent) and usual hours.
• Shift start and end times to apply evening/night penalties if applicable. (Teiro)

Recommended calculators

• FairWork Mate SCHADS calculator — shows base, casual, and penalty rates side by side.
• Teiro SCHADS calculator — calculates total pay including loadings and allowances.
• Connecteam SCHADS guide — includes rate tables and examples.

Why this matters: Online calculators are a fast sanity check, but they are not official. Always reconcile final pay figures with the Fair Work pay guide to avoid errors.

What are the SCHADS Award pay rates for different levels and classifications?

Level 1 to Level 8 breakdown

• Level 1 is the entry-level classification, covering workers with minimal prior experience in the sector. The base rate is $26.30/hr. (FairWork Mate)
• Level 8 is the highest classification, typically for managers or specialist practitioners. The rate is significantly higher — exact figures are in the official pay guide. (Fair Work Pay Guide)
• Each level contains internal pay points (A, B, C) that increase with experience or qualification. Progression depends on the employee’s duties and the employer’s classification process. (Connecteam)

Pay points within each level

• Within each level, pay point increments reward experience and competency. For example, Level 2 pay point B is higher than Level 2 pay point A. (Fair Work Pay Guide)
• The number of pay points varies by level. Employers must assign the correct pay point based on the employee’s years of service and skill level. (Wojo HQ)

Special classifications

• The SCHADS Award covers specific roles within disability support, home care, social work, and crisis accommodation. Each stream has defined duties that determine the appropriate level. (Wojo HQ)
• A disability support worker with direct client care may be classified at Level 2 or 3, while a case manager with supervisory duties may be Level 5 or 6. (Connecteam)

SCHADS Award pay rate timeline

• 1 July 2025 — Annual Wage Review increases base rates by 3.5% (effective from 1 July but applied from October). (Wojo HQ)
• First full pay period on or after 1 October 2025 — New SCHADS Award pay rates take effect. (Fair Work Pay Guide)
• 1 July 2026 — Next scheduled annual wage review; new rates likely from mid-2026.

Confirmed facts vs. what remains unclear

Confirmed facts

• SCHADS Award code is MA000100 (Fair Work)
• Level 1 base rate = $26.30/hr from 1 October 2025 (FairWork Mate)
• Casual loading = 25% (Connecteam)
• Public holiday penalty = 2.5× base (FairWork Mate)
• Penalty rates are not cumulative (Shiftcare)

What’s unclear

• Exact rates for 2026-2027 — subject to annual review (Wojo HQ)
• State-specific variations beyond the federal award
• Allowance amounts for some specific roles (may vary by enterprise agreement) (Connecteam)
• Interpretation of some classification levels for hybrid roles
• Sunday penalty rate: reported as both 1.75x and 200% across sources (FairWork Mate; Connecteam)

“The pay rates in this guide are minimum entitlements under the Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award. Employers must pay at least these rates.”

Fair Work Commission Pay Guide, 2025-2026 (source)

“The 3.5% increase this year is welcome, but many community sector organisations are already struggling to fund the rise. Some will need to increase fees or restructure rosters to maintain services.”

Community Services Industry representative, industry comment

For community service employers across Australia, the message is clear: the SCHADS Award pay rates are not just a compliance checklist — they’re a direct reflection of the value of essential care work. Getting classification and penalties right protects both workers and organisations, while underpayment risks legal action and reputational damage. With annual reviews pushing rates higher, forward-looking budgeting and accurate payroll systems are no longer optional.

Frequently asked questions