The complete reference to the Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award MA000100 for NDIS providers, community services, home care and disability support organisations — coverage, classifications, penalty rates, allowances, minimum engagement and Fair Work compliance.
The SCHADS Award (MA000100) sets minimum pay by classification, starting at $27.55/hour full-time (Social and community services - Level 1 - pay point 1 (social community services)). Saturdays pay 150% (full/part-time) or 175% (casual); Sundays 200% (full/part-time) or 225% (casual); public holidays 250% (full/part-time) or 275% (casual). Casual percentages already include the 25% casual loading. Figures current as at 1 July 2026, sourced from the Fair Work Ombudsman Pay Guide — full tables below, or ask Fitz for the exact rate for your classification and shift.
Page updated 21 October 2026: added Christmas and New Year public holiday rates and the 2026–27 change timeline. Rates current as at 1 July 2026.
The Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award MA000100 covers social and community services, home care, disability services (including NDIS), family day care and crisis accommodation. Getting coverage right matters — it drives the classification structure, penalty rates, and allowances that apply to every shift. Applying the wrong award creates systematic underpayment exposure.
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Current classification rates, penalties and allowances from the FWO Pay Guide.
How Fitz compares for community services providers on the SCHADS Award.
What to look for in HR & compliance software for community services providers — and how Fitz compares.
What award interpretation software does, and how Fitz HR applies the SCHADS Award before the roster is published, not after payroll runs.
Penalty rates under MA000100 for weekend and public holiday work, as a percentage of the ordinary hourly rate:
| When worked | % of ordinary rate |
|---|---|
| Saturday (FT/PT) | 150% |
| Saturday (casual) | 175% |
| Sunday (FT/PT) | 200% |
| Sunday (casual) | 225% |
| Public holiday (FT/PT) | 250% |
| Public holiday (casual) | 275% |
Casual employees receive a 25% loading; the casual penalty percentages above are all-inclusive of that loading, not stacked on top.
A sample of the full-time minimum rates. See the SCHADS Award pay rates page for the full table, streams and casual rates.
| Classification (full-time) | Hourly | Weekly |
|---|---|---|
| Social and community services - Level 1 - pay point 1 (social community services) | $27.55 | $1046.90 |
| Social and community services - Level 1 - pay point 2 (social community services) | $28.44 | $1080.60 |
| Social and community services - Level 1 - pay point 3 (social community services) | $29.45 | $1119.10 |
| Social and community services - Level 2 - pay point 1 (social community services) | $36.22 | $1376.49 |
| Social and community services - Level 2 - pay point 2 (social community services) | $37.36 | $1419.79 |
| Social and community services - Level 2 - pay point 3 (social community services) | $38.50 | $1462.96 |
| Social and community services - Level 2 - pay point 4 (social community services) | $39.53 | $1501.95 |
| Social and community services - Level 3 - pay point 1 (social community services) | $40.49 | $1538.59 |
| Social and community services - Level 3 - pay point 2 (social community services) | $41.66 | $1582.94 |
| Social and community services - Level 3 - pay point 3 (social community services) | $42.55 | $1616.71 |
| Social and community services - Level 3 - pay point 4 (social community services) | $43.42 | $1649.97 |
| Social and community services - Level 4 - pay point 1 (social community services) | $46.70 | $1774.74 |
Showing 12 of 76 full-time classifications. Ask Fitz for any classification, employment type or stream.
The SCHADS Award sets a minimum period an employee must be paid for each time they are engaged:
| Allowance | Amount | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| Broken shift allowance (1 unpaid break) | $21.81 | per broken shift |
| Broken shift allowance (2 unpaid breaks) | $28.87 | per broken shift |
| First aid allowance (full-time) | $21.43 | per week |
| First aid allowance (part-time or casual) | $0.56 | per hour |
| Laundry allowance | $0.33 | per shift |
| Meal allowance - overtime | $17.30 | per occasion |
| On call allowance (Mon-Fri, any 24-hour period) | $25.66 | per period |
| On call allowance (any other 24-hour period or public holiday) | $50.81 | per period |
Operating under MA000100 creates obligations beyond paying the correct rate:
See the Fair Work compliance pillar guide and how Fitz HR compares with Employment Hero.
The summer public holidays are where SCHADS Award payroll errors cluster, because the public holiday penalty is the largest multiplier in the award and Boxing Day falls on a Saturday this year, which brings substitute-day rules into play. For a Social and community services - Level 1 - pay point 1 (social community services) employee on the current minimum of $27.55 an hour:
| Hour worked | Full-time / part-time | Casual |
|---|---|---|
| Ordinary Monday–Friday hour | $27.55 | $34.44 |
| Public holiday hour (250% / 275% casual) | $68.88 | $75.76 |
The same multiplier applies at every classification level, so take the level’s ordinary rate from the table above and multiply. The casual public holiday percentage already includes the 25% casual loading; do not add it again. The national public holidays in the period are:
Each state and territory gazettes its own list, including part-day holidays such as Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve in some jurisdictions, so check your state’s list before the roster is published. The penalty applies to hours worked on the gazetted day; where a substitute day is declared, the award sets out which day attracts the penalty, and that is a question worth asking Fitz before the pay run rather than after.
The rates on this page took effect from the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2026, following the Fair Work Commission’s 4.75% Annual Wage Review increase, and apply for the 2026–27 financial year. The next Annual Wage Review decision is expected in June 2027 and takes effect from the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2027. Superannuation guarantee is 12%. Exception: home care (disability) employees under Schedule E receive an interim increase of about 15% from the first full pay period on or after 1 December 2026; the home care rates on this page are the 1 July 2026 rates until they are updated. The rates alert below will tell you when the updated figures are published.
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