SCHADS Award 2025 pay rates set the minimum wages for workers in the Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award (MA000100). For NDIS providers, understanding and correctly applying these rates is critical to maintaining compliance with both employment law and NDIS provider compliance requirements. This guide breaks down the key pay rate structures, classification levels, and penalty rates that apply to your workforce under the current SCHADS Award 2025 pay rates framework.
Understanding SCHADS Award classification levels
The SCHADS Award organises employees into classification levels based on their qualifications, experience, and responsibilities. Each level has a corresponding base pay rate that is reviewed annually by the Fair Work Commission. Providers must correctly classify every worker to ensure accurate pay calculations and avoid underpayment claims.
Key penalty rates and allowances
Beyond base pay rates, the SCHADS Award includes provisions for overtime, weekend work, public holidays, shift allowances, and broken shift allowances. NDIS providers must factor these into their payroll calculations, particularly for support workers who deliver services outside standard business hours. Incorrect application of penalty rates is one of the most common sources of payroll compliance issues in the disability sector.
Staying compliant with SCHADS Award 2025 pay rates obligations
To remain compliant, NDIS providers should regularly review their payroll systems against the current SCHADS Award 2025 pay rates, maintain accurate time and attendance records, and ensure rostering practices align with award conditions. Using NDIS management software like InficureX can help automate pay calculations and reduce the risk of errors.
Download your free SCHADS Award 2025 Pay Rates guide
Access the complete SCHADS Award 2025 pay rate tables, including base rates for all classification levels, penalty rate calculations, and allowance schedules. This resource helps providers eliminate payroll errors and ensure every worker is paid correctly under the award. Download your copy today and keep your payroll fully compliant.
What is inside the SCHADS Award 2025 Pay Rates guide
Our free SCHADS Award 2025 pay rates guide covers everything NDIS providers need to manage payroll accurately. Here is what you will find inside:
- Full rate tables: Hourly and weekly pay rates for full-time, part-time, and casual employees across all classification levels from Level 1 through to Level 8.
- Sector-specific breakdowns: Dedicated sections covering Social and Community Services, Crisis Accommodation, Family Day Care, and Home Care employee rates.
- Penalty rate tables: Clear tables for afternoon shifts, night shifts, Saturday rates, Sunday rates, and public holiday loadings so you can calculate weekend and after-hours pay accurately.
- Overtime calculations: Rates for the first two and three hours of overtime, plus specific provisions for remote area work performed outside standard hours.
- Allowance schedules: Current rates for broken shift allowances, sleepover allowances, first aid allowances, laundry allowances, and vehicle usage reimbursements.
Why accurate SCHADS Award 2025 pay rates matter for NDIS providers
Getting SCHADS Award pay rates wrong can have serious consequences for your NDIS business. The Fair Work Ombudsman actively audits disability service providers, and underpayment claims can result in significant back-pay obligations, penalties, and reputational damage. Beyond financial risk, incorrect pay calculations affect staff retention and morale, which directly impacts the quality of support delivered to NDIS participants.
The SCHADS Award is updated annually following the Fair Work Commission’s Annual Wage Review. For the 2025 financial year, providers need to ensure their payroll systems reflect the latest SCHADS Award 2025 pay rates effective from 1 October 2025. This includes updated base rates, adjusted penalty calculations, and revised allowance amounts across all classification levels.
How InficureX simplifies SCHADS Award compliance
InficureX NDIS management software is built to help providers manage the complexity of SCHADS Award compliance. Our platform integrates rostering, time tracking, and payroll calculations so that penalty rates, overtime, and allowances are applied automatically based on the shift patterns you schedule. This removes the manual calculation burden and significantly reduces the risk of payroll errors.
With InficureX, providers can configure classification levels for each worker, set up automated penalty rate rules, and generate payroll reports that align with SCHADS Award requirements. Combined with our NDIS rostering software, you can ensure every shift is correctly costed before it is even worked, giving you full visibility over your labour costs and award compliance obligations.
Frequently asked questions about SCHADS Award 2025 pay rates
When do the 2025 SCHADS Award pay rates take effect?
The updated SCHADS Award pay rates take effect from 1 October 2025, following the Fair Work Commission Annual Wage Review. All NDIS providers must update their payroll systems to reflect the new rates from this date to avoid underpayment issues.
What classification levels are covered under the SCHADS Award?
The SCHADS Award covers multiple classification levels across different streams including Social and Community Services employees (Level 1 to Level 8), Home Care employees (Levels 1 to 5), Crisis Accommodation employees, and Family Day Care workers. Each level has distinct pay rates based on qualifications and responsibilities.
How are penalty rates calculated under the SCHADS Award?
Penalty rates under the SCHADS Award vary depending on the type of shift and the day worked. Afternoon and night shifts attract percentage loadings on top of the base rate, while Saturday, Sunday, and public holiday work carries higher penalty multipliers. The specific rates differ between full-time, part-time, and casual employees.
What allowances apply under the SCHADS Award for NDIS workers?
Key allowances under the SCHADS Award include broken shift allowances for workers whose shifts are split across the day, sleepover allowances for overnight care, first aid allowances for designated first aiders, laundry allowances for uniform maintenance, and vehicle allowances for workers using their own cars for work travel. Each allowance has a specific dollar amount that is reviewed annually.
Can NDIS providers automate SCHADS Award pay calculations?
Yes. NDIS management platforms like InficureX allow providers to automate SCHADS Award pay calculations by integrating rostering with payroll. This ensures penalty rates, overtime, and allowances are calculated automatically based on each worker’s classification level and shift schedule, reducing manual errors and saving administrative time.