03/07/2026
Over a year after the Fair Work Commission (FWC) first released their initial decision in the Gender-based Undervaluation – Priority Awards Review, the Expert Panel has now handed down their final decision on changes to the Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award (SCHADS Award).
The decision is the result of multiple rounds of consultation, submissions from stakeholders, conferences, and hearings wherein a consensus position from interested parties was unable to be reached.
The Expert Panel has decided:
- the current classification framework which has four classification schedules will be replaced with a single integrated classification structure
- the new classification structure will come into force from 1 October 2027
- Home Care – Disability employees (Schedule E) will receive an interim 15% pay increase effective 1 October 2026.
The new classification structure aims to rectify gender-based undervaluation and provide clear progression criteria based on relevant industry experience, competency, and satisfactory performance. This reflected a strong theme throughout the process of the value the social and community services industry places on skills and knowledge acquired through experience rather than through the attainment of formal qualifications.
The new pay scale will result in varying increases in wage rates for employees, with the Expert Panel stating that employees may see a change in their pay rate anywhere from a reduction of 1% to an increase of up to 27% for Disability Support Workers. Where an existing employee’s current rate of pay is greater than the minimum rate under the new scale, the higher rate will be preserved.
There is no transitional period, with the new classifications to be implemented fully from 1 October 2027.
A draft determination has also been released to assist employers in translating the current classifications to the new structure. Interested parties have until 29 June 2026 to file any submissions on the draft determination at which time the FWC will decide if any further hearing is necessary.
If you are concerned about what this decision means for you, our team of employment law experts are here to help.