SCHADS Award Cheat Sheet (2026–27)
By CrossVault · Updated
A single-page quick reference to the SCHADS Award (MA000100) for the current cycle — Level 1–8 pay rates, penalty loadings, every allowance, and the rules most often missed on a roster. All figures are effective from the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2026 and include the 4.75% Annual Wage Review increase. Percentages are award-defined and stable; dollar amounts move each Annual Wage Review, so verify against the current Fair Work Pay Guide before relying on a figure. This cheat sheet is published by CrossVault, which checks timesheets against the SCHADS Award; its pay rates and allowances are taken from the Fair Work Ombudsman pay guide for MA000100.
Quick Facts
- Casual loading
- +25%
- Weekend
- Sat 150% · Sun 200%
- Public holiday
- 250%
- Sleepover
- $62.87 per night
- Broken shift
- $21.81 / $28.87
- Effective
- 1 July 2026 (+4.75% AWR)
Tools & Resources
-
SCHADS AI Assistant
Get instant answers to award questions.
-
Timesheet Validator
Check timesheets for compliance.
-
Free Payslip Check
For workers: compare your payslip to the award minimums.
Print or save this cheat sheet
Use the button to print this page or save it as a PDF for your team — the site header and footer are hidden automatically, leaving a clean one-page reference. For an interactive version, use the SCHADS pay rates calculator.
Pay rates at a glance — SACS employee, 1 July 2026
Minimum ordinary hourly rates for Social and Community Services (SACS) employees, full-time and part-time, across the pay points within each level. Casual employees add 25% to these figures. See the full per-level breakdown (weekly, casual, weekend) on each level page.
| Level | Ordinary hourly (FT/PT) | Casual (incl. 25%) |
|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | $27.55 – $29.45 | $34.44 – $36.81 |
| Level 2 | $36.22 – $39.53 | $45.28 – $49.41 |
| Level 3 | $40.49 – $43.42 | $50.61 – $54.28 |
| Level 4 | $46.70 – $50.25 | $58.38 – $62.81 |
| Level 5 | $53.43 – $55.85 | $66.79 – $69.81 |
| Level 6 | $58.37 – $60.95 | $72.96 – $76.19 |
| Level 7 | $63.13 – $65.77 | $78.91 – $82.21 |
| Level 8 | $68.49 – $71.19 | $85.61 – $88.99 |
Home Care and Crisis Accommodation streams have their own rate tables — these figures are the SACS stream, which covers most disability and community support roles.
Penalty rates
Penalties apply to ordinary hours worked at these times. Casuals add their 25% loading on top of the base for each.
| When | Rate |
|---|---|
| Saturday | 150% |
| Sunday | 200% |
| Public holiday | 250% |
| Afternoon shift (finishes after 8:00pm, Mon–Fri) | +12.5% (whole shift) |
| Night shift (finishes after midnight / starts before 6:00am) | +15% (whole shift) |
See weekend penalty rates and overtime rules for the detail.
Allowances (all classifications) — 1 July 2026
| Allowance | Amount | Clause |
|---|---|---|
| Broken shift — 1 unpaid break | $21.81 per shift | cl.25.6 / 20.12 |
| Broken shift — 2 unpaid breaks (by agreement) | $28.87 per shift | cl.25.6(b) / 20.12(b) |
| Sleepover | $62.87 per night | cl.25.7 |
| On-call — Monday to Friday | $25.66 per 24h | cl.20.11 |
| On-call — Saturday, Sunday or public holiday | $50.81 per 24h | cl.20.11 |
| Vehicle (own car) | $1.05 per km (temporary, 1 Sep 2026 to 28 Feb 2027; $1.01 otherwise) | cl.20.7 |
| First aid | $21.43 per week (or $0.56/hr, capped) | cl.20.6 |
| Meal (overtime) | $17.30 (+$17.30 if >4h OT) | cl.20.5 |
| Laundry | $0.33 per shift (max $1.53/wk) | cl.20.3 |
| Uniform | $1.26 per shift (max $6.41/wk) | cl.20.2 |
Full detail on each: allowances hub.
Key rules most often missed
- Break between shifts: minimum 10 hours between rostered shifts (cl.25.4); an 8-hour break applies by agreement where a sleepover is involved (from 1 June 2026). Cut it short after overtime and the next shift is paid at double time until a break is taken (cl.28.3). See break between shifts.
- Broken shift: maximum 12-hour span first-start to last-finish, maximum 2 unpaid breaks (cl.25.6); minutes beyond 12 hours are double time.
- Sleepover: the $62.87 allowance covers the night, but any work performed (a call-out) is paid additionally at overtime rates with a one-hour minimum (cl.25.7). See sleepover rules.
- Overtime: accrues across the whole day, not per individual shift — two same-day shifts can combine to cross the threshold. Time-and-a-half then double time (cl.28).
- Minimum engagement: a worker rostered must be paid a minimum period per engagement (generally 2 hours for SACS/disability; check the stream). See minimum engagement.
- Casual loading stacks: the 25% loading is on top of penalties and allowances, not instead of them.
Official sources
Rates and allowances above are from the Fair Work Ombudsman pay guide effective from the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2026. If this page and an official source differ, the official source governs.
- Fair Work Ombudsman pay guide for MA000100 (PDF download)
- Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award 2010 [MA000100] — award text
- Fair Work Commission decision [2026] FWCFB 232, 11 September 2026 (PDF) — Schedule E (home care, disability care) increase from the first full pay period on or after 1 December 2026; new classification structure from the first full pay period on or after 1 October 2027
Check a real roster or timesheet against these rules
Reading the rules is one thing; catching where a roster or timesheet breaches them is another. CrossVault reads your actual timesheet export — in any format — and flags under- and over-payment against every rule above before the pay run, with the clause cited. Audit a real timesheet free, or see the award interpretation software it runs on.
Payroll and rostering teams who want a guided walk-through of these rules can join our SCHADS Award 2026 training.
Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
- What are the current SCHADS Award pay rates?
- For SACS employees from 1 July 2026, ordinary full-time/part-time hourly rates run from $27.55 (Level 1) to $71.19 (Level 8), with casuals adding a 25% loading. Weekend and shift penalties and allowances are paid on top. Home Care and Crisis Accommodation streams have separate rate tables.
- What allowances does the SCHADS Award pay?
- The main ones (1 July 2026): broken shift $21.81 (one break) or $28.87 (two), sleepover $62.87 per night, on-call $25.66 weekday / $50.81 weekend or public holiday, vehicle $1.05 per km (temporary rate to 28 February 2027; $1.01 otherwise), first aid $21.43 per week, plus meal, laundry and uniform allowances. Percentages are award-defined; dollar amounts change each Annual Wage Review.
- Can I download the SCHADS cheat sheet as a PDF?
- Yes — use the "Print / Save as PDF" button at the top of the page. It prints a clean one-page reference with the site header and footer removed, which you can save as a PDF or print for your team. The figures are dated to 1 July 2026; check the current Fair Work Pay Guide when a new Annual Wage Review takes effect.
- Are the SCHADS rates the same in every state?
- Yes. The SCHADS Award is a national modern award, so the minimum rates and allowances are identical in every state and territory. Employers can pay above the minimum, and a registered enterprise agreement can set different (but not lower overall) terms.
Check your pay against these rates automatically
Upload a timesheet export and CrossVault checks every shift against the SCHADS Award, with the clause cited.
For providers
Find underpayments before Fair Work does
ShiftCare, Deputy, Employment Hero or Xero exports. Sleepovers, broken shifts, overtime and penalties checked shift by shift.
Free to start · No credit card
For support workers
Were you paid right?
Upload your payslip and check it against the SCHADS Award.