SCHADS Award Cheat Sheet (2026–27)
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.
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
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SCHADS AI Assistant
Get instant answers to award questions.
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Timesheet Validator
Check timesheets for compliance.
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) | $1.01 per km | 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.
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.
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 $1.01 per km, 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.
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