Your rights and entitlements as a support worker
Your workplace rights as a disability support worker in Australia — pay, breaks, super, leave, sleepovers and travel — under the SCHADS award and Fair Work.
What entitlements are you legally owed as a support worker?
SCHADS Award pay vs the NDIS price limit: why they're not the same
How penalty rates and loadings are structured
Casual, part-time or full-time: how your entitlements change
Leave, superannuation and the National Employment Standards
Your rights around rosters, breaks and travel between clients
Independent contractors and platform work: what's different
Health, safety and your right to say no to unsafe work
Common mistakes that quietly cost support workers money
What to do if you think you're being underpaid or mistreated
Frequently asked questions
Does my support worker pay have to match the NDIS hourly price?
No. Your pay is set by the SCHADS Award, while the NDIS price limit is the maximum a provider can charge a participant's plan for your support. They are different numbers set by different bodies, and the gap covers the provider's overheads, supervision, insurance, super, leave and your non-billable paid time. Always check your wage against the Fair Work Pay and Conditions Tool or MA000100, not against the NDIS price.
Am I entitled to be paid for travel between clients?
Generally yes. Time spent travelling between participants during your shift is normally paid work time under SCHADS, and using your own car usually attracts a per-kilometre allowance. Travel from home to your first client and from your last client back home is often treated differently. Keep your own record of trips and kilometres, and confirm the current allowance rate with the Fair Work Pay Tool or MA000100.
What's the difference between being a casual and a permanent part-time worker?
Casuals receive a 25% loading instead of paid leave and have no guaranteed hours, which suits flexible work but offers less security. Permanent part-timers have agreed guaranteed hours and accrue pro-rata paid annual and personal leave but get no loading. Over time the leave a part-timer accrues can outweigh the casual loading, so the better option depends on how regular and secure your work is. If your casual pattern has been regular for 6–12 months you may be able to request conversion to permanent.
Can I be forced to work public holidays, and how am I paid?
You can be asked to work a public holiday if the request is reasonable, and you can reasonably refuse in some circumstances. If you do work, the public holiday penalty is 250% of your base rate. If it's an ordinary working day you'd normally work and you don't, permanent employees are usually entitled to a paid day off. Confirm the exact treatment for your roster and employment type with the Fair Work Pay Tool.
I work through a platform with an ABN — do I get penalty rates and leave?
Usually not, if you're a genuine independent contractor, because penalty rates, paid leave and the casual loading attach to employment rather than contracting. As a contractor you set your own rate and manage your own tax, super and insurance. However, if you work set shifts and are directed like an employee, you may be misclassified — that's sham contracting, which is unlawful — and could be owed the full award. Get advice from the Fair Work Ombudsman or a union if your arrangement looks like employment in all but name.
How do I check whether I'm being paid correctly?
Use the Fair Work Pay and Conditions Tool or the SCHADS Award (MA000100) to look up the correct rate for your classification, shift type and employment status, then compare it line by line against your payslips. Check that penalties, allowances, travel and minimum engagement are included, and confirm your superannuation through myGov and the ATO. If figures don't match, raise it in writing with your employer and escalate to the Fair Work Ombudsman if needed.
Is my superannuation changing in 2026?
Yes. The compulsory superannuation guarantee rises to 12% from 1 July 2026, paid by your employer on top of your wages. From that date, check your payslips reflect the correct percentage and that contributions are actually reaching your fund, not just listed on the slip. Unpaid or underpaid super is recoverable, and you can track contributions through your myGov and ATO account.