2025 WAIRC 00524
Department of Education (School Support Officers) Award

1B. - MINIMUM ADULT AWARD WAGE

(1) No employee aged 21 or more shall be paid less than the minimum adult award wage unless otherwise provided by this clause.

(2) The minimum adult award wage for full-time employees aged 21 or more working under an award that provides for a 38-hour week is $953.00 per week.

The minimum adult award wage for full-time employees aged 21 or more working under awards that provide for other than a 38-hour week is calculated as follows: divide $953.00 by 38 and multiply by the number of ordinary hours prescribed for a full-time employee under the award.

The minimum adult award wage is payable from the beginning of the first pay period commencing on or after 1 July 2025.

(3) The minimum adult award wage is deemed to include all State Wage order adjustments from State Wage Case decisions.

(4) Unless otherwise provided in this clause adults aged 21 or more employed as casuals, part-time employees or piece workers or employees who are remunerated wholly on the basis of payment by results, shall not be paid less than pro rata the minimum adult award wage according to the hours worked.

(5) Employees under the age of 21 shall be paid no less than the wage determined by applying the percentage prescribed in the junior rates provision in this award (if applicable) to the minimum adult award wage, provided that no employee shall be paid less than any applicable minimum rate of pay prescribed by the Minimum Conditions of Employment Act 1993.

(6) The minimum adult award wage shall not apply to apprentices, employees engaged on traineeships or government approved work placement programs or employed under the Commonwealth Government Supported Wage System or to other categories of employees who by prescription are paid less than the minimum award rate, provided that no employee shall be paid less than any applicable minimum rate of pay prescribed by the Minimum Conditions of Employment Act 1993.

(7) Liberty to apply is reserved in relation to any special category of employees not included here or otherwise in relation to the application of the minimum adult award wage.

(8) Subject to this clause the minimum adult award wage shall –

(a) Apply to all work in ordinary hours.

(b) Apply to the calculation of overtime and all other penalty rates, superannuation, payments during any period of paid leave and for all purposes of this award.

(9) Minimum Adult Award Wage

The rates of pay in this award include the minimum weekly wage for employees aged 21 or more payable under the 2025 State Wage order. Any increase arising from the insertion of the minimum wage will be offset against any equivalent amount in rates of pay received by employees whose wages and conditions of employment are regulated by this award which are above the wage rates prescribed in the award. Such above award payments include wages payable pursuant to enterprise agreements, consent awards or award variations to give effect to enterprise agreements and over award arrangements. Absorption which is contrary to the terms of an agreement is not required.

Increases under previous State Wage Case Principles or under the current Statement of Principles, excepting those resulting from enterprise agreements, are not to be used to offset the minimum wage.

(10) Adult Apprentices

(a) Notwithstanding the provisions of this clause, the minimum adult apprentice wage for a full-time apprentice aged 21 years or more working under an award that provides for a 38-hour week is $791.30 per week.

(b) The minimum adult apprentice wage for a full-time apprentice aged 21 years or more working under an award that provides for other than a 38-hour week is calculated as follows: divide $791.30 by 38 and multiply by the number of ordinary hours prescribed for a full-time apprentice under the award.

(c) The minimum adult apprentice wage is payable from the beginning of the first pay period commencing on or after 1 July 2025.

(d) Adult apprentices aged 21 years or more employed on a part-time basis shall not be paid less than pro rata the minimum adult apprentice wage according to the hours worked.

(e) The rates paid in the paragraphs above to an apprentice 21 years of age or more are payable on superannuation and during any period of paid leave prescribed by this award.

(f) Where in this award an additional rate is expressed as a percentage, fraction or multiple of the ordinary rate of pay, it shall be calculated upon the rate prescribed in this award for the actual year of apprenticeship.


10. - SALARIES

(1) The Employer shall allocate to officers such salaries and salary ranges taken from subclause (2) of this clause.

(2)
Classification
Base Salary
Arbitrated Safety Net Adjustment
($ per annum)
75 Hours Total Salary
($ per annum)




Officer (Junior)



Under 17
$10,591
$15,271
$25,862
17 years
$12,377
$17,846
$30,223
18 years
$14,438
$20,818
$35,256
19 years
$16,712
$24,097
$40,809
20 years
$18,768
$27,061
$45,829




Officer Level 1



Year 1 (21 years)
$20,616
$29726
$50,342
Year 2
$21,224
$29899
$51,123
Year 3
$21,832
$30072
$51,904
Year 4
$22,435
$30372
$52,807
Year 5
$23,042
$30546
$53,588
Year 6
$23,649
$30716
$54,365
Year 7
$24,348
$30973
$55,321
Year 8
$24,831
$31151
$55,982
Year 9
$25,546
$31423
$56,969




Officer Level 2



Year 1
$26,401
$31746
$58,147
Year 2
$27,056
$31989
$59,045
Year 3
$27,746
$32251
$59,997
Year 4
$28,474
$32522
$60,996
Year 5
$29,236
$32811
$62,047




Officer Level 3



Year 1
$30,284
$33205
$63,489
Year 2
$31,100
$33510
$64,610
Year 3
$31,941
$33826
$65,767
Year 4
$32,805
$34017
$66,822




Officer Level 4



Year 1
$33,989
$34462
$68,451
Year 2
$34,917
$34679
$69,596
Year 3
$35,872
$35038
$70,910




Officer Level 5



5.1
$37,712
$35731
$73,443
5.2
$38,955
$36198
$75,153
5.3
$40,247
$36683
$76,930
5.4
$41,587
$37187
$78,774

(3) Where an occupant of such office is employed for less than 37.5 hours per week, the salary paid shall be in accordance with the following formula:-

Hours worked per fortnight / 75 x FullTime Fortnightly Salary.

(4) The fortnightly salary of employees shall be calculated as follows:

Annual Salary
x
12

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(5) The hourly rate shall be computed as one seventy-fifth of the fortnight's salary.

(6) The salary rates expressed herein shall be varied to reflect variations which are made from time to time to the salary scales of the Public Service Award 1992 including amendments, replacements and variations. Such variations to this Award shall be in accordance with the method agreed between the parties to this Award.

(7) Payment Of Salaries

(a) Salaries shall be paid fortnightly but, where the usual payday falls on a public holiday, payment shall be made on the previous working day.

(b) Salaries shall be paid by direct funds transfer to the credit of an account nominated by the officer at a bank, building society or credit union approved by the Under Treasurer or an Accountable Officer.

(c) Provided that where such form of payment is impracticable or where some exceptional circumstances exist, and by agreement between the employer and the Association, payment by cheque may be made.

(8) Arbitrated Safety Net Adjustments

(a) The rates of pay in this Award include arbitrated safety net adjustments available since December 1993, under the Arbitrated Safety Net Adjustment Principle.

(b) These arbitrated safety net adjustments may be offset against any equivalent amount in the rate of pay received by officers since 1 November 1991 above the rate prescribed in the Award, except where such absorption is contrary to the terms of an industrial agreement.

(c) Increases in rates of pay otherwise made under the State Wage Case Principles, excepting those resulting from enterprise agreements, are not to be used to offset arbitrated safety net adjustments.

53. – SUPPORTED WAGE

(1) Workers Eligible for a Supported Wage

This clause defines the conditions that will apply to officers who, because of the effects of a disability, are eligible for a supported wage under the terms of this clause. In the context of this clause, the following definitions will apply:

"Supported Wage System" means the Commonwealth Government system to promote employment for people who cannot work at full award wages because of a disability, as documented in "(Supported Wage System: Guidelines and Assessment Process)";

"Accredited Assessor ", means a person accredited by the management unit established by the Commonwealth under the Supported Wage System to perform assessment of an individual's productive capacity within the Supported Wage System;

"Disability Support Pension" means the Commonwealth pension scheme to provide income security for persons with a disability as provided under the Social Security Act 1991, as amended from time to time, or any successor to that scheme; and

"Assessment Instrument" means the form provided for under the Supported Wage System that records the assessment of the productive capacity of the person to be employed under the Supported Wage System.

(2) Eligibility Criteria

Officers covered by this clause will be those who are unable to perform the range of duties to the competence level required within the class of work for which the officer is engaged under the Award, because of the effects of a disability on their productive capacity and who meet the impairment criteria for receipt of a Disability Support Pension. (This clause does not apply to any existing officer who has a claim against the employer, which is subject to the provisions of workers' compensation legislation, or any provision of the Award relating to the rehabilitation of officers who are injured in the course of their current employment).

This clause also does not apply to employers in respect of their facility, programme, undertaking, service or the like which receives funding under the Disability Services Act 1986 and fulfils the dual role of service provider and sheltered employer to people with disabilities who are in receipt of or eligible for a Disability Support Pension, except with respect to an organisation which has received recognition under s10 or s12A of the Act, or if a part only has received recognition, that part.

(3) Supported Wage Rates

Officers to whom this clause applies shall be paid the applicable percentage of the minimum rate of pay prescribed by the Award for the class of work, which the person is performing according to the following schedule:

Assessed Capacity (clause 58.5)
% of Prescribed Award Rate
10%*
10%*
20%
20%
30%
30%
40%
40%
50%
50%
60%
60%
70%
70%
80%
80%
90%
90%

(Provided that the minimum amount payable shall be not less than $109 per week).

*Where a person’s assessed capacity is 10%, they shall receive a high degree of assistance and support.

(4) Assessment of Capacity

For the purpose of establishing the percentage of the Award rate to be paid to the officers, the productive capacity of the officer will be assessed in accordance with the Supported Wage System and documented in an assessment instrument by either:

(a) the employer and the union, in consultation with the officer, or if desired by any of these; or

(b) the employer and an accredited Assessor from a panel agreed by the parties to the Award and the officer.

(5) Lodgement of Assessment Instruments

(a) All assessment instruments under the conditions of this clause, including the appropriate percentage of the Award wage rate to be paid to the officer, shall be lodged by the employer with the Registrar of the Commission.

(b) All assessment instruments shall be agreed and signed by the parties to the assessment, provided that where the union is not a party to the assessment, it shall be referred by the Registrar to the union by certified mail and shall take effect unless an objection is notified to the Registrar within 10 working days.

(6) Review of Assessment

The assessment of the applicable percentage should be subject to annual review or earlier on the basis of a reasonable request for such a review. The process of review shall be in accordance with the procedures for assessing capacity under the Supported Wage System.

(7) Other Terms and Conditions of Employment

Where an assessment has been made, the applicable percentage shall apply to the wage rate only. Officers covered by the provisions of this clause will be entitled to the same terms and conditions of employment as all other officers covered by the Award paid on a pro rata basis.

(8) Workplace Adjustment

An employer wishing to employ a person under the provisions of this clause shall take reasonable steps to make changes in the workplace to enhance the officer's capacity to do the job. Changes may involve redesign of job duties, working time arrangements and work organisation in consultation with other officers in the area.

(9) Trial Period

In order for an adequate assessment of the officer's capacity to be made, an employer may employ a person under the provisions of this clause for a trial period not exceeding 12 weeks, except that in some cases additional work adjustment time (not exceeding 4 weeks) may be needed.

During the trial period the assessment of capacity shall be undertaken and the proposed wage rate for a continuing employment relationship shall be determined.

The minimum amount payable to the officer during the trial period shall be no less than $109 per week.

Work trials should include induction or training as appropriate to the job being trialled.

Where the employer and officer wish to establish a continuing employment relationship following the completion of the trial period, a further contract of employment shall be entered into based on the outcome of assessment under subclause 4 of this clause.