From 1 July, the Fair Work Commission has mandated that part-time home care workers must work for a minimum of two hours.
The change to the Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry (SCHADS) Award has been brought on by a recommendation by the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety.
The majority of home care workers work part-time.
“This is a big deal for us and I believe providers have underestimated the importance and its potential for the industry’s cost structure,” said Stuart Miller, Group CEO of myHomecare, the largest home care provider in Australia.
“There are parts of this that are very positive for providers; if we get to better offer our staff the opportunities for greater guaranteed work levels we become a viable career instead of a job just for those that truly care. The costs imposed does mean that there needs to be a corresponding increase in income to offset these very sizeable cost increases.
“The other component of the SCHADS changes really enforces a logistics management discipline on the industry, and to be honest that is definitely overdue. For those of us who have already invested considerably it will be an advantage; for those that have not invested in systems and skills the pressure will be immense,” added Stuart, a speaker at the LEADERS SUMMMIT last month.
Giovanni Siano, owner and director of provider Home Instead Geelong, said the change “could have disastrous consequences for the industry and, particularly, for the clients."
