A general overview of the Health Support Services Award
The Health Professionals and Support Services Award 2020 governs an array of roles within the healthcare industry, covering employees engaged in health-related services and support tasks. This award sets the minimum standards for wages, working conditions, and entitlements, ensuring that health professionals and support staff receive fair compensation for their skills and contributions to the healthcare sector.
In this article, we summarise the key aspects of the Health Support Services Award, including coverage, employment types, rostering guidelines, pay rates, allowances, superannuation obligations, and leave entitlements. Understanding these provisions is key to ensuring compliance with legal requirements and promoting fair and consistent employment practices within your healthcare organisation.
For more detailed information on each topic, you'll find links throughout this article directing you to comprehensive resources.
Note: The information provided in this article is accurate as of 16/08/2024. As award conditions and rates are subject to change, please refer to the latest version of the Health Professionals and Support Services Award for the most current information.
Health Support Services Award coverage
The Health Professionals and Support Services Award covers a variety of roles within the private healthcare sector.
Who's covered
Key positions include:
- Medical receptionists: Managing appointments and patient enquiries.
- Dental assistants: Assisting with patient care and clinical tasks.
- Practice managers: Overseeing healthcare operations and staff.
- Pharmacy technicians: Supporting pharmacists with medication management.
This award also applies to on-hire employees, such as temporary nursing assistants and medical administrators, as well as trainees gaining practical experience in healthcare settings.
Who isn't covered
High-level executives, employees under bespoke enterprise agreements, state public sector workers, medical practitioners covered by other awards, and those whose duties align more closely with other industry-specific awards.
Practical example: Jackie is a clinical administrator at a private health centre. Her role involves managing patient records, scheduling appointments, coordinating patient referrals, preparing medical documentation, and assisting with billing and insurance claims. Given her administrative responsibilities in a healthcare setting, Jackie is covered by the Health and Support Services Award.
Learn more about Health Professionals and Support Services Award coverage
Employment types and ordinary hours under the Health Support Services Award
The Health Professionals and Support Services Award categorises employment into three primary types, each with specific guidelines for managing ordinary hours:
- Full-time employees: Typically work 38 hours per week under ongoing contracts, providing job stability. These hours can be averaged over a fortnight or four-week period, with a maximum of 10 hours per day (or up to 12 hours by mutual agreement).
- Part-time employees: Work fewer hours than full-time, with the exact hours agreed upon in writing before starting the role. Their schedule must be regular, with ordinary hours set in advance.
- Casual employees: Hired on an as-needed basis, with no guaranteed hours and a minimum engagement of three hours per shift (two hours for cleaners in private medical practices). Casual workers can work up to 38 ordinary hours per week and receive a higher hourly rate to compensate for the lack of job security.
On-hire workers and trainees/apprentices’ hours typically align with full-time or part-time schedules, depending on their contracts and training agreements.
Ordinary hours of work
- Day workers: Standard hours are from 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM, Monday to Friday. However, in certain healthcare sectors (e.g., medical, dental, and imaging practices), ordinary hours extend to 9:00 PM on weekdays and include Saturdays.
- Shift workers: May work outside typical hours, including weekends and public holidays, with specific provisions in place under the award.
Rostering under the Health Support Services Award
The Health Professionals and Support Services Award ensures fair and flexible roster management for healthcare employees. Employers must post regular, predictable hours on a fortnightly roster, with any changes requiring seven days’ notice, though exceptions can be made for emergencies.
The award allows for mutual agreements to adjust work hours, and employees can request flexible arrangements, which employers must consider in line with the National Employment Standards (NES).
Breaks and rest periods
Employees are entitled to a 30 to 60-minute unpaid meal break after five hours of work and a 10-minute paid tea break for every four hours worked. Tea breaks, which are considered time worked, can be combined into a single 20-minute break if agreed upon by both parties.
Learn more about Health Support Services Award employment types, ordinary hours, and rostering
Health Support Services Award pay rates
The Health Professionals and Support Services Award sets clear minimum wage rates for various roles within the healthcare sector. For example, a Level 1 adult support services employee earns $910.90 per week, while a Level 1 health professional with a three-year degree earns $1084.10 per week. Part-time employees are paid the corresponding minimum hourly rate, and casual employees receive a 25% loading on top of that rate.
Employers must ensure wages are paid weekly, fortnightly, or monthly, as agreed with employees, with detailed payslips provided. Upon termination, all outstanding wages and entitlements must be settled within seven days, in line with the Fair Work Act 2009.
See full list of Health Professionals and Support Services Award pay rates
Allowances under the Health Support Services Award
The Health Professionals and Support Services Award includes various allowances to compensate for additional duties and work-related expenses. Examples include a vehicle allowance of $0.96 per kilometre for those using their own vehicles for work, a heat allowance of up to $0.65 per hour for working in high temperatures, and an on-call allowance of up to $46.72 per 24 hours. Additionally, there’s a meal allowance of $15.20 for overtime without notice.
These are just some of the allowances provided, which are regularly updated to reflect cost-of-living changes.
Health Support Services Award superannuation
Under the Health Professionals and Support Services Award, employers must comply with the government-mandated superannuation rules, contributing 11.5% of an employee's ordinary time earnings (OTE) to superannuation. This applies to all employees over 18, and to those under 18 who work more than 30 hours a week. Employees can choose their super fund, but if no choice is made, employers must use a stapled fund, or an approved fund, such as HESTA or First State Super.
Employers must ensure timely and accurate contributions, including during paid leave and up to 52 weeks for work-related absences. Voluntary employee contributions are also allowed, with employers required to facilitate these payments promptly.
Health Support Services Award overtime and penalty rates
The Health Professionals and Support Services Award provides clear guidelines for compensating employees who work beyond their regular hours or during unsociable times.
Overtime rates
Overtime rates vary depending on the day and employee type. For full-time and part-time employees, overtime is paid at 150% of the minimum hourly rate for the first two hours on Monday to Saturday, increasing to 200% thereafter. On Sundays, overtime is paid at 200%, and on public holidays, it’s 250%. Casual employees receive 187.5% for the first two hours on Monday to Saturday, then 250%. On Sundays, they’re paid 250%, and on public holidays, 312.5%.
Employees can opt for time off in lieu of overtime pay, with the time off to be taken within six months, or they must be paid for the overtime worked.
Practical example: Ariella, a full-time medical receptionist with a regular hourly rate of $28, worked an additional five hours beyond her regular 38-hour workweek. On Wednesday, she worked two hours of overtime, which was paid at 1.5 times her hourly rate, earning her $84. Later in the week, Ariella worked three hours of overtime on Saturday, with the first two hours paid at 1.5 times her hourly rate and the third hour at double her rate, adding $140 to her pay. In total, Ariella earned $224 in overtime pay for the week.
Penalty rates
Penalty rates apply to work performed during weekends, public holidays, and shift work. For weekend work, full-time and part-time employees receive 150% of the minimum hourly rate, while casuals receive 175% without additional casual loading. On public holidays, all employees are paid 250% of the minimum hourly rate.
Shift workers receive 115% for shifts ending between 6 PM and 8 AM, while casual shift workers receive 140% without additional casual loading.
Practical example: Emma, a full-time allied health assistant with a regular hourly rate of $30, worked a five-hour shift on a Sunday, earning $225 at 150% of her regular rate. Later, she worked an evening shift ending at 10 PM, earning $34.50 at the 115% shift penalty rate. In total, Emma earned $259.50 in penalty rates for that week.
Learn more about Health Support Services Award overtime and penalty rates
Health Support Services Award leave entitlements and public holidays
The Health Professional Support Services Award aligns with the NES to provide comprehensive leave entitlements and public holiday provisions.
Annual leave
Full-time employees are entitled to four weeks of annual leave per year, while part-time employees accrue leave on a pro-rata basis. A 17.5% leave loading applies, with shift workers entitled to the higher of the leave loading or the shift penalties they would have earned. Employees working Sundays and public holidays regularly receive an additional week of leave.
Employers can require employees to take leave during a shutdown period with 28 days' notice, and employees may take leave in advance or cash out leave with written agreement. Excessive leave accruals (more than eight weeks) should be addressed by mutual agreement, or the employer may direct the employee to take leave.
Other types of leave
In addition to annual leave, employees are entitled to 10 days of paid personal/carer’s leave, two days of compassionate leave per occasion, up to 12 months of unpaid parental leave (with a right to request an additional 12 months), unpaid community service leave, and 10 days of unpaid family and domestic violence leave annually. Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander employees are also entitled to up to 10 days of unpaid ceremonial leave per year.
Public holidays
Employees (excluding casuals) are entitled to a paid day off on public holidays recognised under the NES, such as New Year’s Day, Australia Day, and Christmas Day. Employers may request employees to work on public holidays if reasonable, with employees having the right to refuse on reasonable grounds. Employers and employees can also agree to substitute another day for a public holiday.
Learn more about Health Support Services Award leave entitlements
Key considerations for the Health Support Services Award
Understanding the specific provisions of the Health Professional Support Services Award is essential for maintaining compliance and ensuring fair treatment of employees. Here are some key nuances employers should be mindful of:
- Understanding coverage: While the Health Professionals and Support Services Award applies to a wide range of roles within the healthcare industry, it’s important to note that it specifically covers support roles, such as administrative staff, dental assistants, and pharmacy technicians. However, doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals aren’t covered under this award—they’re typically covered by separate, industry-specific awards.
Why it matters: Misunderstanding the coverage of this award can lead to incorrect classifications and subsequent non-compliance.
- Annualised salaries: The award permits annualised salary arrangements, which can simplify payroll but carry risks if not managed properly.
Why it matters: If the annualised salary doesn’t cover all award entitlements, such as overtime and penalty rates, employers may face underpayment claims. Regularly reviewing and reconciling annualised salaries with actual hours worked is essential to avoid these issues.
- Allowances and loadings: The award specifies various allowances and loadings, including those for on-call duties, shift penalties, and meal allowances.
Why it matters: Misapplying or overlooking these allowances can result in disputes and back-pay obligations. Employers must ensure all applicable allowances are accurately calculated and paid to avoid compliance issues.
Simplify Health Support Services Award compliance with Rippling
Navigating Health Professionals and Support Services Award compliance can be complex because of its wide range of roles, detailed pay structures, and specific allowances and entitlements. Rippling's unified platform simplifies this process, helping your healthcare business ensure compliance while accurately managing the diverse requirements of the award. Key features include:
Comprehensive coverage and compliance tools
Rippling’s platform offers custom-built alerts to help keep you updated and on top of award compliance. With detailed reporting, audit support, and customisable templates, you can ensure that your business remains compliant with all facets of the Health Professionals and Support Services Award.
Streamlined time, attendance, and leave management
With features like time and attendance tracking and leave management, Rippling ensures that all processes align with the award’s stipulations, reducing manual work and consequent errors, and enhancing operational efficiency.
Simplified payroll, overtime, and superannuation
Rippling simplifies the complexities of payroll, including overtime and superannuation compliance. The platform automatically adjusts pay, overtime, and penalties according to award requirements, and calculates superannuation contributions accurately.
Real-time insights and integration
Rippling’s seamless integration with existing systems ensures accurate financial management, offering peace of mind and operational flow improvements.
Disclaimer: Rippling and its affiliates do not provide tax, accounting, or legal advice. This material has been prepared for informational purposes only, and is not intended to provide or be relied on for tax, accounting, or legal advice. You should consult your own tax, accounting, and legal advisors before engaging in any related activities or transactions.
