Level 4 pay rates
| Pay point | Permanent (per hr) | Casual (per hr) | Annual (perm, 38hrs) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pay Point 1 | $44.58 | $55.73 | $88,090 |
| Pay Point 2 | $45.75 | $57.19 | $90,402 |
| Pay Point 3 | $46.93 | $58.66 | $92,734 |
| Pay Point 4 | $47.97 | $59.96 | $94,789 |
Rates are for the SACS stream, effective from the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2025. Source: SCHADS Award MA000100.
Annual salary is based on 38 hours per week x 52 weeks. Most support workers do not work this pattern. Level 4 workers are often employed on permanent part-time or full-time arrangements, but salary packages vary.
These are base rates. Use the Fair Work Ombudsman P.A.C.T. tool for binding rate verification. See also: full SCHADS rate table.
Rates shown are indicative for the Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services (SCHADS) Award MA000100, effective from the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2025. Always verify against the Fair Work Ombudsman Pay and Conditions Tool before processing payroll.
Rates and classification information last reviewed: May 2026. Next Fair Work Annual Wage Review: 1 July 2026.
What Level 4 covers
Level 4 is for workers who have direct responsibility for supervising the work of other employees, coordinating service delivery within a defined area, and exercising delegated responsibility from management. The classification is grounded in the concept of genuine supervisory accountability -- not informal mentoring, not senior experience, but formal responsibility for how other workers perform their roles.
A Diploma-level qualification or extensive relevant experience is typical at Level 4, but as with all SCHADS levels, the classification must reflect the actual duties rather than the qualification on paper.
Level 4 work typically includes:
- –Direct supervisory responsibility for the work output of other workers on a shift or within a program
- –Authority to direct and coordinate other workers' activities
- –Approving or reviewing timesheets, shift records, or incident reports submitted by workers in their team
- –Participating in the recruitment or performance management of Level 2 and Level 3 workers
- –Managing shift staffing issues including allocating replacement cover
- –Liaising with participant families, external supports, and allied health services as a primary organisational contact
- –Reporting to a service or program manager rather than a senior support worker
“Team leader” is a job title, not a classification
This is one of the most important practical points for disability providers to understand. The label "team leader" on a contract or business card does not determine what level the worker should be paid. The classification is determined by the actual duties and the degree of delegated responsibility the person exercises.
A worker called "team leader" who provides experienced peer support, informally guides newer workers, and attends care planning meetings -- but who does not formally direct the work of other employees or carry supervisory accountability -- is performing Level 3 work, not Level 4. The descriptor "senior support worker" or "team leader" in the job title is not the test.
Conversely, a worker with the title "senior carer" who has been given genuine shift supervision responsibility, signs off on shift reports, and is responsible for the safe staffing of a house -- that person is performing Level 4 work regardless of how their role is titled.
Common classification disputes at Level 4
Team leader role classified at Level 3
The most common Level 4 dispute: a provider creates "team leader" roles and classifies them at Level 3.2 or Level 3.4, but the actual duties include supervising rostered shifts, approving timesheets, managing incidents, and being the first point of escalation for the service house. Those are Level 4 duties. Classifying the role at Level 3 because the organisation does not want to absorb the pay difference is misclassification, and it is the kind of systemic underpayment that attracts Fair Work compliance attention.
Added responsibilities without reclassification
A Level 3 worker is asked to cover supervisory functions while a team leader is on leave. This arrangement continues informally for months. The provider has not reclassified the worker or paid them at Level 4 for the periods in which they are performing Level 4 duties. Under the Award, the worker should be paid the higher classification rate for any period in which they are genuinely performing the higher-level duties.
Pay rate when a coordinator picks up shifts
A care coordinator is salaried at a Level 4 or Level 5 equivalent and periodically picks up direct support shifts. The rate for those shifts should reflect the classification of the work being performed on that shift. If the coordinator is working as a direct support worker on that shift -- not in a supervisory capacity -- the applicable rate is the support worker classification for those duties, unless their contract provides a floor rate at a higher amount. Employment contracts can specify rates above the Award minimum; they cannot specify rates below it.
Qualification and experience at Level 4
A Diploma of Community Services, Diploma of Disability, or equivalent Diploma qualification is the typical pathway to Level 4, combined with direct supervisory experience. The Award does not require a Diploma as a prerequisite -- a worker with extensive relevant experience who is genuinely performing Level 4 duties must be classified at Level 4 regardless of their formal qualification.
In practice, providers often use Diploma completion as a signal that a worker may be ready for a Level 4 role. The correct process is to review the duties of the new role when it is created or assigned, confirm that those duties are Level 4 duties, and classify accordingly. Offering a "team leader" role to a Diploma holder while structuring the duties at Level 3 to reduce costs is misclassification regardless of the qualification level involved.