Are you an employee or an employer? The Fair Work Commission has released a draft decision that could raise minimum award wages for speech pathologists employed under the Health Professionals and Support Services (HPSS) Award.
This is part of a review into jobs that may have been historically undervalued because they are dominated by women. The Commission found that gender-based assumptions have contributed to lower pay for many health professional roles, including speech pathologists.
Speech Pathology Australia welcomes this recognition of the value of the qualifications and skills of the profession and supports the intent to address gender-based undervaluation through fairer minimum award wages.
SPA is committed to supporting both employee rights and employer sustainability throughout this process.
To safeguard the sustainability of speech pathology practices we are advocating for:
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phased roll-out of any pay increases,
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targeted government funding to support employers, and
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fair NDIS pricing and Medicare rebates that reflect the true cost of service delivery.
Nothing is confirmed yet. The Fair Work Commission is reviewing feedback and there's no set timeline for a final decision. SPA has submitted a position statement, which you can read here. We'll keep you updated through our national eNews, social media and our website.
More information: