FWC varies Children’s Services Award to include new Educational Leaders Allowance

The Fair Work Commission (FWC) has determined that an Educational Leaders allowance amounting to $4,022.05 per annum will be paid to an employee who carries out responsibilities consistent with the title of Educational Leader regardless of whether they are employed under the Teachers Award or the Children’s Services Award. 

This is a substantive variation and one that has been under consideration by the FWC since it ruled that early childhood teachers employed under the Educational Services (Teachers) Award 2022 would be entitled to an additional allowance if they were conducting Educational Leader responsibilities. 

At that point the FWC confirmed its provisional view that the teachers ruling should be added to the Children’s Services Award 2010 and that the dollar amount should be the same as for the equivalent received under the Teachers Award. 

On 31 August 2022, the Vice President of the FWC issued a ruling that confirmed the variation to the Children’s Services Award would now take place with an effective implementation date of 1 November 2022. 

The specific ruling that is relevant for employees working in early childhood education and care services (ECEC) under the Children’s Services Award with either a Certificate III or Diploma is as follows:

15.8 Educational Leader allowance

1. An educational leader’s allowance of $4,022.05 per annum will be paid to an employee who is required to discharge the responsibilities of the educational leader under Regulation 118 of the Education and Care Services National Regulations 2011.

1. Where an employee is required to act as educational leader for less than five days per week, the annual allowance prescribed by clause 15.8(a) will be payable on a pro rata basis calculated by reference to the number of days per week the employee is required to act as educational leader.

The allowance prescribed in clause 15.8(a) is the same amount as the educational leader allowance prescribed by clause 19.4 of the Educational Services (Teachers) Award 2020 and will be adjusted each year to reflect the amount set in the Educational Services (Teachers) Award 2020.

For enquiries about the implications for wages, please view contact details on the Fair Work Ombudsman’s website.