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Aged Care Workforce Supplement

The requirements of a new Aged Care Workforce Supplement were announced by the Minister for Mental Health and Ageing, the Hon Mark Butler MP on Tuesday 5 March 2013.

In this section:

As part of the Living Longer Living Better Aged Care Reform package, the Government announced up to $1.2 billion would be made available through the Addressing Workforce Pressures initiative which will better support the people who work in aged care.

The initiative will be delivered in two parts – through the Aged Care Workforce Compact and Supplement, and the Aged Care Workforce Development Plan which will be developed during 2013.

Aged care providers who meet the terms and conditions of the Workforce Compact can apply for the Aged Care Workforce Supplement and access payments from 1 July 2013.

Providers who are eligible to apply for the Workforce Supplement include:

  • residential aged care providers
  • community care providers
  • providers funded under the Commonwealth Home and Community Care Program
  • providers funded under the National Respite for Carers program
  • providers funded under the Day Therapy Centre program, or
  • providers funded by the Department of Veterans’ Affairs Veterans’ Home Care and Community Nursing programs.
Between 1 July 2013 and 31 December 2013 providers will be eligible for increased funding from the date pay rises to their staff take effect (so long as all other requirements have been met). After 31 December 2013, providers will be eligible for increased funding from the date the application is received by the Department.

Aged care providers must commit to using the Workforce Supplement for increased wages.

If an aged care employer has an existing enterprise agreement in place as at 1 July 2013, or they are a residential aged care provider with 50 or more operational places without an enterprise agreement in place, then an enterprise agreement must be updated or established consistent with the terms and conditions of the Compact.

Residential aged care providers with fewer than 50 operational places and all other eligible providers will need to certify that they meet the terms and conditions of the Compact to apply for the Workforce Supplement.

A pack will be sent to all aged care providers over coming weeks which will include the attached brochure and fact-sheet. Following that, guidelines will be sent to all employers, which will include details on the application process.

Aged care providers whose employees are paid under State and Territory Government awards or public sector enterprise agreements will not be eligible for funding.

Enquiries should be directed to the workforcesupplement email address - workforcesupplement@health.gov.au.

Further information on the Workforce Supplement is available at www.livinglongerlivingbetter.gov.au.

Details about Government programs to support the aged care workforce are at www.health.gov.au/agedcareworkforce.
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