Lower than half of all aged care suppliers anticipated to have utilized for an $800 employee bonus have performed so, regardless of the scheme beginning greater than 4 weeks in the past.
The Federal Authorities introduced on February 1 that it might award aged care staff bonuses of as much as $800, to be paid in two separate rounds of as much as $400 every.
To obtain the cash – dubbed the "Aged Care Workforce Bonus Fee" – eligible employers want to use to the federal government on behalf of staff after which pay the bonuses direct to them.
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The scheme opened to purposes from employers on March 1, with the federal government "encouraging" employers to pay the bonus on the similar time they lodge the applying.
In an announcement to 9news.com.au, a spokesperson for the Division of Well being stated the rollout of the funds was continuing as anticipated regardless of lower than half of employers having made an utility.
"Allocations of bonus funds to aged care staff is on schedule," the spokesperson stated.
"The division has obtained greater than 650 purposes out of an anticipated 1600 for the spherical.
"The division is working carefully with suppliers the place purposes have been accomplished incorrectly.
"Employees are inspired to speak to their employer and search the data that has been offered to them by peak aged care organisations and unions."
Aged Care Workforce Bonus Fee charges
| Hours labored: | Residence Care: | Residential Care: |
|---|---|---|
3 – 15 | $300 | $400 |
16 – 30 | $480 | $640 |
> 31 | $600 | $800 |
Final week, a United Employees Union survey of greater than 1000 aged care staff discovered that 97 per cent had not obtained their bonus.
"To additional illustrate the repeated failures aged care staff should face from their employers and the Federal Authorities, 77 per cent of the aged care staff say they've obtained no details about the bonus," nationwide aged care director Carolyn Smith stated on Friday.
"Aged care staff had been failed within the vaccination program, they had been failed with PPE, they had been left to fend for themselves throughout Omicron working repeated double shifts – and now they've been failed within the bonus program."
These eligible for the cost embrace residential aged care staff, allied well being staff, meals companies, cleansing companies and residential care staff delivering care beneath an authorized house care bundle.
The quantity of the bonus given to staff depends upon whether or not workers are working in residential or house care and is prorated based mostly on the variety of hours they work.
To obtain the total quantity of $600 for house care staff and $800 for residential care staff, workers should work greater than 31 hours in a single week within the month previous to February 28 and April 28.
In factsheet on the Division of Well being's web site, staff who haven't obtained their bonus cost and consider they need to have are inspired to talk to their employer.
"It is crucial that you simply discuss to your employer first. Typically, they will resolve the question shortly as a result of they've the data," the factsheet reads.
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