If you are an AIN working in residential aged care, you can expect some changes to your pay and classification at the start of 2025.
AINs are currently classified under the Nurses Award 2020. The award sets minimum wages and conditions for AINs, ENs, RNs and Nurse Practitioners. It applies to each of these classifications, regardless of work setting. From 1 January 2025, AINs working in residential aged care will move to being covered by the Aged Care Award 2010.
Here are some questions and answers to help you understand the changes.
Why are these changes occurring?
In 2021 the ANMF commenced a work value case at the Fair Work Commission (FWC) to improve award wages for AINs, ENs, RNs and NPs working in aged care and covered by the Nurses Award. The ANMF case, together with an application made by the HSU also sought increased minimum wages and an improved classification structure for personal care workers (PCWs) covered by the Aged Care Award 2010.
Our case has been successful. You may recall in July 2023 award rates for AINs and PCWs increased by 15%.
In March 2024, the FWC made its final wage rates decision for AINs and PCWs, together with all other aged care employees, except for nurses.
This is great news for aged care workers. For example, an AIN or PCW with a Certificate III will receive a total 23% increase in minimum rates as a result of the work value case.
The FWC determined that AINs and personal care workers will receive further increases from 1 January 2025 and any final increase from 1 October 2025.
Table A below shows you the current award minimum hourly rate up to 31 December 2024 and what your new minimum hourly rate will be from 1 January 2025. Table A also shows you how you will translate from the Nurses Award to the Aged Care Award.
Why is my classification important?
When the ANMF and the other aged care unions ran the case, the FWC heard from both AINs and PCWs. The evidence made it clear that the work performed by these two groups involved the same direct care work under the supervision of an RN. The FWC decided that instead of having a classification structure for AINs in the Nurses Award and the same structure replicated in the Aged Care Award, these two structures should be merged to become one.
The new structure will be in the Aged Care Award, rather than the Nurses Award.
So, if you are an AIN, you will need to check where you will translate to in the Aged Care Award. Table A shows you how you will move across from one award to the other.
In addition, the FWC made changes to the existing classification structure of the Aged Care Award. Instead of a structure that refers to PCWs, the new structure will refer to Aged Care Employees- Direct Care.
Will my job title change?
There are lots of different titles used in aged care to describe the work of AINs or PCWs delivering direct care to people in residential care. Your title may not change, or it may change later. The important thing for 1 January 2025 is if you are currently titled an AIN under the Nurses Award, you will be translated to the Aged Care Award as your underpinning award.
Will my wages change?
Table A above shows current award rates and what they will be from 1 January 2025. These rates are the minimum safety net amount for each classification. If you are paid at award rates, you will receive the new minimum amount in your first pay period January 2025. If you earn more than the minimum you should also receive an increase in salary as the Commonwealth Government has funded all providers to pass on a wage increase to all aged care employees. The increase should be equivalent to the difference between the current award rate and the new rate.
For example, the current award rate for an AIN with a Certificate III is $31.24. From 1 January, the new rate is $32.14, so you should receive an hourly rate increase of $0.90.
It will be important to check your enterprise agreement if you have one, or any information given to you by your employer about your pay rate. Contact your Branch if you have any questions or concerns about your pay rate.
Will my entitlements change?
This will depend on a range of factors, including whether you have an enterprise agreement.
It is important to note that if you are under the Nurses Award, you have a safety net entitlement to 5 weeks annual leave a year. When you move over to the Aged Care Award, you will take this entitlement with you.
You will retain the entitlement to 5 weeks annual leave for as long as you are classified as an AIN who has transitioned to the new award. This means you must be an AIN prior to 31 December 2024.
For many AINs wages and conditions are set in an enterprise agreement. Even if you technically move to having the Aged Care Award as your underpinning award, your EA continues to provide your enforceable wages and conditions.
What if I’m an AIN now but start a new job next year as a Direct Care worker?
If you start a new job with the new title, you will no longer be entitled to the 5th week of annual leave under the award. The ANMF will advocate for this entitlement to be included in your enterprise agreement. Make sure to check if you have an EA and what your entitlements are.
I see that there are new roles of Senior, Specialist and Team Leader in the Direct Care structure, will I be able to move into those roles?
Yes, one of the outcomes of the case was that the FWC agreed that career pathways for direct care workers (PCWs) should be improved. For AINs under the Nurses Award, the highest classification level was for someone with a Certificate III. Under the Aged Care Award, there are 6 levels in the structure, with Levels 4-6 sitting above the Certificate III point.
See Table B below for more details about the Aged Care Employee-Direct Care structure.
If you have any questions about your role, classification and pay rates please contact your state or territory Branch here
