The human services sector is one of the most important industries in the Australian economy, providing essential services to vulnerable and disadvantaged communities across the country. To ensure that workers in this sector are fairly compensated for their hard work, the Fair Work Commission has recently introduced a new enterprise agreement for the human services industry, which will come into effect in 2017.
The human services enterprise agreement 2017 is an important development for workers in this sector, as it provides a range of benefits and protections that were previously unavailable. Under the new agreement, workers will be entitled to a range of new leave entitlements, including paid domestic and family violence leave, and additional personal leave for caring responsibilities. Workers will also be entitled to higher base rates of pay, as well as increased penalty rates for working unsociable hours.
One of the key features of the new enterprise agreement is its commitment to gender pay equity. The agreement includes a range of measures designed to address the gender pay gap in the human services sector, including the establishment of a Pay Equity Committee to monitor and address gender pay issues, and a commitment to conduct regular pay equity audits.
In addition to these benefits, the new enterprise agreement also includes a range of provisions designed to improve working conditions and job security for workers in the human services industry. These include protections against unfair dismissal, improved access to training and development opportunities, and a commitment to consultation and collaboration between employers and employees on key workplace issues.
All of these measures add up to a significant improvement in the working conditions and pay of workers in the human services industry. The new enterprise agreement is an important step towards ensuring that workers in this sector are fairly compensated for their invaluable work, and that they are able to enjoy the job security and working conditions that they deserve.
Overall, the human services enterprise agreement 2017 is a welcome development for workers in this sector, and an important step towards achieving greater fairness and equity in the Australian workplace. As the sector continues to play a key role in supporting the most vulnerable members of our community, it is essential that we continue to support and value the hard work of the workers who make this possible.