Most Australians who have disability and participate in the open workforce do so at full rates of pay. However, there are some people who are unable to find or keep a job at full wage rates due to the effect of disability on their workplace productivity.
The Supported Wage System is a process that enables employers to pay productivity based wages to people whose work productivity is significantly reduced as a result of the effects of their disability.
The Supported Wage System provides access to a reliable process of productivity-based wage assessment to determine fair pay for fair work. The Australian Government engages a National Panel of Assessors who provide free workplace assessments. An approved assessor will identify a work productivity rate in the form of a percentage of the acceptable standard for that work classification. Then the employer may apply the agreed percentage to the award or agreement wage for that classification.
People employed under the Supported Wage System provisions are required to have their work productivity reviewed each 12 months or earlier if the person's work productivity significantly increases or decreases.
Employers can only employ people with disability under the Supported Wage System, if the applicable industrial award or instrument contains Supported Wage System provisions. Most modern awards contain Supported Wage System provisions. When renegotiating or amending enterprise agreements, parties should consider adding Supported Wage System provisions.
Assistance for employers
Through the Supported Wage System, the Australian Government funds qualified assessors to determine a worker’s productivity, with the resulting wage being paid by the employer. This means that there is no cost to the employer for the assessment.
Applications for Supported Wage System can be submitted online through the online applications link on the home page of this website.
After an application for Supported Wage System is approved, an employer may employ eligible people with disability for a trial period, usually lasting up to 12 weeks. The purpose of the trial period is to ensure the employee has every opportunity to learn the tasks of the job, to provide time for them to become familiar with the work environment and to develop their confidence. It is also important that there is a good match between the skills and capacity of the person and the job tasks.
Employers may request a review of work productivity for an existing employee who is employed under Supported Wage System provisions if there have been a significant change in work productivity. Employers may contact the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations on 1800 065 123 to request a review assessment.
If a person with disability is starting work in a new job, their employer may also be eligible to receive a one off payment to help offset the initial cost of employing and training that person. The employer payment is not available in respect to employees who are being supported by an employment services provider or an Australian Disability Enterprise.
Workplace relations frameworks
The Supported Wage System operates across both federal and state workplace relations regulatory frameworks. Further information on the operation of the Supported Wage System within these frameworks can be found at:
Case studies and success stories
More information?
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