Genius Childcare, which operates more than 30 centres across Australia, has been accused of delaying pay and withholding superannuation for its educators. This has led to mass resignations and stress leave among staff, causing disruptions in childcare services.
At least one centre in Canberra couldn't open on Monday, and other centres in the ACT might face similar issues this week. Staff resignations are set to take effect from this Friday.
The resignation of 15 educators from the Genius-run centre in Gowrie is indeed causing significant disruption for over 100 families. So far, only half of these families have managed to secure alternative childcare arrangements. The remaining families are hoping that the centre can find enough support staff to stay open until at least the end of the year.
The situation at the Genius centre in Symonston is indeed troubling. When all educators took medically supported stress leave due to ongoing pay issues, the centre couldn't open on Monday. This prompted an email from company management warning staff against "taking strike action without proper notice," which they claimed was a breach of the employment agreement.
The recent change in Genius company policy, which bans staff from posting comments or articles about the company, has certainly added to the tension. According to the new policy, any breach will result in immediate termination of employment and could lead to legal or regulatory consequences.
The ACT Legislative Assembly has indeed acknowledged the widespread issues at Genius Education, which operates over 30 centres nationwide, including five in the ACT. New Labor MLA Caitlin Tough mentioned that the government has set up a hotline to help affected families and educators find alternative care and employment.
It's a challenging time for both the staff and the families relying on these services. The ongoing issues with delayed wages and withheld superannuation have created a lot of stress and uncertainty. I hope the situation gets resolved soon for everyone's sake.
Genius Childcare has acknowledged the issue, attributing it to a "technical error" and stating that they are actively addressing the problem. However, the ongoing issues have left many parents scrambling to find alternative childcare arrangements.
References:
ACT Government Demands Answers After Genius Childcare Workers Walk Off The Job Citing Delayed Wages and Withheld Superannuation, ABC News Australia
Unpaid Super and Wage Delays See Educators Resign From Childcare Centre, Education Daily
