Changes To The Educational Services Teachers Award For ECT's In Early Childhood Services

The Fair Work Commission has made some changes to the classifications, pay and allowances in the Teachers Award. The changes start from the first full pay period on or after 1 January 2022.

Classification Changes

From 1 January 2022, the Teachers Award will have a new classification structure which:

• is based on the professional career standards established by the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers
• is tied to teacher registration (where applicable)
• has 5 classification levels instead of the current 12 levels.

The arrangements to transfer existing employees to the new classification structure will be outlined in Schedule H of the Teachers Award.

Definitions will be added to clause 2 for:

• Australian Professional Standards for Teachers
• full registration
• proficient accreditation.

The classifications clause will include information on:

• satisfactory teaching service
• equivalency to proficient accreditation
• equivalency to Highly Accomplished/Lead Teacher accreditation
• returning to teaching
• support for new teachers.

If employees and employers disagree on classification issues, they can access dispute resolution from an expert in the accreditation system.

New Pay Rates

From 1 January 2022, minimum pay rates in the Teachers Award will increase.

The award’s new minimum pay rates table will include:

• weekly pay rates as well as annual salaries
• pay rates for long day care centres.
• Casual employees, who are engaged for less than 5 days, aren’t entitled to be paid any higher than the pay rates for a Level 3 employee in the new structure.

There are no provisions to phase in the pay increases, which means the new rates apply from the first full pay period starting on or after 1 January 2022.

Changes To Allowances

The following pay-related allowances will increase from 1 January 2022:

• director’s allowance for childcare centre directors
• leadership allowance for teachers in schools.

A new educational leader’s allowance will be introduced for teachers in the children’s services and early childhood education industry.

****Please note we will update our ECT wage table, once Fair Work Commission has updated their pay tools and the Educational Services Teachers Award***.

Reference:
Changes To The Teachers Award – New Classifications, Minimum Pay and Allowances, Fair Work Commission