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Mind the gap
Women working in aged care still earn less than men
By NCA Newswire
Working women in Australia are still earning hundreds of dollars less per week than men .
On average , women earn $ 252.30 less per week than their male colleagues , according to data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics ( ABS ), which adds up to $ 13,120 less each year .
New ABS figures show that the national gender pay gap has decreased by 0.3 per cent since February .
This has brought the national gender pay gap to the lowest level on record .
Minister for Women Katy Gallagher , said despite the rise , “ there is still plenty of work to do ”.
“ I am pleased to be part of a government that is driving action to close the gender
‘ Like we don ’ t exist ’
Aged-care workers receive a pay increase , but not all
By Elise Hartevelt
More than 250,000 aged-care workers in Australia received a 15 per cent wage increase , after June 3 this year , after the government allocated $ 11.3 billion to fund pay rises in its federal budget .
The increase applies to direct-care aged-care workers and some senior roles in residential and home care settings .
But roughly 20 per cent of Australia ’ s aged care workforce working in supporting and ‘ less senior roles ’, such as cleaners and laundry assistants , have been excluded from the pay rise .
“ They ’ re not acknowledging us . It ’ s like we don ’ t exist ,” Aaron Wilson , maintenance manager in an aged care home , said to Aged Care Insite late last year .
Earlier this year , the Fair Work Commission ( FWC ) ruled to increase all pay gap by increasing the minimum wage for aged-care workers , banning pay secrecy clauses and passing our Closing the Gender Pay Gap legislation ,” she said .
Currently , Western Australia has the widest gender pay gap at 21.4 per cent .
This is followed by the Northern Territory at 15.6 per cent , Queensland at 13.4 per cent and Victoria at 12.9 per cent .
Women working in healthcare services receive on average $ 437.80 less each week , despite making up 75 per cent of the workforce .
Studies have shown that the gender gap increases as women get older , with the mean gender pay gap in super balances of non-retirees at around 60 per cent .
Australia currently ranks 43rd in the world for gender equality , according to
minimum award wages by 5.75 per cent from July 1 , which included staff affected by the 15 per cent increase from the Annual Wage Review .
This meant that the National Minimum Wage would rise to $ 882.80 per week or $ 23.23 per hour for employees not covered by an award or registered agreement .
Award-based employees would see a 5.75 per cent wage increase starting from the first pay period this financial year .
While union advocates welcomed the government ’ s promise to pick up the bill , they said there was a funding shortfall for the 5.75 per cent increase in the Award .
The Aged & Community Care Providers Association ( ACCPA ) urged the government to seek advice from the Independent Health and Aged Care Pricing Authority ( IHACPA ).
IHACPA , an agency within the federal health department , has incorporated wage and inflation adjustments into the new AN-ACC price for the upcoming financial year .
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Women working in healthcare services receive on average $ 437.80 less each week , despite making up 75 per cent of the workforce
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20 per cent of the aged care workforce , such as cleaners and laundry assistants , have been excluded from the pay rise
the Global Gender Gap Report 2022 , far behind New Zealand , which sits fourth .
The federal government recently passed legislation that will force employers of more than 100 people to share their pay data next year . Workplace Gender Equality Agency chief Mary
Wooldridge said the changes will mean organisations can no longer ignore their gender wage split .
“ Employers have a key role to play in addressing the entrenched gender norms and stereotypes that are a barrier to women ’ s progression or full participation in the workplace ,” Ms Wooldridge said .
“ With dedicated , intentional action to address the gender pay gap in their organisation , Australian employers will contribute to accelerating progress to close the national gender pay gap .” ■
“ This can be easily fixed ,” ACCPA chief Tom Symondson said .
“ But we desperately need that process to happen soon and are advocating strongly that it must .”
But Mark Richardson , Assistant Secretary from Residential Care Funding Reform Branch , assured providers during a recent webinar that the AN-ACC price covered both pay rises . He emphasised that the wage indexation applied to all workers and included ‘ an inflation component ’ for the non-wage part of the AN-ACC price .
The pay rise funding package involves a $ 10.1bn over four years , raising the AN-ACC price to $ 243.10 , with $ 7.6bn towards the wage increase and $ 2.5bn for cost indexation .
Home care providers will see an 11.9 per cent increase in the Home Care Package subsidy and supplements to support higher wages .
For the Commonwealth Home Support Program the department has a grant process to top up funding for the costs associated with the FWC decision . ■
2 agedcareinsite . com . au