Social workers earn a living wage.
The amount is set by legislation in the Federal Government’s Social Security Act 1986.
The government set a minimum rate of $35,000 for social workers and $35 per hour for those with a registered disability rating.
In 2016, the Government made the wage floor even higher.
The rate was increased to $70,000 per year for social work, $75,000, and $85,000.
In 2018, the government made the hourly wage the minimum wage, which was $13.50.
Social workers earn an annual average of $17,000 in salary and benefits, according to the Social Security and Disability Services (SDSS) 2017 annual report.
This year, social workers were paid an average of only $16,400 in salary, $18,400 on health benefits, and a further $1,400 for their retirement allowance.
The average salary for social support workers in 2016 was $20,400, while the average salary of social workers in 2018 was $24,400.
