The Worker Retention Payment (WRP) is a grant that provides funding to support a wage increase for all eligible Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) workers until 30 June 2028.
What does the WRP funding include?
The WRP provides a 15% increase to the Educational Services (Teachers) Award 2020 (EST Award) minimum hourly rate or the equivalent dollar amount for a Teacher already paid above the EST Award.
The WRP provides a 15% increase to the Children’s Services Award 2010 (CS Award) minimum hourly rate or the equivalent dollar amount for workers already paid above the CS Award, prior to the gender undervaluation increases. The WRP absorbs increases to the CS Award resulting from the gender undervaluation.
Who can apply for the WRP?
ECEC providers may apply for the worker retention payment if they:
- Hold Child Care Subsidy (CCS) approval
- Operate one of the following:
- Centre Based Day Care (CBDC) service
- Outside School Hours Care (OSHC) service
- Family Day Care (FDC) service or In Home Care (IHC) service that engages all its educators as employees
- Engage workers through a workplace instrument that includes an obligation to pass on the WRP wage increase to workers
- Meet fee growth caps and all other grant conditions
Which workers are eligible to receive the WRP?
Workers covered by either the CS Award or the EST Award, or primarily undertake the duties covered in either award but are covered by a different award or instrument. For example ECEC workers covered under the Educational Services (Schools) General Staff Award 2020 can be eligible to receive the WRP.
Eligible workers can include:
- Early childhood teachers
- Educators
- Cooks
- Coordinators
- Room leaders
- Support workers
- Trainees and apprentices.
Need extra support?
The IEU is working hard to ensure every eligible teacher and educator in NSW and the ACT gets the pay rise they’re entitled to.
Need more support? Our expert team can help! Call 0208 8900 or email ececwrp@ieu.asn.au.
We’re stronger together
The IEU is the union for university-qualified teachers in the early childhood education and care sector. Join thousands of your colleagues fighting for a stronger, fairer early education sector.