AU SCHADS Award Vehicle Allowance & Paid Travel Calculator
Under the Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award 2020 (SCHADS Award - MA000100), disability support workers, home care aides, and community service employees are entitled to financial compensation when using their personal vehicles for work obligations[cite: 1].
This browser-based au-schads-vehicle-allowance calculator assists employees, employers, and NDIS service providers in determining accurate motor vehicle allowances (Clause 20.5) and paid travel time allowances (Clause 25.5) for multi-client rosters, split shifts, and participant transport itineraries[cite: 1].
SCHADS Industry Award Allowance Entitlements Matrix
The Fair Work Commission sets statutory vehicle allowance rates and travel time conditions to protect care workers traveling between clients:
| Allowance / Entitlement Category | Award Clause | Statutory SCHADS Rate | Operational Application |
|---|---|---|---|
| Motor Vehicle Allowance | Clause 20.5(a) | $1.05 per km | Applies when an employee is authorized to drive their personal motor vehicle for work. |
| Motorcycle Allowance | Clause 20.5(b) | $0.35 per km | Applies when an employee uses their personal motorcycle/scooter for work travel. |
| Travel Time Between Clients | Clause 25.5 | Ordinary Hourly Rate | Time spent driving between consecutive clients during a shift is paid working time. |
| Client Transport Travel | Clause 20.5 & 25.5 | $1.05/km + Hourly Rate | Driving with a client onboard (e.g., outings) triggers both per-km and shift hourly pay. |
Key Rules for SCHADS Vehicle & Travel Reimbursements
- Vehicle Kilometre Allowance: If you use your personal car to drive between clients or transport a client during a shift, your employer must pay $1.05 per km driven[cite: 1].
- Travel Time is Paid Work Time: Clause 25.5 explicitly establishes that the time spent traveling between consecutive appointments during a shift must be treated as paid working time at your applicable hourly rate[cite: 1].
- Commuting Boundaries: Your standard morning commute from home to your first client, and your evening commute from your final client back home, is generally unpaid and non-reimbursable unless special remote locality provisions apply[cite: 1].
- NDIS Provider Billing vs Award Payment: While NDIS billing rules determine what an agency can charge a participant, employer obligations under the SCHADS Award are legally binding regarding what must be paid to the employee[cite: 1].