20,000 people with a disability are employed by Australian Disability Enterprises (ADEs)
across Australia. At Sunnyfield we employ 292 supported employees, who are proud to
work and contribute meaningful value for many business customers.
Sunnyfield supported staff love their jobs, and those who are familiar with Enterprises will readily understand the passion that goes into running the business by staff and families.
We urge you to join us in supporting the campaign to save people with disability supported employee jobs.
Some Background
An Australian Disability Enterprise (ADE) is a not-for-profit organisation, usually with charitable status, which provides products and services to business customers, with a mission to provide meaningful employment for people with significant disability (who would otherwise be unlikely to work).
ADEs are mostly run by a not-for-profit organisation, that try to break-even or make a surplus after paying all its costs, including wages. So, an ADE operates in a similar same way as other businesses, but there is one major difference, an ADE employs mostly people with disability and these employees are supported to undertake their work.
What happened – High Court Case?
In the Nojin v Commonwealth of Australia High Court decision, the court looked at the wages of two people with an intellectual disability working in an ADE. It was decided that the use of the Commonwealth governments Business Services Wage Assessment Tool (BSWAT) to determine their wages wasn’t fair. The findings then went to the Human Rights Commission which administers the Disability Discrimination Act.
What did the Human Rights Commission decide?
The Human Rights Commission found that the BSWAT wage assessment tool was not fair and it would be too complicated for ADEs to immediately change to another wage assessment tool, so it gave ADEs one year to move to a different tool, that will pay supported employees much higher wages . ADEs don't think a year is enough time – three years at least is needed. But where does the money for the extra wages come from?
What will this decision mean for ADEs?
This decision directly threatens the long term viability of ADEs because ADEs will have to pay significantly higher wages to supported employees. ADEs would be most pleased to pay higher wages to supported employees, if they could afford too!
However most ADEs struggle to avoid a loss each year. In fact without additional government funding many ADEs may be forced to either downsize or close altogether. It is
Sunnyfield supported staff love their jobs, and those who are familiar with Enterprises will readily understand the passion that goes into running the business by staff and families.
We urge you to join us in supporting the campaign to save people with disability supported employee jobs.
Some Background
An Australian Disability Enterprise (ADE) is a not-for-profit organisation, usually with charitable status, which provides products and services to business customers, with a mission to provide meaningful employment for people with significant disability (who would otherwise be unlikely to work).
ADEs are mostly run by a not-for-profit organisation, that try to break-even or make a surplus after paying all its costs, including wages. So, an ADE operates in a similar same way as other businesses, but there is one major difference, an ADE employs mostly people with disability and these employees are supported to undertake their work.
What happened – High Court Case?
In the Nojin v Commonwealth of Australia High Court decision, the court looked at the wages of two people with an intellectual disability working in an ADE. It was decided that the use of the Commonwealth governments Business Services Wage Assessment Tool (BSWAT) to determine their wages wasn’t fair. The findings then went to the Human Rights Commission which administers the Disability Discrimination Act.
What did the Human Rights Commission decide?
The Human Rights Commission found that the BSWAT wage assessment tool was not fair and it would be too complicated for ADEs to immediately change to another wage assessment tool, so it gave ADEs one year to move to a different tool, that will pay supported employees much higher wages . ADEs don't think a year is enough time – three years at least is needed. But where does the money for the extra wages come from?
What will this decision mean for ADEs?
This decision directly threatens the long term viability of ADEs because ADEs will have to pay significantly higher wages to supported employees. ADEs would be most pleased to pay higher wages to supported employees, if they could afford too!
However most ADEs struggle to avoid a loss each year. In fact without additional government funding many ADEs may be forced to either downsize or close altogether. It is
worth noting that to be a supported employee you must be eligible for a disability support
pension, and the higher the wages earned means the lessor pension entitlement (thus the
government could reduce pensions with substantial wage increases).
What will supported employees do if they lose their jobs?
If ADEs have to close or downsize because there is no extra government funding to pay higher wages, supported workers will, unfortunately, very likely lose their jobs.
A small number maybe be able to get an open employment job, however these people with disability will need to be high functioning and be able to secure a job in the current highly competitive job marketplace, with its increasing unemployment rates.
Very few people might be able to get into a state-funded day program. Others who lose their jobs may eventually get some form of support through the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), but depending on where they live, that might not be until 2016 to 2018 or beyond.
Most will be unemployed, with no meaningful activity and ability to work, with a loss of their social work connections. Many will be thrown back into the family home and will probably require family support.
How you can help Supported Employees keep their jobs?
Please go to http://www.ade.org.au/ to automatically send an email to the Federal Assistant Minister for Social Services, Senator The Honourable Mitch Fifield. A preformed letter is available on the website and only needs your name and address inserted to send a very important message to the Minister urging action to find a solution to this untenable situation.
This process only takes a few seconds and if many people register their support then the Minister will get a very strong message.
All supported employees (people with disability) need your urgent support to ensure the ongoing viability of their jobs!
What will supported employees do if they lose their jobs?
If ADEs have to close or downsize because there is no extra government funding to pay higher wages, supported workers will, unfortunately, very likely lose their jobs.
A small number maybe be able to get an open employment job, however these people with disability will need to be high functioning and be able to secure a job in the current highly competitive job marketplace, with its increasing unemployment rates.
Very few people might be able to get into a state-funded day program. Others who lose their jobs may eventually get some form of support through the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), but depending on where they live, that might not be until 2016 to 2018 or beyond.
Most will be unemployed, with no meaningful activity and ability to work, with a loss of their social work connections. Many will be thrown back into the family home and will probably require family support.
How you can help Supported Employees keep their jobs?
Please go to http://www.ade.org.au/ to automatically send an email to the Federal Assistant Minister for Social Services, Senator The Honourable Mitch Fifield. A preformed letter is available on the website and only needs your name and address inserted to send a very important message to the Minister urging action to find a solution to this untenable situation.
This process only takes a few seconds and if many people register their support then the Minister will get a very strong message.
All supported employees (people with disability) need your urgent support to ensure the ongoing viability of their jobs!
