Preparing for Salary Conversations – VNs & Support Staff
Comments Off on Preparing for Salary Conversations – VNs & Support StaffPay discussions are a common source of anxiety, both for employees when talking to a current employer or during a search for a new job, and for employers. Preparing yourself with some general knowledge ahead of time can help reduce uncertainty and make these conversations feel less daunting.
- Veterinary support roles are often advertised without pay rates, making “competitive remuneration” difficult to assess.
- Most veterinary practices in Australia fall under the Animal Care and Veterinary Services Award 2020, which sets minimum employment conditions and is usually updated each July.
- In addition, all employees are covered by the National Employment Standards (NES), which outline minimum entitlements regardless of award or contract.
The Animal Care and Veterinary Services Award 2020 covers Veterinary Surgeons, Practice Managers, Veterinary Nurses, Receptionists, Animal attendants and Assistants, & Animal care industry inspectors. The Award covers arrangements such as, but not limited to those below:
- minimum wage rates
- allowances
- payment for extra hours worked
- on-call and provision for a communication system
- rosters & RDOs
- annual leave
- Periods of notice, redundancy
- Clothing for work
- Travel and use of own vehicle
- Meal breaks
- Sick leave
- Parental leave
- Public holidays
- Dispute resolution
Award Rates for Practice managers, Veterinary nurses, Receptionists, Animal attendants and Assistants (01Jul25)
| Classification | Minimum ordinary hourly rate $ |
| Introductory level | 24.28 |
| Level 1 | 24.95 |
| Level 2 | 26.96 |
| Level 3 | 28.12 |
| Level 4 | 30.68 |
| Level 5 – Practice Manager | 32.23 |
- Penalty rates apply for Saturday afternoons, Sundays, and public holidays.
- Casual (locum) veterinary nurses should receive a 25% casual loading.
- Introductory-level roles progress to Level 1 within a maximum of three months.
For up-to-date and detailed information, you may find these official resources helpful. If you’re unsure how the Award applies to your situation, the Fair Work Ombudsman website also offers tools and guidance to help you check classifications and minimum pay rates.
- Animal Care and Veterinary Services Award 2020 (Fair Work Ombudsman):
https://www.fairwork.gov.au/employment-conditions/awards/awards-summary/ma000118-summary - National Employment Standards:
https://www.fairwork.gov.au/employment-conditions/national-employment-standards
Author:
Wendy Nathan
Kookaburra Veterinary Employment
This information includes the views and opinions of Kookaburra Veterinary Employment and is of a general nature only. Factual information is believed to be correct at the time of writing, however, should not be relied upon and any person should confirm details with the relevant authorities and through their own research prior to acting on any of the suggestions in this article.