The Fair Work Commission approved the new Community Health Services Agreement on 5 September 2013, which means that the new agreement came into effect from Thursday 12 September 2013.
The terms of settlement are identical to those negotiated in the public hospitals agreement, including the same wages increases and improvements to some of the terms and conditions (see earlier Stat Reports).
Note that the first wage increase is operative from 1 November 2012, so members are entitled to back-pay from this date. The $1500 sign on bonus is also an entitlement for any member who on 1/11/12 was an employee of a community health service, including those that may have been absent on leave, both paid and unpaid.
Ask your payroll or HR departments for dates of when your back pay and sign on bonus payments will be made.