This article contains information about the paramedic salary structure in South Africa, in case you are thinking of going into that field.
As a worker, it is important to know what makes up your salary at the end of the day. You have to know that there are components that make up your monthly salary. These all centre on “salary structure.”
Having knowledge of this will save you the stress of getting worked up upon discovering a colleague in the same field is earning more than you do.
Most companies operate under a particular salary structure in order to organise employees’ pay and make it easier on the human resources team responsible for hiring. Salary structures help employees better understand how much they can expect to earn at a minimum and maximum level for their role or position.
Thus, a salary structure is how a company determines how much an employee is paid. Salary structure is a detailed breakdown of the various components that make up a person’s salary. It is the set of parameters that define a salary. Two people can have the same salary but still get different amounts of money every month; this would happen when the salary structure is different. It’s based on factors such as:
- how long an employee has worked at the organisation,
- their rank at the company,
- merit and the type and difficulty of the work they do.
It is a very important piece of information which determines the in-hand pay, gross salary, net salary, allowances, etc.
COMPONENTS OF SALARY STRUCTURE
The main components of salary structure includes
- Basic Salary: The basic salary forms the basis of the salary structure. Most of the components may be defined as a percentage of the basic salary.
- House Rent Allowance: The HRA constitutes 40 to 50% of the basic salary.
- Special Allowances: Makes up for the remainder of the salary, mostly smaller than the basic salary and completely taxable.
- Gratuity: It is basically an amount paid by the employer when the employee resigns from the organization or retires.
- Provident Fund: Fund collected during emergencies or old age. 12% of the basic salary is automatically deducted and goes to the employee provident fund.
- Medical Allowance: The employer pays the employee for the medical expenditures incurred.
- Bonus: This is usually a once-a-year lump sum given to the employee based on the individual’s as well as the organisational performance for the year.
These are most of the components that can be included in a typical salary structure, but they may vary from company to company. Every occupation or profession has its own salary structure, but this article will be centred on the salary structure of paramedics.
Paramedic is a medical-related career that involves providing emergency advanced life support care to patients who are ill or injured. They conduct assessments to determine the extent of a patient’s illness or injury and establish medical procedures to follow. In other words, paramedics are usually the first point of contact in an emergency. They give first-aid medical care to accident victims before they make it down to the hospital for more intensive treatment.
Having a job in the medical field has always been held in high regard in society. In this article, we will be considering the salary structure of paramedics in South Africa
The salary structure of paramedics is determined by different factors and cannot be overemphasized. As a result of this, salaries differ based on years of working experience, city, etc.
A worker’s salary may be considered based on a yearly, monthly, hourly, or even daily basis. Based on that, below are the salary structures of paramedics in South Africa.
SALARY STRUCTURES OF PARAMEDICS IN SOUTH AFRICA
Based On my working experience
Paramedics in entry-level positions earn an average salary of R 213,600 annually, while most experienced workers make up to R 1,911,600 per year.
Salary Based On Job Roles
As it is known, paramedics have different roles and specialties. These people, who handle various roles, are paid differently. This could be due to the nature of the job, what is done, and how it’s done. Some of these roles include:
1. Ambulance Assistant
The average ambulance salary in South Africa is R 240 000 per year and R 123 per hour. For entry-level positions, they earn about R180 000 per year, while most experienced workers make up to R469 795 per year.
2. Firefighter Paramedic
This is another role for paramedics. Firefighter paramedics combat or anticipate fires and save aircraft crew and passengers in response to air-crash emergencies. They drive to the scene of a crash or to the end of a runway, where a distressed craft is expected to land.
Moreso, they spray chemical foam onto the runway surface to minimise the danger of fire and explosion on impact, and water fog or chemical agents onto the craft after landing.
A firefighter paramedic also participates in the removal of trapped or injured crew members and passengers, using flame-cutting equipment where necessary to gain entry to the craft.
Above all, they render first aid to the injured. They may also participate in the removal or neutralisation of explosives as well as deactivate aircraft electrical power to prevent fires or explosions.
Usually, the more risky a job is, the higher the salary. Therefore, the average pay for a firefighter paramedic is about ZAR 248,828 a year and an hourly pay of ZAR 120. However, the average salary range for a firefighter paramedic is between ZAR 183,317 and ZAR 307,146. On average, a high school degree is the highest level of education for a firefighter paramedic.
Bear in mind that this salary analysis is based on salary survey data collected directly from employers and some employees in South Africa.
HIGHEST PAYING CITIES IN SOUTH AFRICA FOR PARAMEDICS The highest-paying cities in South Africa for Paramedics
It may sound strange to know that even in the same country, individuals in the same field have different salary structures, hence the discrepancy in payment. The reason for this is not far-fetched. Some cities are more developed than others, and as a result, the cost of living is always on the high side. On the other hand, the cost of living in a less developed city may also be high. All these result in a higher salary for employees in such cities.
In South Africa, some paramedics in certain cities are paid higher than their colleagues in other cities based on this reason. Such cities include the following:
- Cape Town, Western Cape: In this city, paramedics are paid a monthly salary of about R17,719.
- Pretoria, Gauteng: Paramedics here are paid about R13,623 per month
- Johannesburg, Gauteng: From the data collected, it was discovered that paramedics in Johannesburg earn an average of R12,286 per month.
CONCLUSION
Paramedics are a profession in the medical field, and they are expected to receive a mouthwatering salary. This is very true. However, how much a professional in this field is paid is solely determined by the salary structure of the employing organization. There is no general or standard salary structure anywhere in the world; this is why there is always a difference in the salary earned by paramedics in South Africa and the world at large.
It is therefore advisable to do proper research on a job offer to ascertain if the salary structure is favourable.
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