One in seven people working in the UK is also a carer. That means as many as three million of us combine work with caring for an adult or child who is disabled, ill or frail.
Juggling work and care can be very stressful and caring responsibilities can change at short notice. Managing work alongside caring can be difficult and some people even feel pressured into changing jobs, or leaving work altogether.
But, when it comes to carers and employment, there are statutory carers’ rights that can help to balance work and care.
carers’ rights
Carers’ rights at work may include:
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requesting flexible working
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taking time off in emergencies
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taking parental leave (if you care for a child)
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protection from discrimination or harassment.
flexible working
As a carer you can request flexible working if you:
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have worked for your employer for at least 26 weeks
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care for a spouse, partner, relative or other adult who lives with you
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have a child under 18 who gets Disability Living Allowance (DLA).
There are several types of flexible working you can request:
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flexi-time
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home working
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annualised hours
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compressed hours
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shift swapping
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job sharing
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term-time working
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part-time working
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flexible holidays.
Your employer can refuse a request, but they must give a good business reason and you can appeal. Only one request for flexible working is allowed in a year.
emergency time off
Carers’ rights at work include being able to take ‘reasonable time off’ to deal with an emergency. Your employer decides whether this time is paid or not.
You can take time off for these kind of emergencies involving the person you care for:
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a problem with care arrangements
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illness, assault or accident
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making longer-term arrangements due to illness or injury
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problems with a child during school hours
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the person you care for dies.
parental leave
Carers’ rights include the entitlement to up to 18 weeks unpaid leave to look after a disabled child under 18 who receives DLA. You can only take this if you have at least one year’s continuous service with your employer.
discrimination at work
The law protects you against direct discrimination or harassment because of your caring responsibilities.
Under the Equality Act your employer can’t refuse to offer you a job or give you a promotion because of your caring responsibilities.
how employers are helping
More employers now realise it’s in their interests to support carers to stay in work. Employers for Carers is a group for organisations committed to supporting carers struggling with work and care. The group is chaired by BT, supported by charity Carers UK, includes Sainsbury’s, PricewaterhouseCoopers and the Metropolitan Police and has several aims.
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providing practical advice and support for employers seeking to develop carer friendly policy and practice and retain skilled workers
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identifying and promoting the business benefits of supporting carers in the workplace
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influencing government and employment policy and practice to create a culture which supports carers in and into work.
Talk to your manager and help them understand your situation and the impact it may have on your work responsibilities. Your organisation may also have provisions in place that you weren’t aware of. Even small things, like having access to a private telephone at work, or receiving support from a carers’ network at work, can make a difference.
For more detailed information about the financial and practical support available to carers, visit www.carersuk.org/help-and-advice.
