Since the introduction of the Carer’s Leave Act in 2013, more organizations have implemented workplace policies that support their staff. Some are doing this for the first.
The law will allow employees to take up to a week unpaid leave per year for the care of a dependent.
According to a study by Employers for Caregivers (EfC), 44% of companies now offer between 1 and 10 days paid leave for caregivers.
The Carer’s Leave Act has been implemented since the Carers’ Leave Act survey was conducted by Carers UK.
The majority of employers (51%) have policies in place. This compares to only 23% who had a policy prior to the introduction of the legislation.
A quarter of organisations (23%) reported an increase in the number of employees joining carer networks at work since the Carer’s Leave Act was introduced, which indicates a greater awareness amongst employees.
EfC’s research showed that 51% employers track the number of employees who provide care and 65% monitor how much leave is taken.
The majority of respondents (88%) said they had no problems implementing the new rights set forth in the legislation. However, some employees find it difficult to take advantage of the unpaid five-day leave.
After the Act’s introduction, 76% employers did not offer managers any training or increased awareness, and 67% did not monitor the benefits of carer’s leaves.
Carers UK conducted a study in which it found that 40% of unpaid caregivers who provide high-quality care give up their jobs to do so. 22% of them reduce their work hours due to the stress they feel managing both their work and care commitments.
Helen Walker, Carers UK’s chief executive, said that juggling caring responsibilities with work is not easy. Without the right support this can be a challenge. Carers UK’s chief executive, Helen Walker, said: “Juggling work with caring responsibilities isn’t easy and without the right support, this can take its toll.”
It’s encouraging to see how the Act has inspired employers into making tangible changes to support carers. Many employers have enhanced their leave from unpaid to paid.
She said that the charity will continue to work to influence the government in developing the Act, by introducing a right to paid leave to carers.
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