Balancing Work
and Caregiving

Of the more than 22 million Americans who are caregivers for their parents or older relatives and friends, most are working full or part time. Work is a financial necessity and/or a source of satisfaction for many, yet the responsibilities of caregiving and doing well on the job often conflict. The following tips present an overview of the issues for employees and employers. This fact sheet also offers ideas and resources that can help you manage your responsibilities efficiently and balance both your roles more effectively.

Coping with Double Demands
Each working caregiver's job is different. Even within the same company, different managers may be more or less supportive of your situation. Talk with your supervisor, look in the personnel manual, or speak with human resources publication to find out your company's benefits or services that could help with your situation?

Take advantage of flextime policies. Consider asking for a flexible schedule if a formal policy is not in place. Offer to work a less desirable shift or be willing to make up time taken for caregiving by working days or shifts when most people want to be off. This flexibility on your part shows your employer that you are committed to the company and your job.

Avoid mixing work with caregiving. If you need to make phone calls or search the Internet for information related to your parent's needs, do it on a lunch break.

Manage your time well. When you must take time off for caregiving, set priorities and accomplish the most important things. Delegate responsibilities when you can. Pace yourself; don't do so much in one area that you are not effective in another.

Get all the support you can from family members, friends and community resources.

Take care of your own needs. Pay attention to your health; get enough sleep and exercise regularly. Fun is also important. Take a break when the pressure gets too great. Talk with someone about your feelings and needs. This could be a professional counselor, a member of the clergy, or an employee assistance counselor.

Talk with your work supervisor about your caregiving issues. It's better to know the reasons for your late arrivals or seeming preoccupation rather than to draw his or her own conclusions.

Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
The FMLA is intended to provide a means for employees to balance their work and family responsibilities by taking unpaid leave for certain reasons. The law entitles eligible workers a maximum of 12 weeks a year of unpaid leave for family caregiving without loss of job security or health benefits. There are a variety of restrictions, however, such as company size and the amount of time the worker has been employed.

A summary of the FMLA is included below. There are many specific regulations and exceptions. Consult your employer’s human resources department or the Department of Labor for specific information.

Employer Coverage
The FMLA is applicable to any employer in the private sector who is engaged in commerce or in any industry or activity affecting commerce, and who has 50 or more employees each working day during at least 20 calendar weeks or more in the current or preceding calendar year. All public agencies and local education agencies are covered. These employers do not need to meet the 50-employee test.

Employee Eligibility
An employee must meet all four criteria listed below to be eligible for FMLA benefits:

1. Work for a covered employer;
2. Have worked for the employer for a total of 12 months;
3. Have worked at least 1,250 hours over the previous 12 months; and
4. Work at a location in the United States or in any territory or possession of the United States where at least 50 employees are employed by the employer within 75 miles.

Leave Entitlement
The FMLA provides an entitlement of up to 12 weeks of job-protected, unpaid leave during any 12 months to care for an immediate family member (spouse, child, parent) who has a serious health condition. Under some circumstances, employees may take FMLA leave intermittently which means taking leave in blocks of time, or by reducing their normal weekly or daily work schedule. Consult your employer for specific information on use of paid leave and how it relates to the FMLA leave.

Maintenance of Health Benefits
A covered employer is required to maintain group health insurance coverage for an employee on FMLA leave whenever such insurance was provided before the leave was taken and on the same terms as if the employee had continued to work. You may have to pay for the coverage.

Job Restoration
Upon return from FMLA leave, an employee must be restored to the employee's original job, or to an equivalent job with equivalent pay, benefits, and other terms and conditions of employment. You should review specific exceptions to this section with your employer.

Notice and Certification
Employees seeking to use FMLA leave are required to provide 30-day advance notice when the need is foreseeable and such notice is practicable. Employers may require additional information and documentation.