Caregiving
Employment and caregiving
Approximately 64 percent of caregivers are employed full- or part-time. Although the exact number of workers who provide care to family members is not known, workplace surveys estimate that 13 percent of the workforce are caregivers.
Caregiving ultimately impacts both the employee and the employer. Estimates show an employee can lose as much as $660,000 in lost income, pensions, wages, and social security throughout their career.
Because many employees take leaves of absence or stop working temporarily or permanently to care for a loved one, employers find that caregiving directly affects worker productivity, employee turnover, absenteeism, and early retirement. Caregivers often underestimate the time required for caregiving and the impact of their obligations on their work. Many caregivers make informal adjustments to their work schedules that include telephone calls, taking time off during the workday, making up work on the weekend, or arriving early and leaving late. One national study valued annual lost productivity between $11.4 and $29 billion.
Despite losses to both employers and employees, only 23 percent of companies with 100 or more employees have programs in place to support caregivers. Sixty percent of caregivers make informal arrangements at work; however, many company policies do not explicitly allow or define these supports.
Despite the negative aspects of balancing work and caregiving, many caregivers prefer to continue working. Their jobs not only provide money to meet their responsibilities, but also respite (temporary relief) from their caregiving role. Some workers, though, are reluctant to ask employers for the special caregiving accommodations they need due to fear that it may limit their job advancement.
Updated: November 2, 2007
