Workplace Flexibility for Family Caregivers

More than 40 million Americans care for older parents, spouses, children with disabilities or other loved ones, helping them live independently at home and in their communities—where they want to be. These family caregivers take on huge responsibilities that can be overwhelming, stressful and exhausting. Many also juggle full- or part-time jobs.

In fact, 60 percent of family caregivers work. That’s 24 million workers. 

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In states across the country, AARP is fighting for common-sense solutions — to help these family caregivers balance work and caregiving responsibilities so they don’t lose pay or risk losing their jobs. These solutions include:

• State improvements to the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) or to employers’ paid and/or unpaid leave policies.
• ELECT (Eligible Leave for Employee Caregiving Time) Act allows an employee to use some existing sick leave to care for a family member.
• WORC (Workplaces Offering Relief for Caregivers) Act allows family caregivers to take unpaid leave to care for a loved one.
• RELIEF (Respite: Living Independently, Energizing Families) Waiver to provide a limited respite care benefit to allow family caregivers to remain working while meeting the needs of their loved ones

To stay up to date on our work in your state, and nationwide, sign up for our e-alerts AARP Advocates e-newsletter or visit your state Web page.