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The Workplace Needlessly
Increases the Caregiving Burden
Caregivers have difficulty conforming to the norms of the so-called ideal worker, an outdated model for work policies that demand in-person, standard hours, and uninterrupted schedules. Working under inflexible and unsupportive conditions further increases the burden this group experiences.
While employers have made positive inroads in recognizing and mitigating the stress caused from identities such as race, nationality, gender, or sexual identity, caregivers are treated as an invisible class and an invisible workforce.
The Difficulty for Caregivers in Finding "a Better Job"
The financial distress, workplace discrimination, and the lack of protections can escalate to a crisis-mentality for the caregiver. Furthermore, if an employed caregiver is experiencing discrimination in the workplace, it is difficult to be hired at another job with caregiving-friendly benefits immediately offered, such as:
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Medical insurance benefits
Sick leave
Flex time
Remote work
Schedule exchanges
Family and Medical Leave Act benefits (FMLA, available only after the first year of employment)
This delay in benefits can leave employees unprotected if they acquire a new job. A lack of protection is especially scary with the critical responsibilities and uncertainties that come with caregiving. This obstacle creates unbalanced power dynamics in their current jobs and leaves employed caregivers vulnerable, powerless, and unprotected to the treatment they might receive.
Resources for Workplace Increasing the Burden
1. Bittman, M., Hill, T., & Thomson, C. (2007). The impact of caring on informal carers' employment, income and earnings: A longitudinal approach. Australian Journal of Social Issues, 42(2), 255–272. https://doi.org/10.1002/j.1839-4655.2007.tb00053.x 2. Meyer, K., Rath, L., Gassoumis, Z., Kaiser, N., & Wilber, K. (2019). What Are Strategies to Advance Policies Supporting Family Caregivers? Promising Approaches From a Statewide Task Force. Journal of Aging & Social Policy, 31(1), 66–84. https://doi.org/10.1080/08959420.2018.1485395 3. O’Connor, L. T., & Cech, E. A. (2018). Not Just a Mothers’ Problem: The Consequences of Perceived Workplace Flexibility Bias for All Workers. Sociological Perspectives, 61(5), 808–829. https://doi.org/10.1177/0731121418768235 4. Porter, E. (2019, August 29). Why aren't more women working? they're caring for parents. The New York Times. Retrieved April 15, 2022, from https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/29/business/economy/labor-family-care.html 5. Reinhard, S. C., & Horwitz, A. V. (1995). Caregiver burden: Differentiating the content and consequences of family caregiving. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 741-750. (Reinhard & Horwitz, 1995)