Some 2.5 million families provide care to someone in the community. Of those, nearly half a million are primary carers for others in the community. 70% of these carers are women.

When I met with Carers Australia, the national peak body working to promote the needs and interests of carers in our community, I was very concerned to hear that 44% of carers who are in paid work are working below their skill level in order to obtain the workplace flexibility they require to fulfill their caring responsibilities. This was reported by the Taskforce on Care Costs which you can read more about here.

Carers Australia is strongly supportive of national legislation, a new Family Responsibilities and Carers’ Rights Act to provide employed carers with the right to work flexibly and obtain appropriate carers leave. This was one of the recommendations of our It’s About Time Report, released in March last year.

I am keen to hear from carers about your experiences in balancing work with caring responsibilities. Are you getting the support you need from your employer?

Do we need greater legal protection to prevent discrimination on the grounds of family and caring responsibilities?

I look forward to your responses.

Liz