In the modern world, the demands of those who are both in the workforce and raising a family can feel endless. Trying to balance a career and family responsibilities can be difficult, perhaps even more so for those who are supporting ageing parents as well.
People in this situation are sometimes referred to as the ‘sandwich generation’. Employees with a triple set of tasks: working, parenting and caring. Managing all of this simultaneously can take a toll on personal wellbeing and career progression, but thankfully, in Australia, carer’s leave can help.
This article will explore what carer’s leave is, how an employee can become eligible for it and how to go about starting the process.
An ageing Australian population
Just like many other developed nations, Australia is experiencing a demographic shift, with approximately 15% of the population aged 65 and over in 2021. The Australian Bureau of Statistics expects this trend to continue over the coming decades, but this pattern has led to a surge in the number of people who find themselves simultaneously caring for elderly parents and young children.
While this can be a deeply rewarding experience, it is not without challenges. Just as young children require a lot of help with simple tasks, particularly during the early years, elderly people will often require assistance. Daily tasks can become difficult for the older generation if they are losing mobility or are going through a neurological condition such as dementia. There are many other medical conditions that an ageing population can encounter and of course, they require emotional support as well.
Not only can these responsibilities be a lot to manage, they can be daunting. Many caregivers are not healthcare professionals, yet they have many important decisions to navigate; these choices can become particularly difficult when trying to balance a busy schedule.
The role of carer’s leave
Carer’s leave in Australia is a vital employment benefit designed to address precisely this situation. It allows employees who have obtained a carer’s leave certificate to take time off work to help a family member or dependent that has become seriously ill, injured or has a disability. Ageing parents are included in this criteria.
By temporarily removing work commitments, carer’s leave can provide the flexibility needed to attend medical appointments, provide companionship to parents and assist with household tasks, all while meeting other family commitments.
Taking this type of leave will not only benefit those that you are caring for, but you will be able to look after yourself better too. Avoiding stress and burnout is essential for overall health and mental wellbeing. This is hard enough to do with the emotional strain that comes from caring, but falling behind on work and trying to meet deadlines on top of that can make it next to impossible.
Carer leave certificates in Australia
Employees can take short, intermittent breaks or longer periods as required but a certificate is often required for this to be allowed. This is to make sure that employees are not taking advantage of the system and requesting leave without a legitimate need for it. This is provided by a qualified medical practitioner and can be obtained from an online GP or an in-clinic doctor.
The amount of leave that you are entitled to will depend on your employment type; full time workers accrue ten days of paid personal or carer’s leave for each year of continuous work. If the employee exhausts this allowance, they may take two days per occasion of unpaid carer’s leave in addition.
However, a part time worker will accrue a paid leave allowance on a pro-rata basis. It will depend on how long they have been employed and the number of hours worked.
An employer may request a medical or carer leave certificate to prove the need for leave or if the time off is required for a non-emergent reason, you may need to give your employer advanced notice of the request. This will help them to ensure that your work duties are managed efficiently in your absence.
Medical practitioners will happily provide you with one of these after speaking to you about your situation and establishing the needs of your family members and dependants. As this will be a conversational appointment, a consultation with an online GP is a convenient way to do this. It will also be helpful as it will allow you to choose a time that works for your busy schedule.
If you’re an employee supporting ageing parents or family members while raising children and you feel that you’re on the verge of burnout, talking to your employer about taking carer’s leave may be the right step. Employees should be aware of their entitlements so do some research on the topic, then book an appointment with a healthcare professional and speak to them about a carer leave certificate.
No comments yet