Industry Update: Are you ready for the Carers Leave Act?
New landmark employment legislation is likely to become implemented in Spring 2024, giving employees who are unpaid carers a new right to 5 days unpaid leave. The Carers Leave Act was passed earlier this summer and paves the way for the millions of people across the UK who juggle work alongside caring responsibilities in their home lives, to get better support at work.
More than one in seven people in a workforce are caring for someone who may be older, disabled, or ill, and the pressures faced in managing work and caring is becoming more prevalent as our population ages (the average person has a 50:50 chance of caring by the age of 50). This in turn creates real challenges for employers to recruit, support and retain key staff who might be at a stage in their careers when the impact of caring can bring additional challenges.
The Carer Positive scheme can help employers become prepared for the new legislation. We work with organisations across Scotland to develop policies and workplace practice which help support the retention, health and wellbeing of carers, contributing also to organisational reputation as ‘employers of choice’.
The initiative is fully funded by the Scottish Government and is free to participate in, with advice, support and resources available to help organisations develop a supportive working environment for staff with caring responsibilities. Over 460 organisations in Scotland are currently recognised as Carer Positive Employers, benefiting from being part of a network of employers with access to shared knowledge, experience, and resources. You can visit the Carer Positive website for more information and to see the latest list of participating employers, from small private and community based employers to large institutions and public bodies, including Scottish Natural Heritage, Historic Environment Scotland, and Visit Scotland.
Please contact Sue McLintock at sue.mclintock@carerscotland.org for further information about the Carers Leave Act or if you would like a chat through the process.
