Our country continues to grapple with a caregiving crisis.
Right now, one in five employees double as an unpaid family caregiver, spending an average of 23.7 hours weekly caring for their loved one who is aging, ill, or who has special needs.
Nearly 60% of caregivers will experience some level of clinical depression and anxiety.
And, most alarmingly for employers, one in every three unpaid family caregivers will leave their jobs due to the snowball effect of caregiving on their careers.
Now, the crisis is again getting the attention of lawmakers on Capitol Hill. A bipartisan Congressional coalition has introduced a bill that would remove a common employer barrier.
The “Empowering Employer Child and Elder Care Solutions Act” would:
- Reduce the cost and regulatory burden for employers seeking to offer child or elder care assistance,
- Align the treatment of these pro-family benefits with other employer-provided benefits,
- Expand access to care for working families without mandates or new federal spending.
“Hardworking…families caring for children and aging seniors rely on quality child and elder care while they earn a living,” co-sponsor Rep. Elise Stefanik said in the news release. “I am proud to introduce a solution that empowers employers to offer this critical support to workers…our bipartisan bill will pave the way for more employers to support the caregiving needs of their workforce.”
Learn more about how you can support your employees doubling as unpaid family caregivers.
