“The recognition and support are vital for me to continue working while caring for Ron.”
Amy’s story highlights the critical link between caring and employment rights. Juggling a full-time job while caring for her husband, Ron, who faces serious health challenges, Amy knows firsthand how vital flexible work options are.
Thanks to open communication with her employer and support from Carers First, Amy discovered her rights as a working carer and learned how to advocate for the adjustments she needed. Her journey provides a powerful reminder that knowing your rights and accessing the right support is key to managing work and caring, without burning out.
Amy, 47, is a dedicated carer from South Lincolnshire. She is the primary carer for her husband, Ron, 61, who is living with early-onset dementia and peripheral arterial disease. Amy manages all his daily care needs while working full-time, mostly from home.
In April, Amy’s social worker referred her to Carers First as she was struggling to balance her job with her caring responsibilities.
“I’m lucky to work from home most days,” Amy says, “but when I need to go into the office, it’s tough for Ron.”
Initially, she was only required to visit the office once a month, however, over time her employer began asking her to come in more frequently.
Her office days involve long train journeys and a 12-hour workday, leaving Amy anxious about Ron’s well-being.
“The last time I was away all day, he was really confused and couldn’t remember if he’d eaten,” she recalls.
As her employer increased the demands for Amy to go into the office, her stress and worry grew, adding to her overwhelming pressure. Even at home, the emotional toll was significant.
“Ron constantly needs my support and often asks where I am. It’s overwhelming,” she said.
Carers First supported Amy to understand her right to request flexible working and suggested creating a Carers Passport with her employer; a support tool designed to help employees who are carers to formalise a way to access workplace adjustments. Amy then accepted a referral to Carers First’s employment support service, where she was empowered to exercise her rights as a working carer.
“The support I’ve received has been incredible,” she says.
Eventually, Amy shared her concerns with her employer about the growing demand for her to come into the office. When asked whether her employer understood her situation, she expressed a common worry among carers: the need for formal documentation to prove her role as a carer.
“My manager asked for proof that I’m a carer, especially as I was talking about my concerns about being asked to come in more often,” she explains.
To support Amy with communicating her status as a carer at work, Carers First introduced her to a Carers Passport; a tool to support carers to balance caring with work, documenting flexible work arrangements, emergency leave and employer support, while recognising your role as a carer as well as an employee.
With her Carers Passport in hand, Amy now feels more confident in communicating her needs to her employer.
“It’s such a relief to know I have support, and that it’s because I’ve been able to open up to my employer about my caring role”, she says. “The recognition and support are vital for me to continue working while caring for Ron.”
Amy’s story is a reminder of the challenges carers face and the importance of understanding your rights and accessing support. On Carers Rights Day, let’s celebrate and amplify the voices of carers like Amy, who skillfully balance the demands of work and caring for others every day.
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