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Charity calls for carer awareness
 26/02/2008

Charities Aid Foundation 11 February 2008
Carers UK has highlighted the fact that although there are laws in place to accommodate the rights of carers, sometimes they fail to be implemented.
Sharon Coleman is currently challenging her employers for "discrimination by association" in the European Court of Justice, claiming her bosses were guilty of harassment by refusing to grant her flexible working hours to look after her disabled son.

 

Carers UK claims that one in five carers feel forced to give up work because their job makes it difficult to fulfil their capacity as a carer.
From April 2007, carers have had the same right by law to request flexible working hours as parents have had since 2003.

 

But Kate Groucutt, Senior Policy Officer for Carers UK, said: "We think awareness is still fairly low amongst both carers and employers, so we'd like Government to do more on awareness raising…to encourage people to take up their rights, and feel confident in taking up their rights.

 

"And also for employers to feel confident about receiving a (flexible working) request, in that they know what to do, and perhaps have support in thinking about ways to incorporate the request into their business."

 

She added: "Government and other agencies need to help small businesses to understand the legislation and how to implement it practically."

 

Carers UK calculates that 2.5 million carers in the UK take on a job at the same time.