Legislation
has again been introduced to provide relief for caregivers where leave
from work would not be afforded to them under federal law. The
Caregiver Relief Act, filed by Senators Kinnaird, Parmon, and Bryant and
Representatives Adams and Hall, would extend the protections of the federal Family
Medical Leave Act (FMLA) to allow eligible employees to care for a sibling,
grandparent, grandchild, stepparent, or parent-in-law. Should an employer offer FMLA benefits, the
law allows for parent, spouse or child to take12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected
leave.
2013 marks the 20th anniversary of
FMLA and according to a fact sheet released
this year by the NC Justice Center and NC Families Care, the FMLA is
the "first and only legislation written specifically to help
workers meet the dual responsibilities of family and work."
The NC Chapters of the National MS
Society recognize that the demands of caregiving are being shared by more and
more family members and support Caregiver Relief Act. Mary Bethel, Associate State Director for Advocacy
for AARP North Carolina says it best, “Today’s reality is that we are a state
of working family caregivers.”
