Carers….the UK's Secret Service
As you may have heard I have recently been appointed Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Equalities.
Improving support for carers is part of my brief and I want to take this opportunity to urge people to think about using their right to request flexible working from their employer.
Carers are the ultimate multi-taskers, often combining caring for elderly relatives or a spouse with earning a living and looking after children.
We changed the law in 2007 to give carers the right to request flexible working from their employer, and so help them balance work with their caring responsibilities. Caring for a relative can be unpredictable, so it's important carers know about this right and talk to their boss if it could help. A great many people in Hastings and Rye could benefit.
People may not recognise themselves as carers, but anyone who cares for a spouse or relative, or cares for someone who lives with them, has the right under law to ask their employer if they can work flexibly. Their employer can only refuse if they have a valid business reason.
But there is a very strong business case for allowing employees to work flexibly: research shows that people who work flexibly are significantly committed to their organisations. It can also improve loyalty, reduce absenteeism, and stop people dropping out of the workplace.
The Government is keen to ensure that, over the next 10 years, all the carers who want to work will be able to do so. This ambition was set out in the 'National Carers' Strategy' published in 2008. Enabling carers to work not only helps them as individuals but also improves the efficiency of labour market and helps to sustain growth in the economy.
There are over 1.5 million carers in England aged between 25 and 59 years. Half of these are under 45 years of age. These people will already have acquired a lot of the skills crucial in a global economy. 2.2 million people start and stop caring each year and may need support to re-enter the job market.
Making a flexible working request is easy. Direct.gov provides information on caring for someone while working, flexible working and the law, plus advice on building a case and application forms. Visit www.direct.gov.uk - click on the 'Caring for someone' section, then 'Caring for someone while working'.
Research shows that the majority of employers believe that flexible working practices have a positive effect on employee relations and employee motivation and commitment to the organisation. So I urge anyone out there who thinks they may be eligible to check out the direct gov website and make an application.
To keep up to date on what I'm doing stop by my website http://www.michaelfoster.org.uk/ .
You can also receive a monthly update on my activities by sending an email to mp@1066.net with 'MPFree' in the subject line.
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Weather for St Leonards-on-Sea
Saturday 11 February 2012
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