NSW Carers Action Plan 2007-2012
The NSW Carers Action Plan outlines the government’s responsibility to support carers in combining caring and work.
The Plan recognises that carers are more likely to be unemployed or not participating in the workforce than non-carers. If they are working, it is more likely to be in part-time work. Many carers who are not in the labour force would like to return to work. Many carers give up or reduce their working hours, miss out on career or job opportunities, manage on lower incomes, and struggle to save for the future. Women are particularly disadvantaged in their ability to accumulate retirement savings.
There is a strong business case for introducing carer friendly work practices. Carer friendly organisations benefit from a reduction in staff turnover and absences and from an increase in loyalty and commitment. Flexible work arrangements can assist in the recruitment and retention of a productive workforce.
The Plan includes the following strategies:
- assisting all public sector agencies to apply existing policies to mature aged employees with caring responsibilities
- developing tools to increase workplace flexibility in the NGO and private sector
- working with the Australian Government in progressing the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) human capital reforms relating to enhancing workforce participation and productivity
- investigating ways to improve Web-based links to information for employers and employees managing workplace flexibility for workers with caring responsibilities, building on the Working Carers Gateway.
For more information read the full NSW Carers Action Plan.
