Tips for Negotiating with Employers for Time Off for Caregiving

June 26, 2007 — -- Employees with aging parents or other relatives often find they must negotiate with their employers to take time off to care for family while also remaining productive on the job.It's a tricky balancing act. Some advice:

• Find out if your employer must follow the federal Family and Medical Leave Act. If so (for example, if your company has 50 or more employees), you're entitled to up to 12 weeks of unpaid time off annually to care for a parent with a serious health condition. Generally, that time can be taken in increments.

• Find out if flexible arrangements are possible. These might include formal programs as well as informal agreements. "The more you can make the workplace fit your needs, the better," says Elinor Ginzler, co-author of Caring for Your Parents: The Complete AARP Guide.

• Flexibility is especially vital for employees who are long-distance caregivers. Employees should find out if they can work remotely (for example, they may be able to work from the home of the relative they're caring for).

Some helpful websites:

•www.aarp.org

•www.caregiving.org

•www.caregiver.org