VOCAL has long campaigned for and championed carers’ rights in the workplace, supporting national and local employers in Scotland to implement meaningful workplace policies and practice that enables carers to reconcile employment with their caring responsibilities.

We live in a society that depends on unpaid carers and without them, the health of our nation and our economy would suffer. At present there is an imbalance; our society does not adequately support unpaid carers as equal partners in care, and those who are in paid employment do not have the same legal rights or opportunities as those with childcare responsibilities.

The current Carer’s Leave Bill which requests one week’s unpaid care leave does not address this disparity and inequality, but if passed the Bill will be a first step towards establishing more robust legal rights for carers in the workplace.

The Bill needs MP support before 9 September when it has its Second Reading. You can read more about the campaign and download a template letter to send to MPs on the Carers UK website.

VOCAL supports the Scottish Carers Manifesto position that whilst employment law remains reserved, parties in Scotland should commit to supporting carers to remain in employment using the levers available in Scotland. Scottish employers should be actively encouraged to provide a minimum of 10 days paid carer’s leave and all public bodies and organisations receiving public funding should be required to become Carer Positive employers.