Caring & working full time

ITgirl, you are in a very difficult situation there and I am not sure what the answer is, unless your parents' combined pensions plus carers allowance would be sufficient to live on. But then you are gone from the work situation and would eventually find it difficult to get back in.

Your employers' reaction to your situation is very uncompassionate, but they are not obliged to consider your domestic arrangements in running their company.

Would there be any possibility of looking for part time / 15 hours somewhere else? Of course it depends on where you live, finding a job that is close to home if you live in a rural area is not going to be easy, even if possible.

You may well find that the parent in hospital will not get back to a situation where they can be left.

I can only suggest you enquire about carers to come in. Talk to your District Nurse/Doctor. Check with Social Services to see if there is anything that is not immediately obvious that you can do. The care team at the hospital may well want to talk to you, they could easily say that they cannot discharge your parent if there is no-one full time at home, there may be an angle there that you could follow.

rodger2019 wrote: »

Hi It Girl,
Great reply from looksee and not sure if this is still relevant but the Carers leave act allows employees to leave their employment temporarily to provide full-time care for someone in need of full-time care and attention. You are entitled to take carer’s leave of at least 13 weeks up to a maximum of 104 weeks.

Although it is unpaid you could apply for credited prsi contributions while looking for possible remote working solutions or awaiting processing of a possible Carers benefit application.

You can work for up to 15 hours a week while you are on carer’s leave provided your income from employment or self-employment is less than a weekly income limit of €332.50. (After deductions, this is your take-home pay). More information is avialbe at citizensinformation.ie

For remote working opportunities came accross this agency recently but do not have experience of dealing with them: abodoo.com
Linked In also a great resource as you are no doubt aware
Hope things work out for you all

Just want to make one correction here. The OP is entitled to look for Carers Leave and the employer is obliged (other than very specific circumstances) to allow it but the OP would actually be entitled to Carers Benefit for a maximum of 104 weeks at a rate of €322.50 per week as caring for 2. The OP will also be entitled to €1700 x 2 RCG next June if still caring.
Carers Benefit is not means tested and the employee can take as little as 6 weeks Carers leave at a time or any amount of weeks up to 104.
Employees job must be kept open for them to return to at the same terms and conditions.
There is no free travel or other extras attached to Benefit.
Employer doesn’t have to oblige the employee with the 15 hours per week.