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Families Count 2024

Vanier Institute’s new resource explores three decades of change, continuity, and complexity among families in Canada. Released during the International Year of the Family’s 30th anniversary, Families Count 2024 provides statistical portraits of families in Canada, highlights trends over time, and offers insights on what it all means for families and family life.

Chapter 20 – Reconciling family care with paid work is a struggle for many families

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Caregiving is a common family experience and an increasingly important workforce issue in Canada as the population continues to age. According to the 2022 Canadian Social Survey, 12.6% of people aged 15 and older who provided care to adults that year reported being employed as their main activity in the last week.1 This was the case for 24.0% of those who provided care to children only, and 5.6% of those who provided care to adults and children (i.e., “sandwich care”).

Earlier data from the General Social Survey (GSS) showed that, in 2018, employed caregivers were slightly more likely to be women (52%) than men (48%).2 Employed women also spent more time per week providing care (13.8 hours) than men (10.0 hours). These numbers increased by almost 50% from 2012, when women spent 9.5 hours per week on average, and men spent 6.9 hours.

Research has shown that providing care can have a negative impact on the employment of working caregivers—particularly among women.3 Data from the Canadian Social Survey showed that two-thirds of non-retired “sandwich caregivers” (66%) said in 2022 that their caregiving responsibilities affected their employment or job-seeking activities in the past year.1

The most commonly reported employment impact resulting from caregiving in 2022 was having to adjust work schedules.1 Sandwich caregivers (30.0%) were approximately twice as likely to report adjusting schedules than those who provided care to adults only (14.9%) or to children only (18.5%). Sandwich caregivers (7.3%) were also more likely to say that they were unable to work compared with those who provided care to adults only (5.8%) or to children only (5.4%). Sandwich caregivers (11.1%) were more than twice as likely as those providing care to adults only (3.3%) or to children only (5.1%) to say they gave up employment opportunities.

\Although older, the 2018 GSS data provided additional insights on employment impacts. Among employed caregivers aged 19 to 70, women (17%) were more likely than men (12%) to report having reduced their paid work hours in 2018.2 Women (55%) were also more likely than men (45%) to report that they missed part or full days of work because they were providing care. That year, 6% of all employed caregivers aged 19 to 70 left or intended to leave the paid labour force altogether because of caregiving, 58.9% of whom were women.

Why this matters

Employed caregivers make sacrifices for the wellbeing of their family and friends. Many reduce work hours or leave the paid labour market so they can provide care. This sometimes results in the loss of benefits, pension, and insurance.4 Career development can be affected, with many having to turn down or not pursue promotions or new jobs because of their caregiving responsibilities. Ultimately, these caregivers are left feeling like they must choose between the wellbeing of a loved one and themselves.

Canada’s legal system has started to recognize the rights of family caregivers. In 2013, the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal ruled that employers have a “duty to accommodate” the family caregiving responsibilities of their employees who are unable to make alternate arrangements and have exhausted all other reasonable options.5 Those who fail to do so may be taken to court for discrimination based on “family status” as long as the accommodation does not cause “undue hardship” for the employer’s operations.

As unpaid caregiving has received growing attention, some new benefits have been made available to employed caregivers. Three family caregiver and compassionate care benefits were introduced by the federal government to provide financial assistance and job protection to employed caregivers when they need time off to care for or support a critically ill or injured person or someone needing end-of-life care.6, 7 These include the family caregiver benefit for children, the family caregiver benefit for adults, and compassionate care benefits, all of which are a part of Employment Insurance (EI) benefits.

Source: Wray, D. (2024, April 2).“Sandwiched” between unpaid care for children and care-dependent adults: A gender-based study. Insights on Canadian Society.1

Source: Wray, D. (2024, April 2).“Sandwiched” between unpaid care for children and care-dependent adults: A gender-based study. Insights on Canadian Society.1

Note: This chart is only available on the webpage and is not included in the downloadable PDFs.

References
  1. Wray, D. (2024, April 2). “Sandwiched” between unpaid care for children and care-dependent adults: A gender-based study.
    Insights on Canadian Society. https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/89-652-x/89-652-x2024002-eng.htm ↩︎
  2. Magnaye, A., Choong, K., Eales, K., & Fast, J. (2023, May 15). Employed caregivers in Canada: Infographic compilation. https://vanierinstitute.ca/employed-caregivers-in-canada-infographic-compilation ↩︎
  3. Turcotte, M. (2013, September). Family caregiving: What are the consequences? The Daily. https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/75-006-x/2013001/article/11858-eng.htm ↩︎
  4. Fast, J. (2015, December 16). Caregiving for older adults with disabilities: Present costs, future challenges. IRPP Study No. 58. https://irpp.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/study-no58.pdf ↩︎
  5. Canadian Human Rights Commission. (2014). A guide to balancing work and caregiving obligations: Collaborative approaches for a supportive and well-performing workplace. https://www.chrc-ccdp.gc.ca/sites/default/files/2020- 07/a_guide_to_balancing_work.pdf ↩︎
  6. Employment and Social Development Canada. (2017, November 9). More choice and flexibility for families and caregivers, starting December 3, 2017. https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/news/2017/11/more_choice_and_flexibilityforfamiliesandcaregiversstartingdecem.html ↩︎
  7. Government of Canada. (2023, December 29). EI caregiving benefits: What these benefits offer. https://www.canada.ca/en/services/benefits/ei/caregiving.html ↩︎
Acknowledgement

We are deeply grateful to the late Janet Fast, recently retired Professor in the Department of Human Ecology, University of Alberta, for reviewing and providing feedback on this chapter.

Families Count 2024 is a publication of the Vanier Institute of the Family that provides accurate and timely information on families and family life in Canada. Written in plain language, it features chapters on diverse topics and trends that have shaped families in Canada. Its four sections (Family Structure, Family Work, Family Identity, and Family Wellbeing) are guided by the Family Diversities and Wellbeing Framework.

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How to cite this document:
Battams, N., & Mathieu, S. (2024). Reconciling family care with paid work is a struggle for many families. In Families count 2024, The Vanier Institute of the Family. https://vanierinstitute.ca/families-count-2024/reconciling-family-care-with-paid-work-is-a-struggle-for-many-families