Caregiving is a part of daily life for many American workers. Employees may be caring for minor children at home or they could be among the 37.1 million people providing unpaid eldercare, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Either way, caregiving is a significant commitment – both in terms of time and money. Some workplace benefits, however, may help reduce that burden.
“Often, it’s a combination of benefits that prove to be most beneficial,” says Breanna Boysel, chief care officer with Cariloop, a concierge caregiver support program.
The following workplace benefits can be especially valuable to caregivers. If you see something that your employer doesn’t offer, don’t be afraid to suggest it to your human resources office. “We see employers want to offer benefits that are useful or add value,” Boysel says.
Workplace caregiving benefits include:
- Leave time
- Flexible scheduling
- Financial savings
- On-site care
- Employee assistance programs
- Legal services
- Caregiver concierge services
Read on for more about each caregiving workplace benefit. And for more information on the employers that provide benefits to caregivers, explore the U.S. News Best Companies to Work For: Supporting Family Caregiving rankings.
Leave Time
For caregivers, the ability to take time off work without fear of losing a job is crucial.
“We want to be an employer that is respectful of them as persons and doesn’t only see them as employees,” says Padric Gleason, senior vice president of operations for Human I-T, which refurbishes donated technology and provides it to low-income individuals and nonprofit organizations.
Gleason says the company strives to balance stability with flexibility. Workers have predictable schedules and access to both paid and unpaid time off options.
Leave time varies by employer, but the following are commonly offered by U.S. workplaces.
- FMLA. Standing for Family and Medical Leave Act, this federal law requires eligible workers to be allowed 12 weeks of unpaid leave per year for situations including the addition of a child to a household or the care of a sick family member. “That’s only for medium and large companies, but smaller companies probably want to consider it with how competitive the workforce is,” says Jennifer FitzPatrick, author of the book “Cruising Through Caregiving: Reducing the Stress of Caring for Your Loved One.”
- PFML. In the U.S., 13 states plus the District of Columbia have laws requiring Paid Family and Medical Leave, known as PFML. The provisions of these laws vary by state, but in general, they require eligible employees to be granted paid leave under certain circumstances, such as the birth of a child. Additionally, nine other states have voluntary PFML laws, according to the Bipartisan Policy Center.
- Parental leave. Some workplaces go beyond what is required by state and federal laws and will allow workers to take an extended unpaid maternity or paternity leave after the birth or adoption of a child. Leaves of six to nine months are not uncommon, FitzPatrick says.
- PTO. Sick days are intended to be used when workers are ill, but PTO – or paid time off – can be used for any reason. Gleason says offering paid time off – called wellness days at Human I-T – is one of the ways employers offer flexibility to caregivers.
- Bereavement leave. Some companies voluntarily provide bereavement leave. It is also required in a handful of states. For instance, California requires employees to be provided five days of unpaid leave that can be used in the three months after the death of certain family members.
Flexible Scheduling
A flexible schedule can be deeply beneficial for caregivers who need to carve out time for doctor appointments or accommodate unexpected events.
Some companies, for instance, offer workers the option to work from home on days when they have a sick child. Others may have flextime programs in which workers can adjust the start time of their workday. Others may allow caregivers to work longer shifts on fewer days of the week, such as four 10-hour days instead of five traditional eight-hour days.
Financial Savings
Caregiving isn’t cheap. Those caring for an adult spend more than $7,000 out of pocket each year on caregiving activities, according to a 2021 report from AARP. The cost of raising a child is even more.
Some workplace benefits, however, could save caregivers money.
- FSA. An FSA is a flexible spending account that allows workers to pay for medical expenses and dependent care using pretax dollars. The IRS issues annual limits for how much can be contributed to medical FSAs and dependent care FSAs, and money in these accounts typically must be spent within the calendar year that a contribution is made.
- Insurance. It is common for employers to pay a portion of insurance premiums for medical, dental and vision care. While this workplace benefit won’t necessarily help someone caring for an adult, it can have significant savings for those with dependent children.
On-Site Care
Although relatively uncommon, some workplaces will subsidize child or elder care by providing reimbursements to caregivers. Others maintain on-site care facilities.
“I’d love to see more organizations do on-site adult day care, but I don’t know how realistic that is with so many people working from home,” FitzPatrick notes.
For now, on-site or near-site daycare for children is more common. However, even that is only offered by 6% of U.S. employers, according to a 2024 report from the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans.
Employee Assistance Programs
More than 40% of unpaid caregivers report low overall well-being, according to a 2023 report from the life insurance company Guardian.
Talking to someone could help, and that’s where employee assistance programs come in. Known as EAPs, these programs typically provide workers with access to confidential counseling services. As part of the program, workers may be able to access assessments and receive referrals to other resources. For caregivers who are stretched thin mentally and emotionally, an EAP can serve as a lifeline.
“It inspires loyalty when you offer that,” FitzPatrick says.
Legal Services
Legal services are a specialty benefit offered by some workplaces. They can range from free legal guidance provided through an EAP to discounted services from another vendor. For caregivers, this benefit can be a cost-effective way to create documents such as a will, power of attorney and health care designee.
“Most people don’t think about that part of (caregiving),” FitzPatrick says.
Caregivers need to be sure they have prepared for a situation in which they can no longer provide care. Without the proper legal documents, their loved one’s care could be disrupted, or it could fall to the court to determine who becomes the legal guardian of dependents.
Caregiver Concierge Services
Caregiver concierge services are another specialty benefit offered at some workplaces. While lumped under the category of EAPs by some employers, concierge services may be more robust. For instance, many EAPs cap the number of employee counseling sessions allowed, but Cariloop offers unlimited access.
When a caregiver signs up for the service through their employer, they are paired with a coach who works with them to leverage their existing benefits and locate additional resources. Boysel notes Cariloop has been providing services for about 12 years and has about 1 million members.
A 2024 report from the Harvard Business School found that employee absenteeism dropped by up to 50% for businesses that offered caregivers access to a care concierge service. That means concierge services – like many of the other benefits above – don’t simply help caregivers. They can also benefit a business’s bottom line.
