NZ Government Content

Balancing your caring role with work and study

This section is divided into:

 

Your rights at work

If you have significant caring responsibilities, you will need support at work. This section gives you information on what you can expect from your employer.

Negotiating employment agreements

Every employee must have a written employment agreement. This can be a collective agreement or an individual agreement. You can negotiate a variation to your terms and conditions of employment in this agreement. The Department of Labour's website has an online tool called the Employment Agreement Builder, available at www.ers.dol.govt.nz

It includes draft clauses about hours and days of work, which can be modified to reflect your caring situation and the individual flexibility you negotiate with your employer.

The right to request flexible hours

The Employment Relations (Flexible Working Arrangements) Amendment Act 2007 gives carers the right to ask for changes to their working arrangements. Working arrangements cover hours of work, days of work and/or place o fwork.  Flexibility in the arrangements could include part-time work, compressed hours, shift work, working from home, more time off in school holidays and adjusted starting and finishing times for the work day.

Make a time to talk to your employer to work through your request for flexible work and any questions or concerns your employer may have. You need to make your request in writing. Employers are required to consider and respond to requests within three months. They can say no to your request, but only on the grounds provided by the Act. Learn more at the Department of Labour's website www.dol.govt.nz/worklife .

Who qualifies?

You need to have been with the employer for at least six months before making the request. You can only make one formal request in any 12-month period, but you can talk to your employer informally at any time about varying your working arrangements.

Sick leave entitlements

If you are employed, you can use your own sick leave to care for your spouse or a dependent person (such as a child or elderly parent) if they are sick or injured and need care.  You can find out more about sick leave entitlements at www.ers.govt.nz/holidays_act_2003/sick_leave

Who to talk to

Make a time to talk to your employer about your caring situation (or your manager or human resources manager if you work for a larger organisation). They should be aware that you may sometimes need time out to attend medical appointments or cope with unexpected situations, or need their understanding if the person you support is unwell or in hospital. It might also be helpful for colleagues to know that you have a caring role, so they can help at difficult times.

If you have no luck talking with your manager, then talk to their manager, the person who leads the organisation or someone from Human Resources. If you are a member of a union, seek its advice.

Employment and study

Balancing your carer role with work or study can be challenging. Here are some sources of help available to you.

Career Services

Career Services is a government organisation that provides independent career information, advice and guidance. They help anyone at any stage of their career. This includes free information and advice for:

  • young people (and their parents, families, whānau and mentors) who may be at school, about to leave school, in tertiary training, having a gap year or who have left school early and are unsure about their career plans
  • job seekers, including people who are currently out of work, in between work, actively looking for a job or returning to work, for example, after raising a family or returning from overseas
  • people looking to improve their skills or change their career path.

Career Services employs Māori and Pasifika consultants who regularly run hui and fono designed to provide customised career planning assistance to Māori and Pasifika.

Who to contact

Free information and assistance is available online at www.careers.govt.nz or by talking in confidence to a careers advisor - call 0800 222 733.

Work and Income

Work and Income can help you plan for or move into paid work or training.

If you want help with your job search they will work with you to identify your needs, match you to appropriate vacancies and support you with your search for work.

They may be able to help you with some of the costs of looking for work and attending interviews.

If you can't find work straight away, you may like to consider gaining work experience and learning new skills by doing voluntary work.  Work and Income can also offer you opportunities and put you in touch with suitable projects.

StudyLink

StudyLink is a service of the Ministry of Social Development. StudyLink connects people with the information they need to make informed decisions about student finances and other study-related issues, and provide financial support to students.

Who to contact

Visit www.studylink.govt.nz for information about StudyLink help. You can also apply online for a Student Allowance, Student Loan or course-related costs.

Other ways to get in touch:

  • Phone: 0800 88 99 00
  • Fax free: 0800 88 33 88
  • Deaf Link free fax: 0800 621 621

Visit one of the StudyLink Outreach offices listed on the website.