Employment and Personal Learning
Flexible working
From April 2024, new flexible working laws allow you to request changes to your work schedule as soon as you start with a new employer. You can make up to two requests each year. If you use both requests in one year, you can apply again starting January of the following year.
Employers are required to respond to your request within two months. They must provide reasons for accepting or rejecting your request. If your request is denied, they are obligated to work with you to find an alternative arrangement that meets your needs.
The Carers Leave Act (2023)
Starting in 2024, the Carers Leave Act grants employees the right to take up to one week of unpaid leave per year to provide unpaid care to someone. This right is for all unpaid carers and can be taken as individual days or one continuous week.
Carer’s Leave works like any other leave request you make to your employer. You will use your employer’s leave request procedure and define that you would like this to be carer’s leave.
Carers Leave is a law that every employer must provide for unpaid carers. If you would like to find out more about how unpaid carers leave works, you can speak to your employer or download Carers Wales handy Working Carers Guide. This guide is full of information for carers in employment.
Carers also have the right to take (unpaid) time off work for dependants in cases of emergency. Returning to work after being a carer may have an impact on any entitlements and benefits you receive as a carer. The amount of hours you do, how much you earn and your savings will be taken into consideration.
For more information on your rights as an employee, visit the Carers UK: Your rights in work page.
Talk to your employer
If you are a working carer, you may feel that you are dealing with the stresses of what might seem like two jobs – one paid, one unpaid – and meeting the needs of both. Caring for a disabled relative is often unpredictable and care arrangements can be complex, so you will need to talk to your employer about your concerns and commitments.
Carers who want to return to work
Has your caring role ended or changed or are you thinking about combining your caring role with work?
If you are not re-starting a career that you have already established, then you may want to begin the process by thinking about what interests you and what skills you have. Once you know what you want to do, you can start to look for the right kind of support to get you there. If you are a carer and want to return to work, you may be able to get help from Jobcentre Plus. For more information, contact your local Jobcentre Plus office or call the Jobcentre Plus phone service on 0800 169 0190 (Textphone: 0800 169 0314), Monday to Friday, 08:00 to 18:00).
Are you interested in improving your skills or want to learn something new? Thinking about going back to work and not sure what you want to do? Want to re-train or just get out of the house and do something for yourself?
If you have answered yes to the above questions, then it is time to have a think about what you would like to do. If this proves difficult, think about what you don’t want to do. Write your ideas down as this helps to capture your thoughts. Re-visit your list over a few days as inspiration has a habit of coming to you when you least expect it. Another good way is to talk to a friend and ‘bounce’ ideas off them. Having some idea of what you want to learn will help when approaching any of the training providers; they in turn will also be able to help you decide.
Carers UK have some information on learning and education.
Dysgu Bro Ceredigion Community Learning is part of the Department of Education and Community Services of Ceredigion County Council. They aim to provide learning opportunities for the people of Ceredigion in their community, which will encourage them to develop new interests, work towards gaining a qualification or improve their skills for the workplace. They offer a range of courses in different locations.
Dysgu Bro Ceredigion Community Learning
Llanbadarn Learning Centre
Llanbadarn Fawr
Aberystwyth
SY23 3RJ
Tel: 01970-633040
Email: info@ceredigiontraining.co.uk
Website: www.dysgubro.org.uk
Coleg Ceredigion is a bilingual further education college, which has two campuses – one at Aberystwyth, the other at Cardigan. Their courses provide a wide range of exciting learning opportunities for both school leavers and adults.
Cardigan Campus: 01239 612032 or Aberystwyth Campus: 01970 639700
Email: enquiries@ceredigion.ac.uk
Website: www.ceredigion.ac.uk
The Open University provide distance learning where you can study for certificates and diplomas of higher education, foundation and honours degrees or postgraduate qualifications. There are around 150 courses to choose from.
Tel: 0300 303 0061
Website: www.open.ac.uk