In the coming years, more and more caregivers will be employed in Quebec. However, a Léger survey published on Tuesday reveals that one in three caregivers avoids disclosing their situation at work, half of them for fear of judgment or loss of opportunities. How can employers better support their employees who are caregivers?
Nearly half of caregivers in Quebec currently hold full-time jobs. This rate is set to grow, explains Loriane Estienne, Executive Director of Proche aidance Québec, in an interview. First, it has now been five years since Quebec passed the Act to recognize and support caregivers, which has helped them recognize themselves as such.
“And in the context of Quebec’s aging population, we are also seeing an increase in the number of current and future caregivers, which means that we will increasingly be confronted with situations of caregiving in the workplace,” adds Estienne.
The Léger survey data show that currently the majority (60 per cent) of caregivers devote between one and four hours per week to this role; 22 per cent devote five to nine hours; 10 per cent devote 10 to 19 hours; and 8 per cent devote 20 hours or more.
Statistics show that there are more female caregivers, but even more so when the number of hours invested is high. When more than 20 hours per week are devoted to caregiving, it is still women who take on this role, points out Estienne.
The role of caregiver is stressful in general, but even more so when the person is employed. They may be afraid of losing their job or seeing their hours reduced if there are no work-life balance measures in place.
“If a reduction in working hours is being considered, but no measures are in place to help the person balance their work and family life, even temporarily, there is a risk of impoverishment and possibly financial insecurity. That is also a source of stress,” Estienne points out.
In addition, caregivers already have expenses related to their role, such as transportation or certain purchases for their loved ones. “If we add to that the risk of not being able to work as much as they could […] it will inevitably lead to impoverishment,” laments Estienne.
While the majority (57 per cent) of caregivers continue to work in order to pay the bills, there are other benefits associated with doing so. The data indicates that for 35 per cent of respondents, enjoying their work is an incentive to continue working. “Having the opportunity to feel useful outside of their role as a caregiver, being able to think about other things, maintaining social ties—these are slightly more than 15 per cent (for each item) of the reasons caregivers give for continuing to work,” says Corinne Vachon Croteau, Executive Director of Réseau pour un Québec Famille, which launched the Concilivi initiative in 2019.
“What we aim to do with the initiative is to support employers so that they can implement work-life balance measures that meet both the needs of employees and operational realities. We provide support, a framework, training, and a wide range of free tools on our website, as well as all kinds of specialized services, including one focused on work-life balance and another aimed specifically at grandparents,” explains Vachon Croteau.
Although the vast majority (92 per cent) of people will use at least one work-life balance measure per year, not everyone feels comfortable taking advantage of them, says Croteau. “That’s where the problem sometimes lies. For example, only 58 per cent of working caregivers say they feel comfortable using work-life balance measures. So this shows us that there is still work to be done to normalize the use of these measures,” she says.
Furthermore, work-life balance measures are not necessarily costly for employers, points out Estienne. “Having some flexibility in adjusting schedules can be a work-life balance measure that costs the employer nothing, but may make life easier for the caregiver who could, for example, accompany their loved one to a medical appointment,” she says.
Caregiving situations are unpredictable, but it is possible to anticipate certain needs. “For example, someone who is caring for a loved one with cancer will not have a linear journey. What can we do during this time to support the person while minimizing certain impacts on work?” asks Croteau.
Her organization has developed a tool, which is a contingency plan, to list the employee’s tasks and plan for emergencies. “If the person has to be absent, who takes over what, and to what extent are there things that are left undone? So we try to plan for the unpredictable to give us a little more control over when the situation will arise. This reduces stress for both the caregiver and the manager,” she explains.
Croteau and Estienne mentioned how important it is to continue raising awareness among employers and employees to reduce fears on both sides.
Managers also need to better communicate the measures and resources in place in their organizations. The survey shows that 45 per cent of respondents feel they are not well informed. “Communicating what already exists is a first step that is definitely significant,” comments Croteau.
It is also necessary to continue to learn more about the different faces of caregiving in order to better recognize them. “From there, dialogue will be able to develop more easily between employers and caregivers,” concludes Estienne.
The Léger survey was conducted among an online sample of 3,014 Quebec workers who are parents or caregivers. Data was collected from May 2 to May 18, 2025. A sample of this size would have a margin of error of plus or minus 1.8 per cent, 19 times out of 20.
—
The Canadian Press’s health coverage is supported by a partnership with the Canadian Medical Association. The Canadian Press is solely responsible for this journalistic content.
–This report by La Presse Canadienne was translated by CityNews
