On October 28, 2020, Bill 56, known as the Act to Recognize and Support Caregivers, came into force. It is the first bill to recognize informal caregivers in Québec!
Am I an Informal Caregiver?
If you provide support to a member of your immediate circle:
- With whom you share a family connection or an emotional bond;
- Who has an incapacity, whether physical, psychological, psychosocial or other…
And if the support is offered:
- Temporarily or permanently
- Occasionally or continuously
- Short- or long-term
- On a non-professional and volunteer basis
- In a free, enlightened and revocable manner…
And if the support is provided in their home, a seniors’ residence, a long-term care centre, an alternative home or a hospital centre, YOU ARE AN INFORMAL CAREGIVER!
Certificate of Informal Caregiver Status
Various professionals within the health and social services sector can attest to an individual’s status as an informal caregiver, including:
- Dieticians/nutritionists
- Occupational therapists
- Nurses
- Physicians
- Speech language pathologists
- Physiotherapists
- Psychoeducators
- Psychologists
- Midwives
- Marriage and family therapists
- Physical rehabilitation therapist
- Social workers
Caregiver Rights
A guide entitled Caregivers: Practical Legal Tools is available on the Éducaloi – Caregivers website. Aimed at caregivers, it contains useful tools and resources on a wide range of topics (reconciling work and caregiving responsibilities, consent to care, access to medical records, assistance measures, etc.).
Caregiver Rights in the Workplace
Short-term absence
Caregivers who are employed are entitled to ten days of leave (2 paid days and 8 unpaid days) to attend to caregiving obligations. The absence must be related to the state of health of the person for whom they are caring.
After three months of consecutive employment with their employer, an employee who must take time off work to carry out caregiver responsibilities could be entitled to two days of paid leave.
Extended absence
A person who is in a caregiver role may take an unpaid leave from work, regardless of the length of consecutive employment, for a maximum of 16 or 35* weeks over a 12-month period, if the person for whom they are caring has a serious accident or is gravely ill.
*During a 16- or 35-week leave, the caregiver can receive up to 55% of their salary thanks to employment insurance benefits for caregivers.
For more on your rights – Act Respecting Labour Standards
Resources
- Government of Québec: Webpage that outlines what it means to be a caregiver and that provides information on provincial government resources and support services as well as government caregivers initiatives such as the Act to Recognize and Support Caregivers.
- Curateur public du Québec – Assistance measure: The assistance measure allows a person experiencing difficulties to receive assistance, free of charge, from one or two people of their choice. Officially recognized by the Curateur public (public curator), assistants may help adults who require assistance.
- Commission des normes de l’équité, de la santé et de la sécurité du travail (CNESST – Natural caregivers): Information regarding certificates for informal caregivers and workplace support measures.
- Employer-caregiver work conciliation – Website that provides practical information for caregivers on how to better balance their responsibilities as caregivers and their work life as well as information on financial benefits and assistance programs.
- L’Appui:The mission ofL’Appui pour les proches aidants is to improve the quality of life of caregivers. In addition to offering direct services to caregivers across Québec, the organization supports the community and the social economy in an effort to broaden and improve the support measures offered to caregivers.
- Government of Canada – Employment insurance caregiving benefits: Tax credits are available to limit the impact of your role as a caregiver on your personal finances. While there may be similarities between them, each tax credit has its own eligibility requirements and formalities.
- Proche aidance Québec – Coalition of organizations committed to informal caregivers: Their mission is to improve the quality of life of caregivers across Québec.
- Éducaloi– Caregivers: Website that addresses various topics such as reconciling work and caregiving responsibilities, consent to care, access to medical records, etc.
Communication Tools
- CIUSSS de l’Ouest :
Webinars
- March 2023 – Caregiving and Ethnocultural Minority Groups: Some Issues and Reflections
- April 2023 – Les personnes proches aidantes en contexte de DI-TSA-DP
- May 2023 – Les proches aidants en santé mentale : un parcours du combattant vers le rétablissemen
- October 2023 – Balancing Work and Informal Caregiving : What are the Options
- January 2024 – Informal Caregivers : Community Organizations are Precious Allie
- February 2024 – Seniors and their informal caregivers in the Emergency Departmen
- March 2024 – L’apport de L’Appui proches aidants and the Alzheimer Society of Montréal in supporting informal caregivers: Practical Considerations and Advice
- April 2024 – Atelier de sensibilisation quant à la maltraitance et la bientraitance des personnes proches aidante
- June 2024 – Informal Caregivers and Grief in Palliative Care
Video
Coming soon!
- Government of Québec/L’Appui pour les proches aidants
Communication tools
Coming soon!
Subcategories
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