Chick! Reacting to Marlène Schiappa's proposal to encourage the implementation of parent-sick leave, the caregivers asked the Secretary of State to turn her words into action. For Claudie Kulak, co-founder and president of the association La Compagnie des Aidants, it suffices for the government to "keep its promises" and apply the "Act for carers" plan presented on October 23.
"The Prime Minister launched this plan which includes caregiver leave," explains Claudie Kulak. This leave is provided for all employees who must stop working to care for a loved one weakened by illness or disability. It was already included in the ASV law ( Editor's note: law on the adaptation of society to aging of January 1, 2016 ), but no employee took it, because he was not compensated. We therefore fought for compensation for this leave. Marlène Schiappa is right, we must simply remind her that the government launched this plan and that, now, it must be implemented quickly. "
To date, between 8 and 11 million people (or 1 in 6 French people) fall into the category of carers. 90% of them take care of a family member and especially 61% work. From October 2020, family caregivers will be able to benefit from a daily allowance paid by the Family Allowance Fund, ranging from 43 euros for a person living in a couple to 52 euros for a single person. The Social Security financing bill for 2020 also provides that the allowance will relate to three working months over the entire career and may compensate for days taken consecutively, fractionally, or in addition to an activity to part-time.
Leave young grandparents, a "true societal sense"
Associations working in the aid sector for vulnerable people now fear that the Covid-19 crisis will delay the implementation of this plan, which is expected in less than 4 months.
"The government planned to put 400 million euros on the table, but for now we have neither sound nor image," regrets Claudie Kulak. Caregivers must be protected, however. During the health crisis, they showed solidarity and assumed their responsibilities by welcoming an elderly relative, because it was necessary to make room in the hospital, or by looking after a disabled child because the IME (Institute medico-educational) was closed. I have lots of examples, like this girl who had to recover her mother who had surgery with a 10 cm scar on her leg because she left the hospital 3 days earlier. She already took care of her children, and in addition she had to telework. If these people had not been there, our health system would have been even more fragile. They were the adjustment variable. "
For its part, the proposal for a leave for young grandparents, another idea put forward by Marlène Schiappa, was approved by the School of European Grandparents and its president Armelle Le Bigot Macaux. " It's a good idea. However, it should not be reduced to the birth of a grandchild, but to all cases where the grandparent must be available for example to babysit the grandchildren. This has a real societal and economic meaning especially in the opening times, explains the manager. But beware, because some grandparents are reluctant to this device. They fear that it will catalog them as seniors in their business, with the risk of closetization that goes with it. "
