I have lupus. My daughter plays a significant role as my caregiver when I need help. Recently I was scheduled to have an outpatient kidney procedure. The night before the procedure, we were still discussing whether she could provide for my drop off and pick up without facing repercussions at work, because she does not have access to paid time off. I could not help feeling angry that at this difficult time the extent of my recovery was at the discretion of my daughter’s employer. A person who has never met me, knows nothing about me or my health needs, has input to the level of help that my daughter, their employee, can provide.
The Family Care Act, which has been introduced in the Georgia House and Senate, would simply allow an employee to use the sick time they have earned to care for an ill family member.
No one should have to choose between the job they need and caring for the family they love. Because my daughter could not risk retaliation on her job – or the loss of a day’s pay, we arranged that she would dropped me off one hour early before the scheduled procedure time and pick me up four hours after I was released to go home. My daughter works in a field that has unpaid leave but this event gave her a clear goal of finding a future employer that supports the Family Care Act.
Kim Schofield
