The Intersection of Employment and Civic Rights for Caregivers: Bridging the Gap

By Mark Fukae, Director of Advocacy - Professionals Who Care

Exploring Policies: Balancing Employment and Civic Rights for Caregivers - Highlighting the Impact of Overlooked Caregiver Needs on Well-being and Democracy.

Caregivers are the backbone of our communities, providing essential support to family members while juggling professional and civic responsibilities. Yet, across our nation, both in the workplace and on Capitol Hill, these dual roles are met with systemic obstacles that force many to choose between their job and their civic participation. When policies neglect the unique needs of caregivers, they undermine not only individual well-being and family stability but also the democratic process itself.

The Role of Flexibility in Empowering Caregivers

During the COVID pandemic, remote work emerged as a crucial accommodation for millions of caregivers, particularly women, who found that flexibility enabled them to manage childcare, eldercare, and other essential responsibilities alongside their careers. Today, we witness reminders of how precariously these gains can be disturbed—not just for employees but also for legislators with caregiving duties. Consider the recent debate over proxy voting for new parents in the House. While measures like remote work have proven indispensable, rollback efforts jeopardize the achievements that have enabled caregivers to function both at work and as full citizens.

How might enhanced flexibility in both your workplace and civic participation empower you and other caregivers to thrive?

The Systemic Disconnect Between Policy and Reality

There is a clear disconnect between traditional leadership and the lived realities of caregivers. In the employment arena, when flexible work options such as remote work are rescinded, caregivers are forced back into rigid schedules that exacerbate stress and burnout. On Capitol Hill, similar rigidities emerge when proposals like proxy voting for new parents are quashed—substituting them with inadequate alternatives such as “vote pairing.” Both scenarios reveal that policies, whether in the workplace or in legislative practices, often overlook the essential support that caregivers need.

Do you recognize these disconnects in your own community or workplace, and what specific changes could bridge the gap for those balancing caregiving and civic duties?

A Call for Comprehensive Reform: Workplace and Civic Accommodations

Addressing these challenges requires systemic reform in both employment and civic spaces. As the proponent of these legislative changes, I have drafted two proposals aimed at transforming caregiver rights at both the federal and state levels.

• The Family Caregiver Protections and Reasonable Accommodations Act (FCPRAA)—an amendment to the Americans with Disabilities Act—seeks to set a federal standard that ensures workplace equity for caregivers. It mandates flexible work arrangements, reasonable accommodations, and other policies that empower individuals balancing employment and caregiving.

• At the state level, my proposed Colorado Family Responsibilities Protection Act (CFRPA) builds upon these principles by targeting caregiver discrimination within Colorado’s anti-discrimination laws. This act strives to secure protections for caregivers in local workplaces while serving as a model for state-level reform nationwide.

Both proposals recognize the critical importance of integrating caregiving support into civic participation. Provisions for remote or enhanced proxy voting for legislators with caregiving responsibilities would ensure that civic engagement remains robust, inclusive, and reflective of modern family dynamics.

What does a fairer future look like where both your employment and civic rights are honored, and how can you help drive such transformative change?

The challenges faced by caregivers in balancing employment and civic rights are deeply intertwined. Recent events—from the rollback of flexible work options in many corporations to the compromise on proxy voting in Congress—underscore the pressing need for reforms that prioritize accessibility, inclusion, and flexibility. Supporting caregivers through both comprehensive workplace laws and modernized civic participation mechanisms strengthens families, enhances productivity, and enriches our democratic process.

Are you ready to stand up for a future where caregivers never have to choose between their family responsibilities and their right to contribute fully—both at work and in democracy?

Call to Action

We need your help to ensure that these critical proposals reach the legislative floor Federally and in Colorado and beyond. Please join me in demanding change:

• Follow Professionals Who Care (PWC): Follow our developments and be part of an active community that is dedicated to advocating for caregiver rights. Together, we can make sure these proposals are heard by the legislators who shape our future.

Don’t you want a future where caregivers are empowered at work and in our democracy? Act now—because every signature and every voice brings us one step closer to the change we need.

Mark Fukae Director of Advocacy -Professionals Who Care