You will need to weigh up your ability to handle both your caring commitments and your responsibilities at work. See this list of things to consider.
Caring can impact on your job in various ways. It may affect your work hours, what you can achieve at work, how much time off you need, your concentration, and you emotional and physical wellbeing.
Factors to consider
Each person’s situation is different. Factors to consider include:
- what treatment the person you care for is having
- whether you need to travel a long way to take them to treatment from regional or rural areas to the city
- how sick the person with cancer is
- what your caring and work duties involve
- the amount of help or respite care available
- how supportive your employer is
- your finances and whether you need to earn an income
- your leave entitlements
- whether you can arrange to reduce or change your work hours or move to a different position within your organisation
- the satisfaction you get from working
- whether a break will have a large impact on your career progression or future employability
- what will give you peace of mind
- whether the caring arrangement is most likely to be temporary or long term.
Before changing your working arrangements, talk with your employer, a work EAP counsellor, family and friends. You can also ask the Carers Association in your state or territory for information and support. Call the Carer Gateway on 1800 422 737.
→ READ MORE: Talking to your employer
It’s hard to get back into the workforce. I never gave leaving work a second thought, but now I have to focus on rebuilding my own life. It’s like going out in the world for the first time.
ROSS (CARER)
Podcast: Cancer Affects the Carer Too
Listen to more episodes from our podcast for people affected by cancer
More resources
Brooke Russell, Principal Occupational Therapist, WA Cancer Occupational Therapy, WA; Bianca Alessi, 13 11 20 Consultant, Cancer Council SA; Dr Prunella Blinman, Medical Oncologist, Concord Cancer Centre, Concord Repatriation General Hospital, NSW; James Chirgwin, Physiotherapist, The Wesley Hospital, QLD; Danielle Curnoe, Consumer; Simon Gates, Barrister, Tasmanian Bar, TAS; Justin Hargreaves, Medical Oncology Nurse Practitioner, Bendigo Health Cancer Centre, VIC; Kaylene Jacques, Director, People and Communications, Cancer Council NSW; Alex Kelly, Senior People Attraction Advisor, Human Resources, Allianz Australia Insurance, NSW; Legal reviewer; Georgina Lohse, Social Worker, GV Health, VIC; Lesley McQuire, Consumer, Cancer Voices NSW.
View the Cancer Council NSW editorial policy.
