can I leave??

LegacyUser

Some backround: my father died at christmas and my mother has terminal cancer. I leave work early every day to to mind her but the strain of working and caring for her is too much,. my brothers and sisters are all helping out but they have to go back to their own countries and im going to be left on my own, she needs alot of care but i was wondering if I would be entitled to some sort of allowance to leave my job while she is ill and go back to work if she didnt make it, is this possible?

Babooshka

Hi

Have a look at this
http://www.citizensinformation.ie/categories/social-welfare/social-welfare-payments/carers/carers_allowance

I don't know if you're entitled but that might give you some pointers in the right direction. And why not talk to someone at work about it?
If doing shorter hours or less days is a possibility they may be able to help you or at least just talking to them may help too. Sorry to hear about your circumstances at present that's hard. Good luck.

AARRRGH

Even if you can't get the allowance, I think you should leave anyway.

You won't regret having been there for your mother when she needed you, and no doubt she sacrificed a lot to bring up her children.

MagicMarker

At least ask your employer if you can take some leave, it would ease the pressure at least of looking for another job down the line.

LegacyUser

AARRRGH wrote: »

Even if you can't get the allowance, I think you should leave anyway.

You won't regret having been there for your mother when she needed you, and no doubt she sacrificed a lot to bring up her children.

if i left and when the time came to go back out working and couldnt get a job, could i claim jsa or have they gotten stricter?

Otis Driftwood

Agree with Magicmarker.
I think you could have grounds for compassionate leave.If the company can carry on without you for as long as you need then thats one less worry for you.

Mrs OBumble

Is she getting support from the hospice service? I know that what's available depends on where you live, but really you need to make sure your family is getting everything you're entitled to.

What other support (church etc) is available from her, or your, community?

I kinda sympathise with the advice to leave and dedicate yourself to looking after her. But this very much depends on your relationship, and also what sort of care she will need longer term: for instance I had a sick parent who needed to be turned every 2-3 hours overnight, and this turn needed to be done by two people working together - there was no way that even two of her adult children could have provided this level of care for more than a few days.

LegacyUser

My Aunt has terminal brain tumour her husband was given a sabatical until she goes and the job is still open to him when he comes back into the work force. If he did not get the leave he was leaving the company anyway his time with her is precious and is making every minute count they have seen their family which is in Japan, Austrailia, Ireland and England.

There is no harm in asking could you take unpaid leave.