by
cherish » Wed Sep 02, 2009 2:05 pm
I won't let anyone categorise me as 'unemployed'on forms etc. They always want to put me in that category because no one has given us a separate category yet on forms etc. If there is no other option, I give my last job 'educational' rather than be put in what is clearly the wrong category. Surely with us being included in the Equalities Bill, we should start to see a category for carers on forms etc.
Also when we apply for jobs and there is the equal ops questionnaire, when will the question 'are you a carer?' be included? I was tempted, when asked on the application form 'are you disabled?' to answer 'yes, disabled by association' (ref. Sharon Coleman case outcome). I think I will do so next time I do a job application. Do other carers think we should put this?
I just applied to my volunteer bureau for voluntary work and on the form there was no category for carers. The only improvement was that they had a 'non-employed' category as well as 'unemployed' so I reluctantly put 'non-employed' and in the further info section wrote that I'm a full-time carer.
Could CUK campaign for a category for carers so we don't get put under 'unemployed' or will this happen naturally over time as equalities bill comes into force and people finally take notice?