Most employees do not take leave to care for a sick relative

Nearly one in six employees in the Netherlands who care for a relative suffering from a long-term illness or disability took leave to do so last year. Workers who care for a partner or child more often took leave than those caring for a parent.

Full-time employees take leave most often

In 2009, 539 thousand employees cared for a child, partner or parent who suffered from a long-term illness or disability. Nearly on in six of these carers took leave to do this. One in five who did not take leave said they would have wanted to. Nearly two-thirds said they did not need to take leave.

Eighteen percent of employees working for at least 35 hours a week took leave. For part-time workers working between 12 and 35 hours a week, this percentage was a lot lower, at 13.

Employees taking care leave by working hours, 2009

Short-term care leave most popular

Workers who took leave to care for a child, partner or parent who suffered from a long-term illness or disability mostly took short-term care leave. Just over one in three made use of this option. In addition, 21 percent took compensation leave for reduced working hours or holiday leave and 16 percent were granted special or extraordinary leave. Only few employees took different kinds of leave.

Types of leave taken by employees to care for relatives, 2009

Least leave taken for care of parents with long-term illness

Sick or disabled parents accounted for 71 percent of employees who cared for a relative. However, only 12 percent of employees caring for a parent took leave to do this. They also had the least need for leave. Of employees caring for a sick child or partner, 23 and 28 percent respectively took leave to provide this care.

 Leave taken to care, by relationship with caree, 2009

Jannes de Vries