Grandparents owed time off
Two out of five grans and grandpas play baby-sitter practically every week so that the parents can work
AFTER the bank of mum and dad it is the turn of grandparents to help fund the family lifestyle with the revelation in a report to Prime Minister François Fillon that two out of five grans and grandpas play baby-sitter practically every week so that the parents can work.
The study, by the Centre d’Analyse Stratégique, found grandparents were a hidden part of the workforce.
Now the CAS has suggested that a form of holiday like the congé parental maternity or paternity leave could be organised, especially within large companies.
Grandparents spend 23 million hours a week looking after children but the CAS said as more and more people worked longer hours it was difficult to see how it could continue.
Nearly a third of all workers aged between 55 and 59 juggle hours at work and baby-sitting and no one was looking at the real cost or the consequence if there were problems.
The CAS suggested extending access to workplace crêches to grandchildren, extending travel cards and said large firms could follow the example of chemical company Rhodia which allowed older staff to take time off which would be recouped when they come to retire.
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