Advocating for Public Policies That Support Caregivers
Generation Cares is a cross-sector coalition dedicated to improving the quality and quantity of care for children, people with disabilities and older adults.
Recognizing that access to older adult, people with disabilities, and child care greatly impacts workers, workplaces, and family caregivers, the coalition will raise awareness and explore solutions to support the caregiving needs of working families and bolster the direct care workforce pipeline.
The coalition will engage peers, federal agencies, Congress, and the White House on targeted measures designed to elevate the needs of the caregiving workforce and working families by pursuing solutions to issues facing families, the direct care workforce, and employers.
U.S. Workers With Caregiving Responsibilities Are Under Pressure
$522B
Lost wages every year*
* National Alliance for Caregiving, January 2022
52%
Find it difficult to balance work and home commitments*
* SHRM, 2022
1 in 4
Lacks access to reliable care for their loved ones*
* SHRM, 2021
Generation Cares: Latest Updates
The Generation Cares Coalition issued the following statement welcoming the Biden-Harris Administration’s Executive Order to elevate the importance of and support for care workers and caregivers in the U.S. economy. President Biden announced the Executive Order at an April 18 event that Coalition members attended:
"We applaud the Biden-Harris Administration for their comprehensive set of executive actions to improve support for caregivers and care workers."
"Our coalition represents a cross-sector of businesses and groups dedicated to improving the quality and quantity of care for children, people with disabilities and older adults."
"Given the fact that the loss of income connected to family caregiving amounts to an estimated $522 billion each year, the Generation Cares Coalition stands ready to work with the Administration and Congress on targeted measures designed to elevate the needs of the caregiving workforce and working families by pursuing solutions to issues facing families, the direct care workforce and employers."
Federal Policy Priorities
- Bolster Support for Older Americans and Their Caregivers
In 2021, the Department of Health and Human Services used $1.4 billion from the American Rescue Plan to support caregiving programs for older adults under the Older Americans Act. We encourage Congress to expand these investments, particularly in Home and Community Based Services, direct-care workforce development and the National Family Caregiver Support program. - Increase Funding for the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG)
Increased investments in the CCDBG are necessary to stabilize the child-care workforce and improve support for low-income working parents with young children. We urge Congress to build on the investment it made in CCDBG in fiscal year 2023 by providing additional robust funding increases for the program. - Enhance Tax Credits for Working Americans
The Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit (CDCTC), which is the only tax code provision that helps parents offset work-related child-care expenses, has not been adjusted in three decades – even as the average cost of child care has increased over 220% (well above inflation). We call on Congress to pursue enhancements to the CDCTC. - Broaden Tax Benefits for Employer-Provided Care
- Section 45F: Employers are eligible for a tax credit of up to $150,000 for child-care facility construction, operating costs and contracts with providers for child-care referrals. We urge Congress to raise the tax credit cap significantly; increase its percentage value; and expand eligibility for referral services to include care for older adults and people with disabilities.
- Section 129: Employers may offer up to $5,000 in dependent care assistance to employees, tax free. The definition of “dependent” is straightforward for a child or person with a disability; but for an older relative to be covered, they must live with the worker for at least half the year, be incapable of self-care and have no income. We ask Congress to expand this definition to help more workers with care responsibilities.
- Section 45F: Employers are eligible for a tax credit of up to $150,000 for child-care facility construction, operating costs and contracts with providers for child-care referrals. We urge Congress to raise the tax credit cap significantly; increase its percentage value; and expand eligibility for referral services to include care for older adults and people with disabilities.
"HR professionals are acutely aware that every day, millions of workers across the country struggle to find reliable, high-quality, and affordable care for their aging family members, children, or loved ones with disabilities. Generation Cares is stepping up to tackle this challenge head on, by elevating the vital work of our caregivers, responding to the growing need for training and career opportunity, and advocating for the human resources professionals who support our caregiving workforce."
Emily M. Dickens, J.D
Chief of Staff, Head of Public Affairs, and Corporate Secretary
Share Your Caregiving Story
We want to hear your caregiving stories about why we must raise awareness about this critical topic with policymakers.