Depending on how closely you've been following the Democratic presidential debates, you may or may not have heard of Andrew Yang. His key policy point is creating a "freedom dividend," a.k.a, universal basic income, under which every American adult would get $1,000 a month from the government. Among the potential benefits of such a system would be that it recognizes the economic impact of those not working traditional jobs, in particular, caregivers. Millions of Americans are currently also working as unpaid caregivers, some in addition to a full-time job or others who have left behind their career to care for children, parents or other loved ones. Related: Caregiving duties drive many employees out of the workforce The role of caregivers has garnered more attention in recent years as more working adults shoulder the burden of taking care of children, elderly parents or both. Revised paid family leave regulations are increasingly sympathetic to the need to take time off to care for a loved one. And in Hawaii, caregivers who also work at least 30 dollars a week can receive a stipend of up to $70 a day. But there's still more that can be done, particularly by employers. Many are ignorant to the prevalence of caregivers among their employees, and it's costing them, in both lost productivity and lost talent, as workers either quit the workforce altogether or leave for an employer that is willing to offer more flexibility and work/life balance. November is National Caregiver Month, a great time to highlight the impact of this often overlooked role in our society. Check out the slideshow above to see how much caregiving influences today's workplaces. Read more: |

• House bill would provide $200 million in caregiver respite spending
• Workers' caregiving fraught with growing challenges
• 7 steps for developing a family caregiving strategy