I am caring for my elderly mom and working full time at Frito-Lay.

7 Comments

1. AnonymousMarch 20,2024 at 10:18PM UTC

   Look into fmla..that's what it's for and there is flexibility there to take it as needed. Work with HR to explore your options.

2. AnonymousMarch 21,2024 at 1:55AM UTC

   Go to HR and use your words or read your employee manual. Unless someone else on this board also works for Frito Lay in HR, no one will be able to answer your question.

3. AnonymousMarch 21,2024 at 2:38PM UTC

   Look into intermittent FMLA for taking care of a parent.

4. AnonymousMarch 21,2024 at 4:55PM UTC

   What specific benefits are you referring to? In looking at Frito Lay's website, it does include child/elder care - what specifically does it refer to? You wouldn't qualify for parental leave (that is almost always going to be specific to birth/adoption/placement of a foster, etc.). I previously worked for a company where we initially rolled out a parental leave program a decade ago (and I was proud to be the co-author of that), which then morphed into a caregiver leave program not long after. That was one of our efforts to be more inclusive of our employee population and something that I think other businesses are doing as well. You could apply for FMLA - but that would either be unpaid or you would need to use vacation/PTO to offset it. Perhaps considering talking with your HR representative or even reaching out to your EAP to see what might be available to you. Or, alternatively, is this more of a simple discussion with your direct manager to ask for a bit of flexibility in your schedule?

5. AnonymousMarch 21,2024 at 6:47PM UTC

   Thanks Anon. Thankfully my job has flexible hours to the point where I don't really need leave as much as I need some support about how to cope with everything. Seems like the company has lots of fellowship and support for parents, but not so much for eldercare people like me.

6. AnonymousJuly 9,2025 at 7:51AM UTC

   I know what you mean. My dad moved in with us last year. At first, it felt manageable, but now it's affecting my work and even my marriage. There's just never enough time or energy.

7. Alicia GoldJuly 9,2025 at 7:51AM UTC
   My parents are still independent, but I’m starting to plan ahead. I’ve been reading up on home care options and even looking into local services. I just don’t want to be caught off guard. The mini alert system from https://bewellalert.com/product/mini-lightweight-mobile-medical-alert-system/ we got for my grandmother has been a game-changer in her healthcare routine. She wears it like a pendant, and it has already helped us act quickly when she felt dizzy one evening. The system immediately sent alerts to me and my brother, and we were able to check on her within minutes.