Employees in the not-for-profit care sector are reporting increased levels of burnout and mental-health issues amid rising labour shortages, according to a new report by United Way Centraide Canada.

“Workers in this sector are social first responders,” says Anita Khanna, the organization’s vice-president of government relations and public policy. “They’re on the front lines of community challenges and increasing economic challenges can lead to social challenges and strain.”

Read: 76% of Canadians say mental health impacted by work, financial stress: survey

The report found vacancies in core community-care occupations have risen by 140 per cent since 2015 and health-related vacancies rose 173 per cent, compared with just four per cent growth in vacancies across the rest of the labour market. At the same time, offered wages in core care roles grew 11 per cent more slowly than wages in the rest of the labour market from........

© Benefits Canada