That is just out of control..she is not an au pair she is a slave!! I cant even believe she agreed to that!! I will keep my ears open for anything that opens up around where I live, tell your friend to get out!!
Prin, Mar 24, 2009 @ 12:06

yeah, i dont think its good. the thing is, the mother is really nice and says its because she is "part of the family". but my frind doesnt have the chance to arrange weekends, she should be seeing france n switzerland while she is here and she just cant. and when the parents do come home, my friend often has to have the child still while the parents go out because the child is too out of control for the parents to dare to take him anywhere!
nikkisawyer, Mar 24, 2009 @ 12:30

ooops, i meant 100 euros per week, but still...
nikkisawyer, Mar 24, 2009 @ 12:31

Hey i have been a professional nanny for over 13 years and so know i thing or two. One thing i do know is that au pairs are legally not allowed to work more than 6 hours a day.



And she is definatly getting less than she should be getting in pay if the details you gave are correct.
welshfilly, Mar 24, 2009 @ 13:51

really? thats very interesting. the trouble is that shes not legal so i dont know if all the rules apply to her. i also know that means she has no health insurance and her wages certainly wouldnt be enough to pay for it if she needed it.

its hard for her cos she is relatively young and a long way from home and the mother keeps telling her shes part of the family. therefore theres no employer/employee relationship. i dont think she even has a contract. and she doesnt really want to ask because if the mother gets annoyed, she has to live there still and doesnt want to create tension.
nikkisawyer, Mar 24, 2009 @ 14:01

A part of the family?? Would she expect her own mother to treat her like that?? Its like the guy that hits you and says he loves you..its not love!! I know that was a little much but really that is crapola!!

I good friend of mine works here..she has one little boy to take care of that is 4. He goes to a creche all day so she basically takes him to and from school. She does not have to cook, nor clean. She does his laundry and her own but other than that they have someone to do the housework. She gets 2 first class tickets home per year, each being for at least 3 weeks. Evenings she has off unless otherwise stated due to meetings or being out of town, she can travel on weekends if she likes, however she must give some detail to who and where she is going, because the family is her resposibility. She gets her mobile, health and all food and housing paid for, plus a salary. So that is what I consider being a part of the family...
Prin, Mar 24, 2009 @ 14:15

i totally agree.
nikkisawyer, Mar 24, 2009 @ 14:23

400 euros per month??? this is so not normal!!! why she is still working for that family ?!

i`m a nanny and i live with the family, i don`t have to clean,cook etc. the little 3 years old i`m taking care of is at school 4 times a week. evenings off, weekends off, food and monthly train ticket included. they even paid for my language school! plus 4 weeks off -paid vacation. ( i have a permit - why your friend didn`t apply for the permit? as a nanny/au pair she can get permit L )



anyway, let her know about this websites so she can find a new job :)



http://www.nannily.co.uk/

http://www.nanniesofeurope.com/

http://www.kiddie-club.ch/annonces/classifieds-board.php
Aga24, Mar 24, 2009 @ 15:50

thank you so much, thats very helpful and i think it will make her feel less bad when asking for fixed time off. she was worried of being unreasonable!
nikkisawyer, Mar 24, 2009 @ 15:59

[quote]400 euros per month??? this is so not normal!!! why she is still working for that family ?!

i`m a nanny and i live with the family, i don`t have to clean,cook etc. the little 3 years old i`m taking care of is at school 4 times a week. evenings off, weekends off, food and monthly train ticket included. they even paid for my language school! plus 4 weeks off -paid vacation. ( i have a permit - why your friend didn`t apply for the permit? as a nanny/au pair she can get permit L )



anyway, let her know about this websites so she can find a new job :)



http://www.nannily.co.uk/

http://www.nanniesofeurope.com/

http://www.kiddie-club.ch/annonces/classifieds-board.php[/quote]



I agree with Aga24; my girlfriend is working as an au pair here in the US and she has a similar situation. Weekends off, most of the day free, paid a reasonable rate, etc. Your friend can't allow herself to be guilt-tripped into working like a slave! Friends don't let friends be overworked and underpaid :D
TheMoney, Mar 24, 2009 @ 16:31

in all honesty what is happening is illegal does your friend really want to be here illegally? what would happen if something happened to her? Ie she got sick? All employers have to pay health insurance , She could get a much better position in the area as suggested before she should try some of the agencies see what they have on their books.
welshfilly, Mar 24, 2009 @ 16:39