Agencies & Local Counselors

Overnight hours: Should we be able to schedule Au Pairs to work overnight?

by cv harquail May 25, 2013

StudentHostMom writes with a question about overnight childcare. Our contract strictly forbids leaving the kids alone with the au pair overnight. Our main reason for getting an au pair was to support me as I returned to classes, part time, to finish my college degree. Since my husband travels all week, every week, our Au Pair […]

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Proposed Immigration Legislation Affecting AuPairs: What do you think?

by cv harquail May 10, 2013

This week, many host families received letters from their Au Pair Agencies and/or from the Alliance for International Education and Cultural Exchange. (Note: The Alliance is an advocacy group for cultural exchange programs. Many au pair agencies are members). Previously, we’ve received requests to contact our Representatives about changes in Tax Law. This time, it’s US Immigration regulations. (See […]

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Au Pairs and Income Tax

by cv harquail March 9, 2013

Every year around this time I feel a creeping dread. Anytime now, my DH is going to ask me for receipts from my charitable contributions, any random pay stubs from freelance work, and those so called ‘records’ that I keep of medical copayments ‘n stuff. Because it’s time to file our income tax statement. Uck. […]

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Does Your Extension Au Pair Deserve a Raise?

by cv harquail January 24, 2013

The experience of a happy au pair year is its own reward. And extending this positive experience is a great way to turn this reward into a bonus. When an au pair and a host family extend their contract with each other for an additional 6, 9, or 12 months, everybody gets a bonus. The […]

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Should Au Pair Agency Contracts Have a “Flame Out — Opt Out” Clause?

by cv harquail November 5, 2012

Host Families can easily get screwed when the au pair that they match with is so bad s/he can’t or won’t make it through the initial two weeks. When an au pair/ host family relationship breaks, there is an emotional and financial cost to everyone involved. Au Pair Agency procedures are designed to push au […]

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Au Pairs: Beware of Scams

by cv harquail March 26, 2012

Dear Prospective Au Pairs — always always always check out an offer you receive that does not come through an approved, well-known au pair agency. There are too many scammers out there who seem to be offering great positions, but who in fact just want to lure you into sending them money. Last week we […]

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Can we bring a PreMatch Au Pair to the US without an agency?

by cv harquail March 7, 2012

Dear AuPairMom- We are on a 4 month sabbatical in Cape Town, SA and we have a great local nanny here. We’d like to bring her back with us to our home in Brooklyn, NY in April. Can this be done? Can we avoid the agencies/sponsors? Dear CapeTownHostMom- Yes, you can bring a caregiver from […]

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Do Host Parents need to buy Workers Compensation Insurance?

by cv harquail February 22, 2012

While we’re on the topic of insurance, MinneMom emiled with a question I’d never considered — Do you have a separate Workers’ Comp Insurance policy for your au pair? In the deep dark recesses of my failing memory, I think I discussed insurance with my DH when we were early into the au pair world. […]

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Contact Congress to Protest Taxes on Au Pairs!

by cv harquail February 11, 2012

Dear AuPairMom Readers- I never thought that I’d be writing a post asking you all to take political action, but there’s an issue that hits the Au Pairing Community right at the heart. Congress is deciding this week whether to impose a 7.65% FICA tax on au pairs. Yes, that’s right. Congress wants to tax […]

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Should au pair rules be changed, to allow for “extra vacation without pay”?

by cv harquail January 25, 2012

Within the legal boundaries of the au pair program, both host parents and au pairs like to have a bit of personal discretion. We want to be able to satisfy family demands and any sensible au pair dreams. We want to be flexible when issues come up, and we want to be accommodating and reasonably […]

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