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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Thinking 28 days paid holiday in 10 months is reasonable for an au pair?

43 replies

Ghostlife · 26/06/2015 12:36

She wanted an additional 15 days paid holiday in addition to what was in her contract which would have given her 43 days paid holiday in 10 months. I allowed her to take the additional 3 weeks unpaid.

OP posts:
Patapouf · 26/06/2015 12:50

Is she from a country where more generous holiday allowance is the norm?

ProcrastinatorGeneral · 26/06/2015 12:51

Most employees get 21-28 per year. She's a chancer.

paulapompom · 26/06/2015 12:53

That seems a fair compromise on your part. I have no experience of au pairs, but think if a contract states x days paid leave, that is that. I'm sure if I asked for some more paid holidays the answer would be??? Wtf no of course not!!

I don't know the situation, family issues, bereavement, Etc which may cause someone to need additional time off.

redexpat · 26/06/2015 12:54

Or perhaps is very young and doesnt have much experience of the real world. I think your solution was a good one.

Original poster
Ghostlife · 26/06/2015 12:55

She is a chancer. She knows what was specified in her contract but still not enough for her. She is obviously not happy that I did not pay her for the extra 3 weeks before she leaves for good.

OP posts:
WixingMords · 26/06/2015 12:56

It sounds like a very generous offer already.

What day pattern is she working and how many hours a day?

alteredimages · 26/06/2015 12:56

I think her expectations are unreasonable unless you are counting her normal days off as holidays or a large proportion of the 28 days were dictated by you, for example you going on holiday and not taking her with you which shouldn't really count as part of her paid leave.

19lottie82 · 26/06/2015 12:56

Most employees get 21-28 per year

28 days minimum per year is the legal minimum (pro rata of course). If an employer offers less than this, then they are breaking the law.

Saying that, 28 days isn't stingy (for a 12 month period and the OP is referring to 10 months!), it's pretty much standard. Anything over and above is considered to be quite generous.

longjane · 26/06/2015 12:56

How much are you paying her.

samG76 · 26/06/2015 12:57

Is she working at weekends as well? If so, bear in mind that most people have 104 days' "off", so it might be a reasonable request.

alteredimages · 26/06/2015 12:57

It was nice of you to offer her the time unpaid. That is a lot of time to take off in such a short time!

longjane · 26/06/2015 12:58

How did you cover child care for the 3 extra week ?

Original poster
Ghostlife · 26/06/2015 13:01

No family issues. She just stopped working as soon as she had booked her flight so I gave her the option of working and being paid or unpaid leave. She is lazy and when she first started she did no work for a week but expected to be paid. I therefore gave her the option of work or holiday as I was not prepared to have the weird hybrid of her doing no work and me paying her. She had that for a week when she first started. So actually she has had 33 days paid holiday one of the weeks she got when she first started and we did not know how to deal with it. Once bitten twice shy...

OP posts:
WhirlpoolGalaxyM51 · 26/06/2015 13:03

Does the 28 days minimum include bank hols lottie as I've commonly had 4 weeks (20 days) when I was younger and 25 days now which I see as generous!

19lottie82 · 26/06/2015 13:10

Does the 28 days minimum include bank hols lottie as I've commonly had 4 weeks (20 days) when I was younger and 25 days now which I see as generous!

Yes 28 days can include bank holidays.

Basically you must have a minimum of 28 days in total, BUT your employer is allowed to dictate when you can take these (some, or all). This may include periods like bank holidays, or over the festive period.

Original poster
Ghostlife · 26/06/2015 13:12

Including bank holidays but she is only here for 10 months

OP posts:
Original poster
Ghostlife · 26/06/2015 13:20

The holiday dates were specified in the contract to coincide with her college holiday dates and my children's holidays.

OP posts:
WhirlpoolGalaxyM51 · 26/06/2015 13:21

I think that you are being reasonable as well.

(Not that I know anything about au pairs!).

Original poster
Ghostlife · 26/06/2015 13:23

28 days in 12 months is 23.5 days in 10 months. She has already had 28 days paid holiday so 4.5 above what entitled to but still wanted a further 15 days paid leave.

OP posts:
DoughDoe · 26/06/2015 13:33

it used to be 20 days plus bank holidays, but they changed it to 28 days including bank holidays, because that's fairer to people with odd working patterns

Original poster
Ghostlife · 26/06/2015 13:36

No work at weekends and I luckily had some flexibility. As she stopped working for 3 days I knew we would be back to what she did when she first started. Do no work but expect payment but this time I was wise to her ways.

OP posts:
Original poster
Ghostlife · 26/06/2015 13:52

Paying her £100+ per week for 10 hours work a week and she still did not do what I asked in those 10 hours. She had all day off Monday to Friday. Every evening off and all weekend. She did one hour in morning and one hour in evening.

OP posts:
Original poster
Ghostlife · 26/06/2015 14:03

STBXH paid for her which I think is part of the problem

OP posts:
VanitasVanitatum · 26/06/2015 14:04

I get 21 plus bank hols, you were totally reasonable.

madwomanbackintheattic · 26/06/2015 14:08

I love that the UK is so generous with vacation time.

Since emigrating, I get 10 days for the first three years, then it goes up to 15 days. I have to be in the company for six years before I am entitled to 20 days vacation, ten years in the same company for 25 days.

These threads make me very nostalgic.