Au Pair Holiday Pay

[threeisatragicnumber]

Hi

I have an au pair and used the contract suggested by au pair world. On second reading it seems to have no provision for holidays/holiday pay, and foolishly, this is not something I discussed with our au pair prior to her joining.

Can somebody please give me and idea of what is standard so I can have a talk to her?

(NB I have already paid one week with full holiday pay since September, and we are about to have two weeks at Christmas, two at Easter then more running up to summer etc - I basically want to know if I have to pay for all of them, or just some).

Thanks v much

20 days paid holiday per year is reasonable

Our contract just says that for each three months worked she can take one week off, fully paid, and all bank holidays.

Your au pair will tell you that her au pair friends probably don't get paid. But we prefer to treat them as full employees as per EU definition (which in my view trumps the rubbish on the gov.uk website).

Smashing, thanks. I will let her know that she has another three weeks paid leave (plus bank hols) left this holiday year and she can take it whenever she likes.

Hi,
I believe 5.6 weeks (which can include Bank Holidays) per annum is a required legal minimum.

andagain why is 5.6 weeks legal minimum please?

That's four weeks plus bank hols!

5.6 weeks is minimum for employees but that gets back to the is an au-pair an employee debate.

20 days holiday pay, but if she takes all those 20 days and you decide to take holiday, she still should be paid as she is available to work and not her problem you are going on holiday.

Hi,
As per nannynick's post. Yes it is 20 days plus Bank Holidays for Uk employees. When it comes to holidays I personally think the employee debate is irrelevant, they ought to have at least minimum holiday allowance as everyone else. You can always put it in your contract that your au pair is to take all or large percentage of their holiday at times that suit you.
And yes I believe you do need to pay your au pair if you are going on holiday, even if she has used her holiday allowance.