Au Pair & Babysitting

[Lasvegas]

My friend and I share AP as neither of us have enough work to warrant a dedicated AP. In total AP does 20 day time hours and a max of 3 nights babysitting. New AP wants to get job in bar on Fri/ Sat nights so not keen to sit every w/e. Do U think reasonable to say that she has to sit every sat and 2 nights in the week? That way she can work Fri night in bar. I want to accomodate her as great cleaner and brill English. But main reason we have AP is for sitting duties.

I don't think it's reasonable to expect her to give up every Saturday night - what if she pulls in the bar - when is she going to see him?! Do you pay her extra for babysitting or is it included in her wages?

Hmmm.... IUs the bar likely to go for this? Would they agree to never schedule her for Saturday night. Or do they schedule her when it suits them.

Couldn't you find another sitter for Sat. nights and reduce her pay by the equivalent amount?

The 3 nights a week sitting are included in her pocket money. She does 20 hours a week in day time 1pm- 6pm Mon - Fri and week ends off. She knew this before she came but now moaning that she wants to be AP and work part time in bar (illegally she only has AP visa). She is free 4 nights out of 7 (those nights not sitting) and in day time at week end. Bar run by friend.

Good idea to find another sitter and reduce pay, but doubt she will be keen as will be big reduction in her pay. Am starting to suspect she is not genuine AP but economic migrant who will disapear into black economy.

Lasvegas, she might not like it. But life is all about choices isn't it? If you don't do the work, you don't get the pay.

And no way would I condone the au pair I sponsored to go work illegally. Are you in any way responsible as her sponsor? She sounds like she wants to have her cake and eat it too.

I agree her first priority is to her host family and to honour her agreement which seems fair and 20 hours a week is not bad. I think you should stick by it, and remind her what was agreed before she arrived.

I don't think a reduction in hours would be the answer, you are still left with the hassel of finding a reliable babysitter.

I assume she is not the typical AP coming over to perfect her English as a gap year or work requirement, it sounds like she out there to make money

Thank you ladies.

Now inspired to have the -this is the job, if you don't like it find another - conversation. She freely admits here to make money (from Bulgaria), which I think is good thing. But I expected her to earn extra by cleaning/sitting for families in our neighbourhood, at times that fitted in with me - not work illegally in a bar.

I think cleaning/sitting for other families is as illegal as working in a bar, LasVegas.

Does that mean that two people can't jointly sponsor an au pair? How does sharing an au pair work? Just curious.

I'd have a look at the Home Office website. That might be helpful (or not!).