Here are the facts: most hosts are not providing meaningful cultural exchange; the program is rightly so under legal attack; for now, fines are limited to the agencies but I can see law firms going after the exploitative families too in the future.

Why is this good? Because it will leave only the families truly interested in cultural exchange and willing to pay fairly in the market; fewer families, fewer au pairs, better quality all around. Exploitative agencies out of business, better ones remain.

Everyone else, employ nannies properly. People are going hungry in the US!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I dont think I've ever met someone who was so passionate about a subject while at the same time being so poorly informed. Posting relentlessly doesnt make what you're saying true.

Firstly, I know you think it’s the one lefty liberal who posts on all the boards all day and night long. Particularly the DL, mask wearing and fair wage. But that’s not true. There are many many posters on this board disgusted by your attitude and finding the same information. Secondly, you may think this law will not come to pass in DC but it will. So if everyone from the federal judges to the pre-Amy Supreme Court to DC Council to several law firms and non-profits are poorly informed so be it. The times they are a-changing.

The posts with the disgust all have fundamental facts about the program wrong. You ignore posts correcting these facts, so there is zero benefit to engaging with your zealous but ill informed posts.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can somebody answer what au pairs get paid in the DC area? Better question, if you have an au pair what do you pay them per week?

It varies based on work duties and perks. Some au pairs work very few hours and have posh lives. They may receive a smaller stipend, but get weekends at the family home in Vail or Aspen. Other families need more hours and pay more. In general, au pairs in the area have many au pair friends and they all compare their compensation. If an au pair is unhappy, they will rematch. It's quite competitive.

Oh, yeah. All those DC burbs families with homes in Aspen that pay small stipend. Give me a break. We actually do winter in Aspen every year, have seen very few DMV families there and even fewer with au pairs, and have paid market nanny rates to every au pair ever as are our friends. I didn’t want to say anything before because I know how this sounds but this board is really beyond the pale. Young people on cultural exchange shouldn’t be paying for the lack of affordable childcare options in DMV.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can somebody answer what au pairs get paid in the DC area? Better question, if you have an au pair what do you pay them per week?

It varies based on work duties and perks. Some au pairs work very few hours and have posh lives. They may receive a smaller stipend, but get weekends at the family home in Vail or Aspen. Other families need more hours and pay more. In general, au pairs in the area have many au pair friends and they all compare their compensation. If an au pair is unhappy, they will rematch. It's quite competitive.

I didn’t know this. I always thought the OP or cultural exchange program was more standardized in terms of pay. I thought the bonuses were more like trips versus higher salaries. I also thought most au pairs work around 45 hours. I didn’t realize it varied so wildly.

Anonymous wrote:I cant believe in this day and age people think they can get away with what is essentially indentured servitude and paying someone $200 a week. Enjoy it while it lasts, sickos- and then get ready to pay up! NP, btw

Thats what the au pair gets. That is not what the host parent pays.

Anonymous wrote:I dont think I've ever met someone who was so passionate about a subject while at the same time being so poorly informed. Posting relentlessly doesnt make what you're saying true.

Firstly, I know you think it’s the one lefty liberal who posts on all the boards all day and night long. Particularly the DL, mask wearing and fair wage. But that’s not true. There are many many posters on this board disgusted by your attitude and finding the same information. Secondly, you may think this law will not come to pass in DC but it will. So if everyone from the federal judges to the pre-Amy Supreme Court to DC Council to several law firms and non-profits are poorly informed so be it. The times they are a-changing.

Anonymous wrote:Can somebody answer what au pairs get paid in the DC area? Better question, if you have an au pair what do you pay them per week?

It varies based on work duties and perks. Some au pairs work very few hours and have posh lives. They may receive a smaller stipend, but get weekends at the family home in Vail or Aspen. Other families need more hours and pay more. In general, au pairs in the area have many au pair friends and they all compare their compensation. If an au pair is unhappy, they will rematch. It's quite competitive.

Anonymous wrote:Can somebody answer what au pairs get paid in the DC area? Better question, if you have an au pair what do you pay them per week?

I’d be curious. Like I said, I started out paying $12/hr, no deductions in 2008. Was at $15/hr by 2010. Then school took over the job.

Anonymous wrote:This is not going away:
Harvard Law Review https://blog.harvardlawreview.org/recent-case-capron-v-office-of-the-attorney-general-of-massachusetts/

Recent class action win in a suit brought on behalf of 11 au pairs may apply to 90,000 class members, and open the floodgates. At minimum, pay attention OP and the page 1 buddies here’s what the decision already means for you:

The settlement also requires that 15 agencies authorized by the U.S. State Department to connect au pairs with families notify both parties going forward that au pairs can negotiate to be paid more than the minimum $195.75 a week required by the department.

So, wait, the OP was notified that the au pair has the right to negotiate?! I think that’s true since it’s been only 3 months. And she’s posting on DCUM about being extorted?! And is being backed up by a chorus of fellow Cultural Ambassadors (what culture?!) to bully the au pair into servitude?! Gross.

I cant believe in this day and age people think they can get away with what is essentially indentured servitude and paying someone $200 a week. Enjoy it while it lasts, sickos- and then get ready to pay up! NP, btw

Can somebody answer what au pairs get paid in the DC area? Better question, if you have an au pair what do you pay them per week?

I dont think I've ever met someone who was so passionate about a subject while at the same time being so poorly informed. Posting relentlessly doesnt make what you're saying true.

Yes! I will happily hire an au pair at $15/hr. I was paying $12/hr to an au pair in 2008. Here’s the bill:
https://lims.dccouncil.us/Legislation/B23-0442

Bill 23-442 is already pending in DC. Would make it $15/hr.

Yep. Not extortion, OP. Just dragging you out of your plantation mindset and into 2021.