Anonymous
01/27/2020 08:00
Subject: Screening process - looking for next au pair
Anonymous wrote:We were with CCAP for 4 years, and are now with APC.
We searched with both CCAP and APC this last year, I had heard the new CCAP matching system might make it hard and it did. We got 0 candidates to even talk with us and found a great candidate with APC right away.
So our CCAP LCCs were always fair to terrible, but I didn't know much different though I had heard stories from other APs who had been in other cities and had better LCCs.
So as soon as we switched to APC I was floored at how great our LCC was. And they all seem great; there are at least 3 that service our metro area and I've heard nothing but good things.
For us switching was well worth it. Not needing the 1.5 days off be consecutive is great, too. We don't take advantage of it very often; maybe 2x so far in the 7 months AP has been here, but it is nice to know a Saturday night coverage is in the realm of possibilities.
Thanks so much for actually answering the question!! I’m looking at APC as a likely agency to switch to. Our CC LCC is fine, she’s very experienced and easy to work with, but I get the sense she isn’t super helpful for the au pairs because she’s just done it so much that she forgets they are totally inexperienced. She is very kind to them and I’m sure would be helpful when an issue arises, but she doesn’t do much to help with finding classes or taxes etc. I’ve reached out to APC but haven’t heard from them so I don’t know about the lcc with APC yet.
Anonymous
01/27/2020 07:48
Subject: Screening process - looking for next au pair
We were with CCAP for 4 years, and are now with APC.
We searched with both CCAP and APC this last year, I had heard the new CCAP matching system might make it hard and it did. We got 0 candidates to even talk with us and found a great candidate with APC right away.
So our CCAP LCCs were always fair to terrible, but I didn't know much different though I had heard stories from other APs who had been in other cities and had better LCCs.
So as soon as we switched to APC I was floored at how great our LCC was. And they all seem great; there are at least 3 that service our metro area and I've heard nothing but good things.
For us switching was well worth it. Not needing the 1.5 days off be consecutive is great, too. We don't take advantage of it very often; maybe 2x so far in the 7 months AP has been here, but it is nice to know a Saturday night coverage is in the realm of possibilities.
We searched with both CCAP and APC this last year, I had heard the new CCAP matching system might make it hard and it did. We got 0 candidates to even talk with us and found a great candidate with APC right away.
So our CCAP LCCs were always fair to terrible, but I didn't know much different though I had heard stories from other APs who had been in other cities and had better LCCs.
So as soon as we switched to APC I was floored at how great our LCC was. And they all seem great; there are at least 3 that service our metro area and I've heard nothing but good things.
For us switching was well worth it. Not needing the 1.5 days off be consecutive is great, too. We don't take advantage of it very often; maybe 2x so far in the 7 months AP has been here, but it is nice to know a Saturday night coverage is in the realm of possibilities.
Anonymous
01/26/2020 20:46
Subject: Screening process - looking for next au pair
True, not all au pairs are partiers and some prefer to hang at home.
Anonymous
01/26/2020 12:50
Subject: Screening process - looking for next au pair
There is a lot of paternalising going on here. Our AP works 44 hours a week, finishing at 4. She gets every weekend off. She’s been here almost six months. She’s never gone away for the weekend by herself or with friends. She never goes out during the week except for classes. I can count on one two hands the number of times she’s gone out with friends or had friends over. Unless we strongly push (find her free stuff, buy her tickets), she won’t go out and she has a dedicated car that we pay for all gas. She likes most to be at home in front of the TV. For some APs, having every weekend off is not that attractive.
Anonymous
01/26/2020 12:42
Subject: Screening process - looking for next au pair
Because sometimes we can’t go out on Friday for whatever reason. Or we have an event on a Saturday night and would rather not hire another sitter when we have one living in our home who doesn’t work anywhere near a full schedule.
And we live in NYC so our au pair can easily explore it whenever she wants. We also give our au pairs extra weekends off basically whenever they ask, and they frequently travel or do other things on the weekends when they ask for extra time
And we live in NYC so our au pair can easily explore it whenever she wants. We also give our au pairs extra weekends off basically whenever they ask, and they frequently travel or do other things on the weekends when they ask for extra time
Anonymous
01/26/2020 12:27
Subject: Screening process - looking for next au pair
Anonymous wrote:Op - our current ap works 5-6 hours/day m-f. She very occasionally works on a weekend, usually Sunday evening. It would be nice, since we use so few hours, to have the flexibility to have Saturday evening babysitting on occasion. Obviously it wouldn’t be every weekend and would be noted in advance, and ap can always go out after, etc.
I am not in any way abusing the program. Our au pairs have always been candid about how fair we are compared to their friends. Every single one has had stories of their friends being abused by the system. Our current ap worked 4 hours on Friday and then was free to spend the rest of the weekend with her friend who had been left alone - on her birthday - with her 4 host kids ages 7, 3 and 1.5yo twins. I know this is true because I know the family and they went out of town Thursday-Sunday and left ap alone with kids. Another of her friends is required to go to host kids school and teach a language class for 2 hours m-f on top of her ap duties. Neither ap is paid extra for this work.
This thread has become completely derailed. I asked for input on the different agencies and advice on how to narrow down candidates when not by country. I would still love to hear any thoughts on that.
If you want evening babysitting, why not go out Friday night? That way AP has all of Saturday, until ~5 on Sunday off every weekend. You get a date night every Friday AND help every Sunday evening, AP gets 1.5 consecutive days off every weekend, so can do things that involve a little travel (going to NYC for her 1.5 days).
Anonymous
01/26/2020 07:30
Subject: Screening process - looking for next au pair
Op - our current ap works 5-6 hours/day m-f. She very occasionally works on a weekend, usually Sunday evening. It would be nice, since we use so few hours, to have the flexibility to have Saturday evening babysitting on occasion. Obviously it wouldn’t be every weekend and would be noted in advance, and ap can always go out after, etc.
I am not in any way abusing the program. Our au pairs have always been candid about how fair we are compared to their friends. Every single one has had stories of their friends being abused by the system. Our current ap worked 4 hours on Friday and then was free to spend the rest of the weekend with her friend who had been left alone - on her birthday - with her 4 host kids ages 7, 3 and 1.5yo twins. I know this is true because I know the family and they went out of town Thursday-Sunday and left ap alone with kids. Another of her friends is required to go to host kids school and teach a language class for 2 hours m-f on top of her ap duties. Neither ap is paid extra for this work.
This thread has become completely derailed. I asked for input on the different agencies and advice on how to narrow down candidates when not by country. I would still love to hear any thoughts on that.
I am not in any way abusing the program. Our au pairs have always been candid about how fair we are compared to their friends. Every single one has had stories of their friends being abused by the system. Our current ap worked 4 hours on Friday and then was free to spend the rest of the weekend with her friend who had been left alone - on her birthday - with her 4 host kids ages 7, 3 and 1.5yo twins. I know this is true because I know the family and they went out of town Thursday-Sunday and left ap alone with kids. Another of her friends is required to go to host kids school and teach a language class for 2 hours m-f on top of her ap duties. Neither ap is paid extra for this work.
This thread has become completely derailed. I asked for input on the different agencies and advice on how to narrow down candidates when not by country. I would still love to hear any thoughts on that.
Anonymous
01/26/2020 06:51
Subject: Screening process - looking for next au pair
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I don’t understand. Are you not planning to give your au pair consecutive days off?
Right? I'm like Jesus Christ, this is exactly why we need these rules and laws.
People are disgusting.
I agree. Families like this are why these lawsuits are happening and endangering the future of the program.
Anonymous
01/25/2020 17:29
Subject: Screening process - looking for next au pair
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I don’t understand. Are you not planning to give your au pair consecutive days off?
Right? I'm like Jesus Christ, this is exactly why we need these rules and laws.
People are disgusting.
Again - you are WAY overreacting.
Anonymous
01/25/2020 17:27
Subject: Screening process - looking for next au pair
Anonymous wrote:I don’t understand. Are you not planning to give your au pair consecutive days off?
Right? I'm like Jesus Christ, this is exactly why we need these rules and laws.
People are disgusting.
Anonymous
01/24/2020 14:59
Subject: Screening process - looking for next au pair
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:It means she gets 1.5 days off, but doesn’t mean they have to be CONSECUTIVE. She could work Monday-Friday 10 hours/day and 5 hours on Saturday evening and it would still be 1.5 days off.
Did you mean 8 hours per day Monday through Friday?
Yes, and I corrected myself above.
Anonymous
01/24/2020 14:52
Subject: Screening process - looking for next au pair
Anonymous wrote:It means she gets 1.5 days off, but doesn’t mean they have to be CONSECUTIVE. She could work Monday-Friday 10 hours/day and 5 hours on Saturday evening and it would still be 1.5 days off.
Did you mean 8 hours per day Monday through Friday?
Anonymous
01/24/2020 11:48
Subject: Re:Screening process - looking for next au pair
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:It's not consecutive with APC. I've been very happy with them!
How do they compare in other ways? Monthly lcc meetings? Big enough pool if need to rematch?
I love APC, I am the PP who misunderstood their rule and I contacted my LCC and she responded right away. I am not sure if all their LCCs are like this but my goodness she is awesome. Being an LCC with APC is a real job with benefits so I guess that makes a difference because I had a terrible CC LCC; it was clear it was her side job and she couldn't even find time for the in house interview. My current LCC even responds to emails on her time off. I will totally recommend switching, especially since they don't have 1.5 consecutive days you are looking for.
Anonymous
01/24/2020 11:29
Subject: Screening process - looking for next au pair
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:It means she gets 1.5 days off, but doesn’t mean they have to be CONSECUTIVE. She could work Monday-Friday 10 hours/day and 5 hours on Saturday evening and it would still be 1.5 days off.
Sure, she would have 1.5 days off, but she would have worked 55 hours, which is against the rules.
Yeah, I meant to write shorter days.
Our au pair usually works 2:30-8 m-f and it would be nice to have some additional weekend flexiblity since we use so few hours.