Anonymous
Post 12/30/2018 09:53     Subject: Common Items Provided By Host Families vs. Perks
We have a second home near skiing and buy our aps an annual pass and get them rentals for the season if they want. We do try to get aps who ski (we had one who claimed she did but she couldn’t at all and we ended up getting her lessons which was above what we’d planned to spend). Usually our aps love this perk, we invite them to invite friends some weekends and they also enjoy skiing with us and our kids, especially our now 9yo who is an advanced skier. For a weekend trip involving flights and rentals etc I’m not sure I would encourage an ap to come, it’s a huge expense and hassle for everyone and unless she’s dying to see a different region or try skiing it doesn’t seem in anyone’s best interest.
Anonymous
Post 12/30/2018 01:05     Subject: Common Items Provided By Host Families vs. Perks
Anonymous wrote:The AP could take her own holiday trip, or do tons of other activities at a ski resort without having to pay for a lift ticket. It’s her choice, and the HF have clearly and fairly stated their terms. I don’t understand the whiners who have no respect for boundaries.


If you are inviting them on your vacation, you should pay for it given how much they earn. Its not a boundary issue especially if they are working part of the time.
Anonymous
Post 12/30/2018 00:53     Subject: Re:Common Items Provided By Host Families vs. Perks
Agree that the HF should have paid for the lift tickets. Crummy
Anonymous
Post 12/29/2018 16:09     Subject: Common Items Provided By Host Families vs. Perks
My host family took me on a ski vacation in Vermont.
They didn't offer to pay for anything and guess what : I loved it and it was my first time away at a ski resort ever.
I never expected them to pay for anything (lift or whatever), I was just happy being there at all

Former AP.
Anonymous
Post 12/29/2018 08:21     Subject: Common Items Provided By Host Families vs. Perks
The AP could take her own holiday trip, or do tons of other activities at a ski resort without having to pay for a lift ticket. It’s her choice, and the HF have clearly and fairly stated their terms. I don’t understand the whiners who have no respect for boundaries.
Anonymous
Post 12/28/2018 23:48     Subject: Common Items Provided By Host Families vs. Perks
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:We pay $250/wk and she has a separate credit card she uses for all child expenses. I allow her to also use that for all her personal gas. She has a dedicated car as well. We invite her out to dinner when we go (she usually doesnt go, she has a social life) and take her on our vacations of she wants (most of them prefer to only go 50% of the time if it is somewhere "cool") we also go skiing in Utah every winter, but DO NOT pay for lift tix or rentals, just flight and hotel. We also give her off when we are off, so all fed holidays. Vacation totals 2 weeks in summer, 10 days Christmas, and a week at spring break. Our current AP is back in Germany with her family this Christmas.

Indomt think our package is that amazing, but also not bare bones. We have known APs who have incredible set ups, including a nanny for the younger kid and a live in housekeeper/cook.


Hi know that she can’t afford to go skiing on vacation if you don’t pay gift her lift ticket and rentals. So much for the cultural exchange aspect!


Skiing is a cultural exchange? That's news to me. Most of our APs (we only hire Northern Europeans) ski more than we have. Our last BroPair was a Ski instructor in Germany.

So far none of them have complained about a trip to the beautiful Rocky Mountains. If they were so concerned about lift ticket affordability, don't you think they would spend the holiday doing something else?


Its pretty crummy not to pay those expenses. Its not a vacation for them if they are working.
Anonymous
Post 12/28/2018 21:39     Subject: Common Items Provided By Host Families vs. Perks
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:We pay $250/wk and she has a separate credit card she uses for all child expenses. I allow her to also use that for all her personal gas. She has a dedicated car as well. We invite her out to dinner when we go (she usually doesnt go, she has a social life) and take her on our vacations of she wants (most of them prefer to only go 50% of the time if it is somewhere "cool") we also go skiing in Utah every winter, but DO NOT pay for lift tix or rentals, just flight and hotel. We also give her off when we are off, so all fed holidays. Vacation totals 2 weeks in summer, 10 days Christmas, and a week at spring break. Our current AP is back in Germany with her family this Christmas.

Indomt think our package is that amazing, but also not bare bones. We have known APs who have incredible set ups, including a nanny for the younger kid and a live in housekeeper/cook.


Hi know that she can’t afford to go skiing on vacation if you don’t pay gift her lift ticket and rentals. So much for the cultural exchange aspect!


Skiing is a cultural exchange? That's news to me. Most of our APs (we only hire Northern Europeans) ski more than we have. Our last BroPair was a Ski instructor in Germany.

So far none of them have complained about a trip to the beautiful Rocky Mountains. If they were so concerned about lift ticket affordability, don't you think they would spend the holiday doing something else?
Anonymous
Post 12/28/2018 15:21     Subject: Common Items Provided By Host Families vs. Perks
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:We pay $250/wk and she has a separate credit card she uses for all child expenses. I allow her to also use that for all her personal gas. She has a dedicated car as well. We invite her out to dinner when we go (she usually doesnt go, she has a social life) and take her on our vacations of she wants (most of them prefer to only go 50% of the time if it is somewhere "cool") we also go skiing in Utah every winter, but DO NOT pay for lift tix or rentals, just flight and hotel. We also give her off when we are off, so all fed holidays. Vacation totals 2 weeks in summer, 10 days Christmas, and a week at spring break. Our current AP is back in Germany with her family this Christmas.

Indomt think our package is that amazing, but also not bare bones. We have known APs who have incredible set ups, including a nanny for the younger kid and a live in housekeeper/cook.


Hi know that she can’t afford to go skiing on vacation if you don’t pay gift her lift ticket and rentals. So much for the cultural exchange aspect!


GO AWAY.
Anonymous
Post 12/28/2018 10:29     Subject: Common Items Provided By Host Families vs. Perks
Anonymous wrote:We pay $250/wk and she has a separate credit card she uses for all child expenses. I allow her to also use that for all her personal gas. She has a dedicated car as well. We invite her out to dinner when we go (she usually doesnt go, she has a social life) and take her on our vacations of she wants (most of them prefer to only go 50% of the time if it is somewhere "cool") we also go skiing in Utah every winter, but DO NOT pay for lift tix or rentals, just flight and hotel. We also give her off when we are off, so all fed holidays. Vacation totals 2 weeks in summer, 10 days Christmas, and a week at spring break. Our current AP is back in Germany with her family this Christmas.

Indomt think our package is that amazing, but also not bare bones. We have known APs who have incredible set ups, including a nanny for the younger kid and a live in housekeeper/cook.


Hi know that she can’t afford to go skiing on vacation if you don’t pay gift her lift ticket and rentals. So much for the cultural exchange aspect!
Anonymous
Post 12/28/2018 08:57     Subject: Common Items Provided By Host Families vs. Perks
Anonymous wrote:Please explain further?


Au Paiir agencies can now legally force au pairs to individually arbitrate their cases in a forum of the agency’s choosing. Lawyers will not take these cases because the rate of return is too low. Au pairs are unlikely to arbitrate in Connecticut without a lawyer from, e.g., Rio. There will not be more class actions.
The ACLU or another group could take this representation on, but they have bigger fish to fry.

The au pairs who brought this suit would be estopped from bringing another. The au pair agencies will not admit liability. The agencies will continue to lobby, e.g., Chris Murphy, for a clearer carve-out that takes room and board into account, in minimum wage, plus no overtime.
Anonymous
Post 12/27/2018 13:14     Subject: Common Items Provided By Host Families vs. Perks
Anonymous wrote:It won’t be long before the privileged HFs compete with one another, and their perceived “special” status with mega bonuses, weeks of vacation, monthly trips to Disney world, ski chalet weekends, daily caviar appetizers, dedicated luxury cars, rooms, apartments, etc, disappears. In the end, you still end up with an ungrateful young adult who thinks your kids are spoiled brats.


Shrug.

I'm the poster with the decent benefits and it has worked out well for us. J get my pick of APs (never a rejection at match) and have all have requests to extend. None of them seem ungrateful to me.

Not sure I've ever heard of the perks you describe, but the added $50 to the stipend, gas, and ample vacation time that mirrors our time off work has gone far in building goodwill. Plus they all talk on Facebook groups and when it is match time, I have APs wanting to interview before we even put ourselves out there officially. Some families are blackballed and dont even know it. So much info is shared on those closed pages.
Anonymous
Post 12/27/2018 13:06     Subject: Common Items Provided By Host Families vs. Perks
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:We pay $250/wk and she has a separate credit card she uses for all child expenses. I allow her to also use that for all her personal gas. She has a dedicated car as well. We invite her out to dinner when we go (she usually doesnt go, she has a social life) and take her on our vacations of she wants (most of them prefer to only go 50% of the time if it is somewhere "cool") we also go skiing in Utah every winter, but DO NOT pay for lift tix or rentals, just flight and hotel. We also give her off when we are off, so all fed holidays. Vacation totals 2 weeks in summer, 10 days Christmas, and a week at spring break. Our current AP is back in Germany with her family this Christmas.

Indomt think our package is that amazing, but also not bare bones. We have known APs who have incredible set ups, including a nanny for the younger kid and a live in housekeeper/cook.


You don't think $250/week plus gas, food and vacations ...PLUS 5 weeks paid vacation is amazing? Seriously, this program is out of control.


No, definitely not amazing. However my frame of reference is my social circle. We all have different places we live, neighbors, and arrangements.
Anonymous
Post 12/25/2018 18:01     Subject: Common Items Provided By Host Families vs. Perks
Please explain further?
Anonymous
Post 12/25/2018 08:24     Subject: Common Items Provided By Host Families vs. Perks
Anonymous wrote:So what’s to stop Lief Cabraser from filing the exact same suit in 2 years on behalf of that entirely new class? Nothing. Seems stupid to settle without injunctive relief.


Because the Supreme Court has just ruled that mandatory arbitration clauses in employment contracts are constitutionally binding. You will not get lawyers to take these cases.
Anonymous
Post 12/25/2018 07:13     Subject: Common Items Provided By Host Families vs. Perks
So what’s to stop Lief Cabraser from filing the exact same suit in 2 years on behalf of that entirely new class? Nothing. Seems stupid to settle without injunctive relief.