header image

Current Discounts

Posted by: lbrust | May 3, 2009 | No Comment |

Cultural Care Au Pair offers many discounts for both new and repeat host families. If you have specific questions regarding any of our discounts, please email us at aupair@culturalcare.com or call us at 1-800-333-6056. Total savings cannot exceed $650 per program year, with the exception of lock-in savings and host family referral bonuses. To take advantage of these discounts apply now.

In celebration of Au Pair of the Year - SAVE $650!
For the second year in a row, a Cultural Care au pair was chosen as the International Au Pair Association’s Au Pair of the Year. In celebration of this great news, Cultural Care Au Pair is offering a “Celebration Discount” to new families who apply by June 15th. Enjoy a $350 application fee waiver and an additional $300 program fee discount for a total savings of $650! Use promo code PCCEL2009 when you apply to enjoy this amazing offer. Host families must be new to Cultural Care Au Pair and welcome an au pair into their home by October 23, 2009.

“Repeat with us” and save up to $1,000!
We welcome families from other au pair agencies to repeat with us. As a family experienced with the au pair program, host families who switch to Cultural Care Au Pair are entitled to $1,000 in savings! These savings include a $350 application fee waiver, a $500 program fee discount and free overseas connections (a $150 value). Please call 1-800-333-6056 and select option 2 to receive the promotion code. Families must submit proof of payment of their agency’s program fees (proof of payment of application fee does not qualify). The $500 program fee savings will be applied upon receipt of proof of payment.

$300 Pre-Arranged Match Discount
Families who find their own future au pair are entitled to a $300 program fee discount. The candidate must meet Cultural Care Au Pair’s screening requirements and must complete the Screening & Orientation Day in the appropriate recruitment country. Total savings cannot exceed $650. No promotion code necessary: savings will be applied upon approval of candidate.

Repeat Families: Save up to $2,000 in Repeat Rewards!
Families who extend with their current au pair are entitled to a $350 application fee waiver and up to $1,650 in program fee savings. Total savings = up to $2,000! Families who re-apply to host another Cultural Care au pair are entitled to a $350 application fee waiver, a $250 “price guarantee” discount, and complimentary overseas connection service ($150 value). Families who apply early enough can earn an additional $250 early matching bonus! Total savings = up to $1,000! For an early matching bonus deadline chart, visit the Host Family InfoSource. No promotion code necessary; discounts are applied automatically.

$250 Host Family Referral Discount
Current families will receive a $250 program fee discount for each new family referred to our program that welcomes an au pair into their home (Discount will be applied when the au pair arrives in the home). Each family you refer will also enjoy a $200 program discount, thanks to you! Referral discounts can go beyond the $650 maximum discount allotment. Referrals must be received by September 1, 2009. For referring and referred families to qualify for the $250 and $200 program fee discounts (respectively), referred host families must welcome an au pair into their home by October 23, 2009. To receive their reward in cash, referring families must call our Account Services Team at 1-800-333-6056, once the referred host family welcomes an au pair.

under: Uncategorized

AN AFFORDABLE CHILDCARE SOLUTION WITH FINANCIAL SAFEGUARD

Posted by: lbrust | March 13, 2009 | No Comment |

Cultural Care Au Pair, the leading provider of intercultural childcare in the United States announced the launch of a brand new program that will help to safeguard its host families’ finances: The “Peace of Mind Guarantee” (www.culturalcare.com/peaceofmind). The guarantee stipulates that if one of their host parents is subject to an involuntary termination from a job and consequently makes the decision to withdraw from the program, Cultural Care Au Pair will guarantee a pro-rated refund of all unused program weeks.

 

Says Cultural Care Au Pair President, David Fougere, “Now isn’t the time to put more pressure on parents who rely on our program for their childcare solution - families need us more than ever because of our affordability. Our “Peace of Mind Guarantee” will hopefully ease families’ concerns about making a commitment to a year-long program. In fact, we’ve taken many steps to help families in these tough economic times. While other au pair programs are raising their fees, we are holding our prices at 2008 levels for 2009. We have also adjusted our payment plan and reduced the initial deposit so the upfront costs are more manageable. And, we will be offering greater discounts to both new and repeat families throughout the year so many families will be paying even less than they paid last year.”

 

Thousands of parents across the country rely on au pairs to fulfill their need for affordable childcare. The average weekly cost of au pair care averages about $320 regardless of the number of children in the family, far less than parents might pay for daycare or a nanny. In fact, a report recently published by the National Association of Child Care Resource & Referral Agencies (NACCRRA) called Parents and the High Price of Child Care: 2008 Update reveals that the average price of full-time care for one infant in a center was as high as $14,591 a year, which is comparable to the au pair program but covers the cost of just one child. For families with two or more children, au pair childcare makes the most sense financially.

 

Lori Brust, local coordinator for Cultural Care in Long Island, has already seen the impact of Cultural Care Au Pair’s decision to launch this new program. “Families I talk to have been nervous about signing up for a whole year if they aren’t sure what the future holds as far as their jobs and family finances go. They realize that hosting an au pair is what makes sense right now, but what about in 3 months, or 6 months down the road? I’ve since called those families to tell them about our “Peace of Mind Guarantee” and it’s exactly what they want to hear. They just want to know that if their situation changes, they’ll be protected.”

 

Local families interested in learning more about the au pair program can contact Lori Brust at 516-797-8373 or 516-429-0189 or visit http://lbrust.aupairnews.com for additional information on the Cultural Care Au Pair program.

  

under: News

Au Pair Stipend and Minimum Wage

Posted by: lbrust | February 4, 2009 | No Comment |

The calculation used to determine the au pair stipend amount is a combination of the federal minimum wage as well as a room and board allowance. The exact calculation used to determine the weekly stipend is as follows:

Minimum wage amount x 45 hours - 40% (room and board allowance) = au pair stipend amount

On May 24th, 2007, Congress approved the first increase in the federal minimum wage in nearly a decade. President Bush signed this bill on May 25th and this has a direct impact on the au pair weekly stipend 60 calendar days post-presidential approval.

As the changes to minimum wage impact the au pair stipend incrementally, what follows is an overview of these changes and how they impact the stipend over the next two years:

1. 60 Days = Tuesday, July 24th, 2007

  • Increase from $139.05 to $157.95/week

2. 12 Months = Thursday, July 24th, 2008

  • Increase from $157.95 to $176.85/week

3. 24 months = Friday, July 24th, 2009

  • Increase from $176.85 to $195.75/week

All Cultural Care Au Pair literature and agreements stipulate that host families comply with all regulations, therefore, adherence to these changes is required of all program participants.

under: Au Pair Information

LCC Information

Posted by: lbrust | July 20, 2007 | No Comment |

All of the information you need to know about Lori, your LCC

Lori Brust
301 First Avenue
Massapequa Park, NY 11762
516-797-8373
lcclori@aol.com
under: Uncategorized

Important Information

Posted by: lbrust | March 7, 2007 | No Comment |

Some Important Information To Know

  • Our Regional Manager is Jill Janson and she can be reached at 1-800-333-6056 ext. 5587.  Her email is Jill.Janson@culturalcare.com
  • If you have an emergency after hours and you are unable to reach me you can call the Cultural Care emergency number 24 hours a day at 1-800-333-6056 if it is after hours please give the person picking up the call all the information and someone will get back to you shortly.
  • Au pairs may not provide more than 45 hours per week and no more than 10 hours per day of childcare under any circumstances including situations in which au pairs are left home alone overnight with the children.
  • Au pair responsibilities must relate solely to the care of the children and may not include heavy household chores
  • Au pairs may not work outside their host family’s home under any circumstances including babysitting for neighbors.
  • Au pairs may not provide additional childcare (in excess of the 45 hours per week) for additional compensation to their own host families.
  • Au pairs may not be left alone with infants under 3 months of age under any circumstances. If an au pair is asked to care for an infant under 3 months, a parent or responsible adult must be present in the home at all times.
  • Au Pairs get 2 weeks paid vacation (14 days total, including weekends)
  • You are required to attend monthly meetings and your host family needs to give you the time to attend.
  • Driving the car is a privilege and should not be abused and all rules set up for use of the car by your host family should be followed or this privilege can be taken away.
    • under: Program Info

    Extension Au Pair Travel Information

    Posted by: lbrust | January 19, 2007 | No Comment |

    IMPORTANT VISA AND TRAVEL INFORMATION
    FOR AU PAIRS PARTICIPATING IN
    THE SECOND YEAR EXTENSION PROGRAM

     Extension au pairs may travel to their home country during the second year.Embassy posts around the world have been informed about the second year extension program for au pair participants:

    Extension au pairs must have all necessary documentation and paperwork to renew J-1 visas.
    In order to renew the J-1 visa, an extension au pair must bring the proper documentation with her/him to the U.S. embassy in her/his home country.
    An extension au pair wishing to travel to her/his home country and to return to the United States must have her/his J-1 visa renewed while at home before attempting to resume participation in the program in the United States. An au pair who does not renew her/his J-1 visa risks not being allowed to reenter the United States to continue on the program.Au pairs and host families should be aware that it can sometimes take six to eight weeks to obtain an appointment to renew a J-1 visa at U.S. embassies around the world. Au pairs must schedule appointments for J-1 visa renewals well in advance of their travel dates as waiting times for appointments vary greatly depending on time of year and demanded at specific U.S. embassy posts. Cultural Care recommends contacting the U.S. embassy no later than six to eight weeks before traveling home. Contact information for U.S. Embassies abroad can be found at http://usecnbassy.state_gov/.Cultural Care Au Pair is not able to book appointments at the U.S. embassy on the au pair’s behalf and has no ability to affect scheduling appointments at the U.S. embassy in any way.Cultural Care Au Pair cannot guarantee the renewal of a j-1 visa. Although an au pair has been approved by the U.S. Department of State to participate in the extension program, the decision to renew the visa is at the discretion of the consular officer who interviews the au pair.An extension au pair wishing to renew the J-1 visa must bring her/his passport and the original copy of the DS-2019 form renewed by Cultural Care Au Pair at the time of enrollment in the second year extension program. The DS-2019 form will reflect the dates of the au pair’s second year. Cultural Care Au Pair will also provide the au pair with a letter of good standing and a copy of the U.S. Department of State cable regarding the second year extension program.In addition, au pairs will need to complete and bring forms DS 156 and DS 158. Male au pairs have to complete a third form as well; form DS 157. Form DS 156 can be filled out online and then printed. It is available at http://evisaforms http://state.gov/ . There is a non-refundable fee of USD246 to apply for the second J-1 visa. The fee is paid directly to the embassy and the au pair is responsible for covering this cost.  It is the au pair’s responsibility to inquire with the U.S Embassy in their home country to see if other forms are needed. It may be necessary for the au pair to bring a copy of her/his host family application, school diplomas or bank statements.Cultural Care will not be responsible for any costs incurred by a visa denial or visa delay, and host families could be subject to breaks in childcare due to the renewal process. extension au pairs and host families travel to countries other than an extension au pair’s home country is limited unless the extension au pair completes the J-1 visa renewal process in her/his home country first. If an au pair fails to complete the J-1 visa renewal process before traveling internationally to a country other than her/his home country, she/he will most likely be denied reentry to the United States. An exception for this requirement exists for Canada, Mexico and adjacent islands. Please see the section below on travel to those countries.Au pairs traveling to their home countries at the end may experience difficulty in returning to the United States. The airlines carefully review visas and visa expiration dates for U.S. bound passengers, and airline officials will not take any risks as they may be penalized with substantial fines if they allow someone to fly to the U.S. who does not have a proper visa. Consequently, even if the visa dates in the au pairs’ passport are still valid, airlines are likely to deny boarding to anyone whose visa is close to expiring. To address this, Cultural Care Au Pair advises all extension au pairs returning home within 30 days of the end of their first year to complete the J-1 visa renewal process before attempting to return to the au pair program in the United States.of their first year You must have an unexpired 1-94 card indicating your J-l status in your passport when you enter the U.S. Do not surrender the 1-94 card when you leave the U.S. If you do, you will not be eligible for visa revalidation.You must have your DS-2019 form with your extension program dates.You must have a passport valid at least six months into the future on the day you return to the U.S.You should contact the Cultural Care Operations Department for a copy of the visa revalidation regulation.You can travel only to one of the destinations named above and for fewer than thirty days. For example, you cannot use automatic revalidation to enter Canada, depart to another country, return to Canada, and then return to the U.S. within 30 days.You cannot apply to renew your J-1 visa while in Canada, Mexico, or the Caribbean. If you apply for the J-1 visa during your visit to one of these destinations, you must wait for it to be issued before you return. If your visa application is denied by the American consulate, you are not allowed to use automatic revalidation to return to the U.S. You will be required to travel to your country of citizenship to apply for a new visa.You must have a J-I visa (expired or valid) in your passport. If you lost your passport during your first year and had it replaced, you will not have the J-1 visa in that new passport and therefore cannot take advantage of travel to Canada, Mexico or the Caribbean.If you are a citizen of Syria, Iran, Iraq, Sudan, North Korea, Cuba, or Libya you are not eligible for visa revalidation. If you are a national of one of the above countries, you must always have a valid visa in your passport to enter the United States.You may be required to have a visa from either Canada or Mexico to enter those countries. The visa you have for the United States does not automatically grant entry into these countries. We recommend that you check with the Canadian or Mexican consulate in the U.S. before travel: The decision to allow an au pair back into the U.S. is at the discretion of the immigration officer at the port of entry. Cultural Care cannot guarantee reentry into the United States and will not be responsible for any costs incurred due to reentry problems. Forms DS 157 and DS 158 are available to be downloaded and printed at http:/iwww.visapro.aim/Department-State-Forms.asp.

     

     

     

    under: Au Pair Information

    Categories