Au Pairs and nannies often find themselves in situations where they are unaware of their fundamental rights concerning working hours and days off when joining a host family. Ideally, all employment terms, including these crucial topics, should be discussed in advance and agreed before. However, both parties sometimes neglect or avoid these essential discussions.

As our standard Au Pair agreements, an Au Pair’s working hours generally must not exceed a maximum of 60 hours per week (You can find more information here about your working hours). This limit encompasses all time spent on child-related duties and household chores. Crucially, the Au Pair is entitled to one full, completely free day off per week.

On this free day, the Au Pair is granted full autonomy to pursue personal activities, such as exploring local areas, for example, visiting Istanbul as she wants, and is not required to be present at the host family’s residence. However, depending on the family's guidelines, the Au Pair is expected to return home at a reasonable hour, ensuring they are well-rested and prepared for their working responsibilities the following day. Furthermore, maintaining respectful and professional conduct upon returning home is very important.

The Au Pair must strictly obey to the host family’s rules and respect the sanctity and security of their home. This includes avoiding returning to the residence:

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