First, my apologies if this has been discussed on many occasions.
Just cant find the answer I want.

I am an au pair in Zurich since Sep 2008.
I break some glasses, (i mean like coffee cup), and they ask me to pay.
For me, is okay to pay 40 CHf for 1 coffee cup, even pretty expensive for an au pair who only earn 700chf per month.
anyways, the problem is now they ask me to pay 2800CHF for the sink in the bathroom.
I cleaned it with a sponge and somehow the sink is scratched.
My host said the sink is not shining anymore.
So they are going to deduct my salary from 700 to 300 per month til july.

I cant stand it anymore, because is really not fair for me.
But unfortunately, I really like Zurich and i got a lovely bf here.

So what can I do now is get marry with my swiss bf if I really want to stay here right?

I am from Hong Kong, can I stay here after I quit my Au pair as a tourist without flying back all the way to Hong Kong??

Thanks a lot!!!

Your host family sound dreadful. everyone breaks a cup now and then that's life. On your salary I think paying for a 40 franc cup is ridiculous! And their sink must be gold plated! I reckon it is their fault for not training you in on their level of cleaning skills and expectations. I hope someone who may know more about your legal rights can help you on the issue of paying for the damage or not, or point you towards an organisation that deal with this. Maybe check out au pair agencies.
Marrying your boyfriend is something you really should discuss with him.

It might help to ask your host family for a receipt which details exactly that they have taken money from your wages for.

If they don't want to do this then I would seriously consider finding another position.

Sounds to me like they are taking advantage of you.

Best of luck.

That's horrible and unacceptable behaviour towards you - poor thing!
As mabern says, go to an agency and find another job.

Good luck!!

Your employer is behaving illegally. Employers can only penalize employees for malicious or gross negligence. Protest these deductions and report it to the authorities.

Hi,

Actually I have pretty much experience in being au pair.

Probably you don't have any agreement wth them so it places you on worse position.

You need to find a new family as soon as it is possible. Go to Migros/Coop announces, search in web. If you are lucky - you an find sth within a week. You don't have to tell it to them - because you never know about their reaction.
You told about a cup, then a sink and who knows what the next thing will be...

You have absolutely right to quit. Life is to short and too beautiful to waiste your time anyway

ps. Mind your salary. The fact you are foreigner doesn't mean that you have to work for the lowest wage...

Good luck,

k

You have written that you are from Hong Kong. So you are from a non EU country and it was a must for you and your family to involve a registered employment company to receive a contract and a visa for you.

Do you know the name of the employment company? This company has the obligation to control your contract and that all is going legal with you in Switzerland. So if you know the company call them and tell them what’s happened to you.

On the other hand. Your host family had to made insurances for this kind of mistake which was happen to you. So I do not see that you have to pay for. Every community has a department for legal advice for free. Maybe someone here can tell you where it is in the in your region as well as when it is open. They will check your contract and help you though the legal steps to get your money.

Next about staying in Switzerland. Without finding a new family going again though the steps with an employment company to receive a contract including a visa for you, you will not be able to stay in Switzerland longer. As you are from a non EU country and you are looking for a job to receive a visa will be nearly impossible

So good luck...

Switzerland is the most over insured country in the world! Surely they have some cover for breakages?

I also thought that au pairs had some minimum payments of 800,- CHF a month, as well as the family having to give them accommodation, pay for German lessons (as that is why you are here), etc.

It does sound like you are being taken advantage of. I'm assuming that you are here a little on the unofficial side? May be worth calling the families bluff and saying that you are going to talk to the local authorities about the situation and see what they say?

We all break things and accidents happen. What insurance have you, ie third party liability insurance. If you have insurance get the family to claim against your insurance company. They will then send an expert to look at the damage. If the family haven`t sorted out insurance for you then they are lousy and possibly breaking the law. We took out a special comprehensive insurance to cover all eventualities with our au pair, ie deportation, pregnancy etc, which we bought from Germany at a reasonible price and it was accepted by the Swiss authorties.
Have you received yout L permit yet? I take it that they are employing you legally.

A sink is normally covered under the house insurance. Using the regular cleaning solutions it is extremely difficult to scratch a sink, unless you have used steel wool. Normal cleaning is done with a sponge. Tell them to claim the replacement against their insurance and try to leave asap

I'm pessimistic; it must be my troll-dar.

Try to get another family to be au pair... Sounds very bad family
I think it is very unfair that you have to pay for accidents.
Do you only want to stay in Zurich or can you consider some other citys?

Thanks for replying.
Really think my host family taking advantage of me.
Dont want to work from 8 to 4, only get 300chf per month.
Even Hong Kong employer wont do this.

I have a contact with the host family,
is written that i can get pay 700chf per month.
but I worked for 6 months, only get pay once with 700CHF.
Other months they just paid me 300CHF
becox before my salary is deducted by my german course and insurance.
They pay me half of the german course and insurance,
but still i have to pay the half.

and i got my permit L since October 08.
My permit is til sep 09.
i am wondering should i change the family and work til sep.
then i go back to hongkong and apply for the fiance visa.

but hope they will let me go without pay 2800chf for the sink.
Really is not broken, just scratched. really not fair for me to pay the whole thing.

i really want to stay in Zurich because my bf work here.
and I think Zurich is a really nice city..

by the way, they already deduct my 2 weeks of holliday because they said I didnt clean the house well. Do u gals think I can somehow get it back or what?

I think they are completely and totally taking advantage of you and from what you say, their behaviour is bordering on illegal. Get some legal advice, or get out as fast as you can.

What they are doing is robbery. They surely can't do this. You need help. As you have a permit and everything is above board you should have no fear and fight for your rights.

Hello

I feel so sorry for you.

1. Find another family

2. To get married might be an option, worthwhile to be seriously considered

Your employer acts illegally and it can, must be reported. But make sure about your permit. Maybe your boyfriend should start inquiries.

Here I found a source for you to go and get help.

Hauswirtschaft Zürich, Florastr. 48, 8008 Zürich, Tel. 044 383 53 22

This is the union for Au-Pairs in Zürich and mentioned on the internet site of the department of work in Zürich for help in cases like you describe.

You can be sure that this union will take all necessary legal actions against your host family if there is something against your rights in Switzerland. And I think there is.

mr1vds

Has your "Host family" employer registered you with the AHV (social security)? If not they are employing you illegally and should be reported.

That is disgusting! absolutely outrageous!
someone please help this poor lady!

All I can think of is taking that sink and breaking it on the host family's head!

GRRRR!