Families face childcare crisis after au pair wins €10k in ‘employee’ test case

Thousands of families are facing a childcare crisis after being warned they must formally register with Revenue as employers and pay full wages if they take an au pair into their home.

The warning comes after a landmark legal case involving a Spanish au pair whose host family were ordered to pay her almost €10,000 in back pay and compensation after a five-month stint in their home.

Under the ruling by the Workplace Relations Commission, an au pair has been established beyond doubt to be an employee like any other and therefore entitled to the minimum wage, holidays, rest periods, and other employment protections.