{"id":2152410,"date":"2024-01-18T07:55:01","date_gmt":"2024-01-18T12:55:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/by-doubling-or-tripling-cost-of-au-pairs-biden-administration-threatens-to-push-moms-out-of-the-workforce\/"},"modified":"2024-01-18T08:04:08","modified_gmt":"2024-01-18T13:04:08","slug":"by-doubling-or-tripling-cost-of-au-pairs-biden-administration-threatens-to-push-moms-out-of-the-workforce","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/by-doubling-or-tripling-cost-of-au-pairs-biden-administration-threatens-to-push-moms-out-of-the-workforce\/","title":{"rendered":"Biden Administration&#8217;s Au Pair Cost Hike May Force Moms Out of Work"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">24<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fby-doubling-or-tripling-cost-of-au-pairs-biden-administration-threatens-to-push-moms-out-of-the-workforce%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2152410&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><div class=\"article-content\">\n<blockquote>\n<p>After becoming a mom, I left a traditional 9-to-5 for a job that allowed me to work from \u200bhome. \u2062I didn\u2019t want to leave my children for an office all day \u2014 or have my children leave me. For our family, that meant\u200d daycare was off the \u200dtable. \u200bI tried hiring local nannies, but they were expensive and lacked the \u2064flexibility I needed. So in 2022, I tried something new: \u200cI enrolled \u2062in the Au Pair Program, \u2062run by\u200c the State Department,\u200c and welcomed into our\u2063 home a lovely young woman from Brazil. With a \u2062baby, a 2-year-old, and a 4-year-old in tow, it\u2062 was the unique and affordable childcare solution I desperately needed.<\/p>\n<p>But \u200bnow, the\u2064 Biden administration is threatening \u2063to \u2062take that option \u200baway \u2063with new\u200c <a href=\"https:\/\/www.govinfo.gov\/content\/pkg\/FR-2023-10-30\/xml\/FR-2023-10-30.xml\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">proposed regulations<\/a> that would make\u2063 the program unworkable for thousands \u200bof families like mine who depend on it.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>And depend on it we\u200c do.<\/p>\n<h2>Day in the Life<\/h2>\n<p>At 5:30 a.m., I wake to my husband leaving for work. From\u2063 our house in Northern Virginia to Washington, D.C., he has an hour \u2064commute. Though \u2062my 4- and 2-year-olds\u200c will be \u2064up soon, I stay in bed for a few more minutes \u2014 \u200bthe baby,\u200c after\u2064 all, didn\u2019t sleep.<\/p>\n<p>By 7 a.m., toddlers are dragging me downstairs. I\u2019m outnumbered three-to-one,\u200b and it\u2019s breakfast time. Relief doesn\u2019t\u2062 come\u2063 until \u200c8:30 a.m., when my au pair begins work. At\u2063 8:45 a.m., she drives my oldest to preschool.<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019m \u2062fortunate to work from home but can\u2019t start until 9:40\u2064 a.m., when my au pair returns. She takes the younger\u200b two while I play catch-up \u2063on the 40\u2064 minutes I missed.<\/p>\n<p>At 12:45\u200c p.m. I leave to \u2063pick up my daughter from school \u2014\u2062 as a mom, I\u200b feel that\u2019s a small but important thing to do.<\/p>\n<p>Around 1:30 p.m., I\u2019m back and need to feed the baby. I answer emails while I nurse. Until my au pair is \u2063off at 5:30 p.m., I\u2019m working to the sound of tiny footsteps outside\u200b my\u200c office \u2014 and \u2062probably the occasional scream. From there, I\u2019m <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/harry-styles-stops-nyc-show-to-ask-who-is-throwing-chicken-nuggets\/\" title=\"Harry Styles Stops NYC Show To Ask Who Is Throwing Chicken Nuggets\">throwing chicken nuggets<\/a> in the air fryer while crossing my \u200cfingers that my husband makes it home to help with \u2062bedtime.<\/p>\n<h2>If It Ain\u2019t Broke, Don\u2019t Fix\u200d It<\/h2>\n<p>Under the au pair\u2063 program\u2019s \u200ccurrent structure, families pay an upfront program fee costing around $10,000,\u200d which covers things like their\u2063 au pair\u2019s health care. Families also pay\u2064 for their au pair\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/florida-residents-angry-state-cut-off-unemployment-sue-ron-desantis-to-keep-federal-checks-coming\/\" title=\"Florida Residents, Angry State Cut Off Unemployment, Sue Ron DeSantis To Keep Federal Checks Coming\">basic living expenses<\/a>, which include accommodation, meals, education assistance, transportation, and a roughly $200 weekly stipend meant for discretionary expenses.<\/p>\n<p>The new proposed model would double or even triple their weekly stipend \u2064based on a confusing \u200cmodel\u200c that would \u2064pay au pairs \u2064according to the highest applicable minimum wage between the federal, state, and \u200dlocal rates.<\/p>\n<p>While increasing\u200c their\u2064 weekly pay, the proposal would reduce an au pair\u2019s maximum workable hours\u2063 from 45 to 40 each \u2062week and limit\u2064 families\u2019 ability to make last-minute\u2064 changes to their \u200dschedule. (Early doctor\u2019s appointment? Work travel? Good luck.)<\/p>\n<p>The administration <a href=\"https:\/\/www.govinfo.gov\/content\/pkg\/FR-2023-10-30\/xml\/FR-2023-10-30.xml\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">admits<\/a> that should it proceed under these changes, \u201csome host families may not be able to afford an au pair and may \u200bbe priced out.\u201d Already, this happened in Massachusetts, which \u2062saw a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.goaupair.com\/department-state-regulations\/au-pair-program-preservation\/#increasedcost\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">68 percent<\/a> drop in au pair \u200bplacements after implementing a similar price hike.<\/p>\n<p>Au pairs are not traditional workers operating under a traditional employee-employer\u2063 model. They are voluntary participants in a cultural\u2064 exchange that, up until now, was a\u2064 win-win for au\u2063 pairs, families, and American diplomacy.<\/p>\n<p>When childcare becomes unaffordable, it\u2019s working moms who \u2062are statistically more\u200d likely to drop out of the workforce. \u200bThe Biden administration <a href=\"https:\/\/www.whitehouse.gov\/briefing-room\/presidential-actions\/2023\/04\/18\/executive-order-on-increasing-access-to-high-quality-care-and-supporting-caregivers\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">claims<\/a> to support working families, but this proposal would do the opposite.<\/p>\n<p>Even with an amazing au \u200dpair, I\u2019m only hanging on by a thread.\u200b It\u2019s 10 p.m., and I\u2019m in bed working again. Threatening to gut the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/analysis-america-grapples-with-plummeting-fertility-rates\/\" title=\"America faces a challenge with declining fertility rates.\">au pair program<\/a> feels like a gut punch for me because I know it\u2019s my final lifeline. In a few hours, I\u2019ll be up feeding \u2064the \u2063baby again.<\/p>\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\">\n<\/div>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> In what ways would the requirement for a private bedroom and separate bathroom for the au pair negatively impact \u200dfamilies living in smaller homes or apartments?<\/h2>\n<p><span>  Ipend, effectively making the\u2062 program unaffordable for many families. Additionally, the proposed regulations would require families to provide a private bedroom and separate bathroom\u2064 for the au pair, which is not feasible for families\u2063 living in smaller homes or apartments.<\/p>\n<p>This is not just a matter of convenience for families\u2063 like mine; it is a matter\u2062 of necessity. The au pair program provides a unique and\u2063 affordable\u2062 childcare solution that allows parents to\u200c work while \u2064also ensuring their children are well-cared for \u2062in the comfort of their own homes. It allows us to strike a balance between our professional and personal \u2064lives, something that is increasingly difficult to \u2062do in today\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/shen-yun-artists-inspire-taiwanese-agriculture-executive-to-consider-his-mission\/\" title=\"Shen Yun Artists Inspire Taiwanese Agriculture Executive to Consider His Mission\">fast-paced society<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The program also offers \u2063cultural exchange opportunities, allowing families to learn about \u2064different cultures and languages firsthand. My children have developed \u200ca deep appreciation for\u200b Brazilian culture and have formed \u200ca \u2063bond with\u2062 our au pair that extends beyond being just a caregiver. It has broadened their horizons and enriched their lives in ways that \u200ctraditional daycare\u200d or nannies\u2062 simply cannot.<\/p>\n<p>But perhaps \u2062most importantly, the au pair program \u200ballows us as parents to be present\u200c in our children\u2019s \u2064lives, \u2062to be there for the\u2063 milestones and the \u200cordinary moments. It allows \u2064us \u2062to provide the \u2062love, care, and guidance that only\u200d a parent\u2062 can give. And in today\u2019s world, where time seems to be slipping away faster than ever, that is priceless.<\/p>\n<h2>Conclusion<\/h2>\n<p>The new proposed regulations by the Biden administration \u200bthreaten to upend \u2063the lives of thousands of families who rely on the au pair program for affordable and\u2062 flexible childcare. These\u200b regulations would make the \u200bprogram unworkable for many families who\u200b are already struggling to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/under-trump-americans-have-seen-their-best-wage-growth-in-40-years\/\" title=\"Under Trump, Americans Have Seen Their Best Wage Growth In 40 Years\">make ends meet<\/a> and find a\u200b work-life\u200b balance.<\/p>\n<p>As a\u200c parent who depends on\u2064 the \u200dau pair program, I urge\u200c the administration\u2063 to reconsider these proposed regulations. \u2064Instead, let us\u2064 work together to find solutions that ensure the program remains accessible and affordable for\u2062 families \u2062like mine, who rely on it to provide \u200ba loving\u200d and nurturing environment for our \u2063children while allowing us to pursue our careers \u200dand be present in our children\u2019s lives.<\/p>\n<p>The au pair \u2064program is not just a service; it is a lifeline for families. Let us not take that lifeline away.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>After becoming a mom, I switched from a 9-to-5 office job to a work-from-home position. I didn&#8217;t want to be away from my kids all day or have them separated from me. Daycare wasn&#8217;t an option for us, so I attempted to hire local nannies, but they didn&#8217;t work out<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1233,"featured_media":2152411,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[546],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2152410","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-federalist"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2152410","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1233"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2152410"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2152410\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2152411"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2152410"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2152410"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2152410"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}