Extremely Disappointing and Unprofessional

I was sent by this agency to complete a 3-day trial with a family they supposedly “vetted.” From the interview it was already clear the job description didn’t match the actual expectations, but I still completed the trial (7am–4pm for 3 days). Afterward I was offered the position, which I respectfully declined because it clearly wasn’t the right fit.

During the trial the previous au pair told me she had payment issues with this same family and that the agency didn’t help her resolve them. Unfortunately, I ended up in the exact same situation.

Throughout the entire process you are told not to discuss money with the family — the agency handles it. Amy from the agency confirmed what I would be paid for the trial and that the trial period would be paid.

When I eventually got paid the following Tuesday, it was not the full amount. I am still owed R443 for the hours I worked. It may not seem like a lot to them, but I worked those hours and it’s about principle.

As soon as I raised the issue, the story suddenly changed and I was told to handle the money conversation with the mom myself — even though the agency explicitly tells au pairs not to talk about money with families.

Ronel Maartens then refused to pay me, saying it was Amy’s fault for not clarifying the rate with the family. Apparently the mom paid me the previous au pair’s hourly rate instead of the rate listed in my job spec. That miscommunication happened within the agency, yet I’m the one left unpaid.

It has now been 4 weeks, and nothing has been resolved. I’ve had to constantly follow up and mostly received generic, copy-paste responses. The agency was quick to secure their placement fee, but the moment there’s a problem they suddenly become an “introduction agency only” and wash their hands of it.

What’s even worse is that they continued advertising the same family for new au pairs, despite knowing there were issues.

I joined an agency to avoid situations exactly like this and to have some level of support and protection. Instead, I was left chasing my own money for work I already did.

From my experience, this agency seems far more interested in collecting placement fees than actually supporting the au pairs they represent. If you’re an au pair looking for an agency that will actually stand behind you when something goes wrong, this is not the one.