Chain of (Mis)information: Au Pairs’ Experiences with their Inclusion on the Domestic Workers Bill of Rights

• In Event: 50220 - Section on Organizations, Occupations, and Work Roundtables
  In Refereed Roundtable (60 minute): Table 11: Improving Work and Organizations

Abstract

Scholars have critically analyzed the State Department’s classification of au pairs as “cultural exchange” participants and family members, arguing that this designation obscures their labor responsibilities as childcare providers, depriving them of essential labor protections. In December 2019, Massachusetts became the first state to recognize au pairs as domestic workers under their Domestic Workers Bill of Rights (DWBR), addressing au pairs’ misclassification and extending labor protections. By drawing on interviews with au pairs living in Massachusetts during and after the law implementation, this study investigates the dissemination and implementation of the DWBR. It underscores a systemic chain of (mis)information that shapes au pairs’ experiences. I argue that the cultural exchange and family narratives embedded in the US au pair program’s regulations are critical in generating and perpetuating informational gaps, ultimately obstructing au pairs’ knowledge and understanding of newly established labor rights. Findings reveal that recruitment agencies, US agency personnel, and host families often (mis)inform au pairs, particularly during and after legislative changes, as they reinforce narratives of cultural exchange and familial belonging. The nature of au pair-host family relationships – familial or professional - influences how host families interpret, communicate, and apply the law. Au pairs identify their relationship as primarily familial and report employers’ misinterpretation of the law, increasing their work precarity.

Author

• Grazielle Valentim, University of Massachusetts-Amherst