New initiative to reward au pairs for not getting pregnant

The union FOA criticised the bonus initiative as a solution to the problem

To avoid forcing pregnant au pairs to leave Denmark, the au pair bureau Aupair Agency Denmark has launched a new initiative that will reward Filipino au pairs for not getting pregnant within the two-year period they stay in the country.

The new initiative, which will come into effect on 1 January 2015, will reward Filipino au pairs who come to Denmark to work with 10,000 kroner.

“Filipino au pairs will do anything to stay in the country, so we think that it will become a gigantic problem,” Line Bale, the head of Aupair Agency Denmark, told Avisen.dk.

“Therefore, we’ve come up with a bonus that will be attractive for those who are only interested in money.”

In future, Filipino au pairs must pay 3,500 kroner to come to Denmark for work, and if they manage to avoid becoming pregnant within a two-year period, they will be refunded the 3,500 kroner and receive a 6,500 kroner bonus on top.

READ MORE: Pregnant au pairs kicked out of Denmark

Morally wrong
The union FOA said that the bonus initiative was a really poor way to deal with the problem.

“Clearly, it will be illegal and sexually discriminatory, so they can count on a trip through the equality tribunal the moment the initiative comes into effect,” Dennis Kristensen, a FOA spokesperson, told Avisen.dk.

Kristensen went on to argue that it was morally wrong for the au pair bureaus to impose financial punishments against pregnant au pair workers.

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