Complaints

This profile includes complaints for Cultural Care, Inc.'s headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see Find Local Branches.

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  Cultural Care, Inc.

  1 Education St E Cambridge, MA 02141-1805

  
• 

  Cultural Care, Inc.

  8 Education St E Cambridge, MA 02141-1968

  

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:05/25/2024

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Cultural Care advertises aupairs that are interested in child care and cultural exchange. We paid $10,0000 and did not receive that. It was clear after a couple months that the aupair was not interested in childcare or cultural exchange, but only traveling in the **. We were told to continue to push our aupair to connect, after 9 months, with e pulled the plug and now have a credit with cultural care.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 06/03/2024

  We regret that the family experienced any disappointment with the program.  They have exceeded the amount of time on the program to be eligible for a refund as the au pair was with them for nearly an entire term.  If there is additional feedback the family would like to provide regarding their experience and what improvements we could make as an organization, we would welcome their perspective.  We would also welcome them back to the program in the future should they decide they would like to try the program again and utilize the credit that remains on their account.   

• Initial Complaint

  Date:03/12/2024

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I used cultural care to hire an au pair. I needed childcare immediately, so I looked at rematch au pairs. I interviewed an au pair, ****, who was in the ****, and seemed to meet our criteria. When I interviewed her, I was told by the company that the prior host family did not want to be contacted. I also felt pressure to do the match as I was told that **** would need to move out of the house in 2 days. I proceeded with the match and paid $3400. , TI ended the match she moved out within 2 days. I asked for a refund and was initially told no. I was then offered $2500 but only after I signed another legal agreement. I feel I am being bullied. I feel After I paid the $3,500 and was put in contact with the host family, it became clear why it was in Cultural Cares interest to share the contact information only after receipt of payment. The host family, who had been happy to share information all along, said that the au pair was not trustworthy. When the au pair arrived, it was immediately evident that she was unfit for the job. She was not trustworthy and was unsafe. Had I known before paying $3,500 that the person I would be meeting was untrustworthy, I certainly wouldnt have paid that. When I spoke to the company about the host familys feedback, which I cant imagine was a surprise to Cultural Care at that point, I was told my only recourse was to give her a try. I accepted that recommendation, given the desperate situation my family was in, but I should not have.To be clear, this is not a case about a poor fit. The problem is that CC withheld information that would have enabled me to make an informed decision.I would be willing to pay a prorated amount to reflect the 2 days I had her, but should be refunded the remainder. I am concerned about the business practices of lack of transparency, withholding of information, and bullying that I experienced with Cultural Care.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 03/21/2024

  The choice to select an au pair and to host an au pair is never forced or required by our organization, it is a decision made by an individual host family.  It is also up to an individual au pair to determine if they wish to remain in a placement; neither party is forced to remain in a situation where they do not feel comfortable.  We recognize that the family did not feel that this au pair was ************* for them and the au pair also raised program violation concerns as well regarding her schedule which the family has denied.  We have continued to communicate with the family to review the terms of the agreement they signed when they rejoined the program.  Despite the fact that they are ineligible for a refund given the terms of that agreement, we have made a significant exception and have offered them a specialized refund of their unused program fees.  This was communicated to the family and, at the time, they seemingly accepted the offer.  When they asked about how the amount was calculated this information was provided to them.  We have acted in good faith to bring this matter to a close and were hopeful that the specialized refund we offered would aid in this.  We are unable to increase the refund amount.  We remain available should they have questions and remain prepared to release the refund upon receipt of the signed document provided to the family.  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 03/27/2024

  Better Business Bureau:I have reviewed the response submitted by the business and have determined that the response does not satisfy or resolve my issues and/or concerns in reference to complaint # ********. Please add your rejection comments below; if you do not provide any details, your complaint will be closed as Answered. 

  During this transaction, the au pair company, Cultural Care, was actively hiding pertinent information (the contact information of the previous host family) that would have allowed me to make an informed decision about this au pair. They acted in a manner that was deceitful and not transparent, and this resulted in me paying for an au pair who was known to not be trustworthy. Even the Cultural Care counselors in ******  immediately recognized that the au pair was not suitable to work with children. This was not a matter of suitability or mis-match of host family and au pair; this was a matter of the company acting in a non-transparent manner. The au pair never actually worked for me as she wasn't trustworthy enough to be alone with my children, and she only lived in my house for 2 days. The Cultural Care counseler in ****** also attested to the fact that the au pair could not be trusted to be alone with kids. Had I known this (which I would have if I had been allowed to talk to the prior host family), I would not not have agreed to match with her and would not have paid for this au pair. I paid $3395. The breakdown of this amount includes a processing fee of $450, and payment plan enrollment fee of $200. I never actually was in the program long enough to be in the payment plan, and the processing fee should be refunded due to the lack of transparency of the company. The cost of the au pair for 1 week is $178, so I feel that that is the maximum amount that I should have to pay, even though she was only with me for 2 days. 

  I also cannot understand why this refund cannot be made without signing additional legal paperwork. That is bullying. A refund should be provided based on the fact that I did not use the services of the company and there was a lack of transparency and active withholding of key information that prevented me from making an informed decision.  I think that a refund amount of $3225 would be fair, and would reflect the cost of her being in my house for those 2 days. This should be refunded to me without additional "strings" attached. 

   

  
  FAQ
  
  Regards,

  Shanti

   

   

  

  Business Response

  Date: 04/01/2024

  It is regrettable that the family remains disappointed with their experience.  We do not agree with how they have characterized the actions and intentions of our organization. We are unable to provide a greater refund than what has been offered.  The specialized refund agreement that was sent to them is provided because there is no provision within the agreement they originally signed which allows for the refund we are offering them.  If they wish to continue to review the document or have it reviewed by their attorney, they are free to do so and when and if they would like to proceed and submit the signed document, we will move forward in processing their specialized refund.    

  Customer Answer

  Date: 04/11/2024

  Better Business Bureau:I have reviewed the response submitted by the business and have determined that the response does not satisfy or resolve my issues and/or concerns in reference to complaint # ********. Please add your rejection comments below; if you do not provide any details, your complaint will be closed as Answered. 

  I should not have to pay a fee for a payment plan when I never used the payment plan, and should not be charged the processing fee. I am willing to pay the prorated amount for the au pair's 2 days that she was with me. This company acted in a manner that was not deceitful and not transparent, and they withheld information from me which is unfair business practice and therefor the processing fee should be refunded. I should not have to incur costs due to this. I ask to be refunded for the amount indicated in my last message which is $3217. I also should not be required to sign any further legal paperwork.
  
  Businesses and Customers should be civil, courteous and polite in their responses to complaints. It is important to remain professional and productive when participating in the BBB complaint process.
  
  FAQ
  
  Regards,

  Shanti

   

   

• Initial Complaint

  Date:01/18/2024

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  We paid upwards of ****** to cultural care for au pairs. Our third au pair left abruptly without any explanation to ** and no meeting was scheduled prior to her leaving. She was immediately put into rematch and no one from cultural care spoke with us before she became eligible for rematch. We were falsely accused of things by our au pair and were not given the opportunity to defend ourselves. The customer service at this company is horrible and they disregarded the fact that our au pair had mental illness and was unable to care for children. We feel we were lied to and taken advantage of by our au pair and cultural care. We were told we were no longer able to be in the program after being customers for 3 years. Someone needs to look into the practices of this company! They take your money and allow young girls to come into ***************** to drink underage and not work the job they agreed upon. We are asking for a refund because we are out of ************* and out of 10k.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 01/25/2024

  While we regret the negative experience the family describes in their complaint, we are obligated as a program sponsor to be responsive to concerns raised by any program participants regarding their safety, health and well-being. We have reviewed the concerns raised in this placement with respect to both program compliance and overall program suitability and determined that we are unable to move forward with another placement. They are due a contractual refund which is currently being processed. No further refund will be possible. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:01/05/2024

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  We hosted an Au Pair through Cultural Care that assaulted me, my child, neglected my child, an broke state and federal laws, yet got rewarded by the program. They kicked ** out and have failed to uphold their end of the contract. They want us to sign a *** to get a portion of the funds back. They have failed to even provide the *** for us to sign so this has left us no recourse, but to share with everyone about the malpractice they do as they are placing these people with our children in those people's hands. All they care about is their pocketbook and the bottom line. This is disgusting as they allow people who abuse children to keep going in other people's homes and do it again.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 01/12/2024

  We have discussed the details involved in this case directly with the family at length, including a number of concerns regarding the home environment. We continue to await any further information they wish to provide from any filings they wish to make with local authorities regarding any of their allegations.  Additionally, we are in touch with the family directly to detail the next steps in their refund process.  There is an outstanding compliance matter that must be resolved prior to processing. Lastly, the agreement referred to in this complaint is an updated document that was created as they were otherwise ineligible for any refund based on their original agreement. We look forward to bringing this matter to a close as soon as possible and will continue to work with the family accordingly.   

• Initial Complaint

  Date:12/01/2023

  Type:Order Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  My contract term with Cultural Care for au pair services started on 9/11/2023 and was set to end on 4/23/2024 for $5,962.11. Cultural Care also withheld an overpayment of $1,775.84 from a previous term without my consent. On 11/17/2023, Cultural Care abruptly terminated my contract when the au pair made a safety allegation in retaliation for losing her driving privileges after crashing our car into a divider and lying about it. I cooperated and provided the requested evidence, and assured no safety violation had occurred.Despite my cooperation, Cultural Care sent me an email on 11/21/2023 simply stating we feel it is best we part ways without providing a valid reason for terminating my contract. Cultural Care also indicated 40% of my unused contract amount would be forfeit, which is unacceptable. I believe Cultural Care chose to terminate my contract in bad faith based on the words of a disgruntled au pair and the biased opinion of a Licensed Childcare Consultant (LCC), *****************************, a personal friend of the au pair. Cultural Care also failed to include important medical information on the au pairs profile that was clearly known and disclosed to its LCC. As a result, I was unwittingly matched with an au pair that had multiple undisclosed medical conditions that severely impacted her ability to care for young, energetic toddlers. Had I known about the medical conditions, her attempt to solicit paid work in the past, I would not have selected the au pair for our energetic toddlers and most certainly would not have allowed her to drive my children. Ive since escalated with Cultural Care and was told on 11/21/2023 I will hear back regarding a full refund by 11/27/2023. As of today, 12/1/2023, there has been no further communication from Cultural Care.I am requesting an immediate refund of $7,737.95

  

  Business Response

  Date: 12/04/2023

  Cultural Care did inform the host family of why we chose to end their program participation. The safety allegations were made by the au pair prior to the car accident, and therefore were not retaliation for the loss of driving privileges. Cultural Care has already provided the host family with their contractual refund and has responded to them directly to confirm this. We regret that the host family was unhappy with our decision to end their program participation, however we felt this was necessary given the circumstances and hope they are able to find childcare that suits their familys needs.  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 12/04/2023

  Better Business Bureau:I have reviewed the response submitted by the business and have determined that the response does not satisfy or resolve my issues and/or concerns in reference to complaint # ********. Please add your rejection comments below; if you do not provide any details, your complaint will be closed as Answered. 

  [In our recorded call on 11/****************************************** terminated our contract due to the "severity of the allegation" brought forth by the au pair.  I asked her to please provide the reason for termination in writing and her email simply indicated that "We feel it is best we part ways at this time." (see attached)   No valid reasons for contract termination was given in writing or verbally. 

  We understand the au pair has made an allegation of safety concerns due to misunderstanding about the babies' sleep training needs.  We have presented our position and supplied evidence showing au pair's work hours.  We also understand that if a safety violation or program rule violation has occurred, Cultural Care CAN terminate our contract.  We ask that if Cultural Care did in fact terminate our contract due to program violations or safety violations, please explain, in writing, exactly what rules and safety violations were committed to warrant such a termination. To date, we have not received any such communication.  I have attempted to reach Cultural Care multiple times and requested a supervisor return my call, and never received a call back.

  ******* indicated the overpayment of $1,775.84 would be refunded but failed to process this refund.  I did receive a partial refund of $2,300 which is unacceptable. I wholly disagree with the decision to issue only a standard refund as Cultural Care terminated our contract based solely on hearsay from the au pair and an LCC (family friend of the au pair's with relatives from the same country) not assigned to our family.  We have supplied all evidence indicating no program rules or safety violation has occurred.  I'm seeking an immediate refund of the contracted amount, as well as the overpayment withheld without my consent. 

  Lastly, I have repeatedly called, emailed and submitted evidence showing inaccuracies in the au pair's matching profile and transition document, but this too was ignored.  I would appreciate a call back to address the omissions in the au pair's profile and our refund.

  
  Businesses and Customers should be civil, courteous and polite in their responses to complaints. It is important to remain professional and productive when participating in the BBB complaint process.
  
  FAQ
  
  Regards,

  *****

   

   

  

  Business Response

  Date: 12/06/2023

  We regret that ******** is unsatisfied with her refund and our communication thus far. Managment has reached out to ******** to schedule a call and we are waiting for her response. We look forward to connecting with her soon.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 12/08/2023

  Better Business Bureau:I have reviewed the response submitted by the business and have determined that the response does not satisfy or resolve my issues and/or concerns in reference to complaint # ********. Please add your rejection comments below; if you do not provide any details, your complaint will be closed as Answered. 

  [I was able to connect with ***************************, but was still not given any reason for termination.  I've emailed the business requesting a reason for termination on 11/30, but the request went unanswered.  When I asked ******* on our 12/7 call to please provide me a reason for termination of services, she told me Cultural Care can terminate without cause and does not my owe me any explanation, and would be entitled to be keep 40% of my unused funds. To date no reason has been given for why cultural care terminated the contract.  I hope this is because a review is ongoing and not that the business is simply choosing to terminate services without cause and keeping my unused funds in bad faith. I sincerely request that Cultural Care reconsider decision for a full refund as I have submitted new evidence in support of my position.]

  
  Businesses and Customers should be civil, courteous and polite in their responses to complaints. It is important to remain professional and productive when participating in the BBB complaint process.
  
  FAQ
  
  Regards,

  *****

   

   

• Initial Complaint

  Date:11/24/2023

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Cultural Care Au Pair incentivizes their au pairs to rematch to new homes so that they can collect a second "admin" fee, which is a disproporationate amount of the overall fee. Despite the processes laid out on their website, and explained to us by Cultural Care Au Pair representatives, aboslutely no processes were followed when our latest au pair decided it was advantageous for her to find a new position. In addition this business does not vet their au pairs.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 11/28/2023

  ************************ au pair requested to rematch with a new host family as she was not connecting with the children and felt they would not listen to her. Cultural Care does not encourage au pairs to rematch and it is not financially beneficial for us to do so in any way, however we understand that not all placements work out and we do not force au pairs to remain with a family if they are not happy or comfortable. Following the au pair's departure, we provided the ******** family with a refund that matched the terms of their host family agreement. We also offered to leave a credit on their account should they choose to return to the program. We wish the family well and hope they have found childcare that meets their family's needs. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/25/2023

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  The business comitted to providing qualified au pairs who are vetted. They comitted to a fair process if you go into rematch following their own host family agreements. They have not followed their own process or rules.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 10/02/2023

  Our commitment to our role as a program sponsor has not wavered and, we believe, was evident in these circumstances as well.  Repeated concerns were brought to our attention regarding two placements in this host family home.  We addressed those concerns openly and transparently with the host family and have provided a pathway to consider a return to the program.  Our responsibility is to ensure that both host families and au pairs have the greatest opportunity for success on the program and when concerns arise that *** prevent that from being possible we address those and work to find a way to move forward if at all possible.  The family *** not appreciate or agree with this process but we believe that it is in the best interest of all involved that we take the time to properly review and address concerns,particularly repeated concerns that are brought to our attention.  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/02/2023

  Better Business Bureau:I have reviewed the response submitted by the business and have determined that the response does not satisfy or resolve my issues and/or concerns in reference to complaint # ********. Please add your rejection comments below; if you do not provide any details, your complaint will be closed as Answered. 

  The repeated concerns highlighted by the company are not accurate. Even the Au Pairs themselves have personally told us it is not true. In fact, our relationship with one of the previous Au Pairs is so great, she just came to visit us. Once we raised concerns about the 2nd Au Pairs mental health the company immeidately suspended us and began citing issues to us that were never raised in the past. ************. This is such a huge business and not priortizing the mental welfare of the Au Pairs is really scary. It showed when one of them lived in our home and Cultural Care did nothing to help her.
  
  Businesses and Customers should be civil, courteous and polite in their responses to complaints. It is important to remain professional and productive when participating in the BBB complaint process.
  
  FAQ
  
  Regards,

  *******

   

   

  

  Business Response

  Date: 10/06/2023

  We regret that the family remains frustrated with the experience they have had with our organization. We have continued in our discussions with them regarding next steps to bring closure to all parties involved and believe we have reached a mutually agreeable solution.  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/11/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response submitted by the business and have determined that the response does satisfy my issues and/or concerns in reference to complaint #********. I understand that by choosing to accept the business response that my complaint will be closed as resolved.
  
  Regards,
  
  *************************

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/01/2023

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  My husband and I hosted an au pair through Cultural Care from 10/30/2018 to 08/19/2019. We separated on 05/10/2022, and I discovered that my husband had been in a relationship with the former au pair. She moved into our marital home and is expecting a child with my husband due on 11/08/2023. After our separation, my husband retained another au pair through a different agency. However, the former au pair's presence in our home led to the new au pair's removal, prompting my husband and the former au pair to apply to Cultural Care for a new au pair under a different account.I raised this issue with Cultural Care and filed a formal complaint. They acknowledged our prior account with the former au pair as the host family and the new account with my husband and the former au pair as the host mom. The agency confirmed that if I had reported the relationship during her time as our au pair, both my husband and the au pair would have been disqualified from the program. I pursued the matter with Cultural Care on multiple occasions, but they provided no resolution or details.I requested a call from the manager handling the case but never received one. Another au pair has been placed in my husband's home through the agency without any action taken. I've asked Cultural Care for an explanation of their policy and a return call, but my messages remain unanswered.My concern is that my husband and the former au pair did not disclose their relationship on their applications, and the new au pair was unaware of this. Allowing a host father who had a relationship with an au pair to host another au pair with the same agency is concerning, especially given their significant age difference. This situation exploits the power dynamic between host families and au pairs, potentially posing future liability issues if any placed au pair reports misconduct from the host father.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 09/07/2023

  In the event that any information or concerns are provided to our organization, we take them seriously and will conduct a review. However, we are unable to share or disclose any details including the result of the review or any action taken regarding any account involving another party.  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 09/08/2023

  [A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response.  If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response submitted by the business and have determined that the response does satisfy my issues and/or concerns in reference to complaint #********. I understand that by choosing to accept the business response that my complaint will be closed as resolved. 
  
  Regards,
  
  ***********************

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/23/2023

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I'm writing to file a formal complaint against Cultural Care Au Pair, a company arranging au pair placements. Our family had a serious issue with them, amounting to an unjust practice. We paid the agency over $8,500, plus more than $9,000 to the au pair. After a concerning safety incident placing our young children at risk, our au pair requested a rematch. Despite having less than two months left in her contracted term, she wanted to be with her new host family, creating a $2,000 emergency childcare cost for our family. Our au pair was originally scheduled to work 52 weeks, Monday to Saturday, and paid weekly from September 15, 2022, to September 8, 2023. She left after 45 weeks moving to her new host family on July 23, 2023, the start of week 46. She received her 45th stipend the day before her last working day. After initially verifying proper compensation for July, two weeks later, our au pair contacted Cultural Care now claiming that extra pay was owed for 3 hours of work performed on July 22. Our attached records, showcasing a schedule for 9 months of her term, unequivocally reveal the truth. On July 19, we confirmed her last day as July 22. The agent said that if her work expanded into Sunday, the start of a new calendar week, we would be required to pay her additional money. I confirmed that she never worked Sundays. Following her false claim, on August 14, Cultural Care then requested that we pay our prior au pair for the week of July *****, despite her working for the new host family for this entire week. They offered us a $200 credit to account for the inconvenience and miscommunication. We agreed to pay this extra money to the au pair if they confirmed our accurate records and payments. They have refused to acknowledge the error or answer our questions. We are a week away from receiving a new au pair and dont want to jeopardize this process. We are therefore going to compensate the previous au pair for services that she DID NOT provide to our family.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 08/28/2023

  We have reached out to the family to discuss their experiences and to ensure their understanding that their account has been updated to reflect the credit we have provided to them.  We apologize for the frustration that this experience has caused and it was so important for our staff to have the opportunity to speak with the family directly and make sure that all outstanding matters were addressed so that they are able to feel comfortable moving forward.
  
  We have confirmed our understanding that the au pair has been sent the outstanding stipend and we are reaching out to the au pair to confirm receipt so that this matter can be considered closed. We wish them the very best as they welcome their new au pair and remain available should they have additional questions or concerns.   

  Customer Answer

  Date: 08/28/2023

  Better Business Bureau:I have reviewed the response submitted by the business and have determined that the response does not satisfy or resolve my issues and/or concerns in reference to complaint # ********. Please add your rejection comments below; if you do not provide any details, your complaint will be closed as Answered. 

  DETAILS
  
  Wed like to thank **** from the Cultural Care Customer Relations for taking the time to connect with us via phone on Thursday, August 24 at 4:45 p.m. We greatly appreciated the opportunity for follow-up discussion and support. Following this call, the information discussed was summarized to my husband. We do find it ironic that this call by **** was not initiated until we succumbed to the demand of paying an additional stipend for childcare services that were rendered to another family and a full week after being told that we should be expecting this call. Despite our lack of clarity, the threat of delaying our future au pairs arrival was not a risk that we were willing to take. 

  
  Wed like to thank **** for confirming that au pairs are *********** *********************************************************************** our specific case, although our au pair was fully compensated and payments were up to date based on her originally scheduled term, per Cultural Care, the 3 hours that she worked on Saturday, July 22, entitled her to an additional week's pay from our family although the Saturday hours were a part of her typical Monday through Saturday work schedule. While she received compensation for week 46 from her current host family, she was *********** this additional compensation from our family for her ***************** which means that she was double compensated for the 46th week of her term and will have received 53 stipends by the end of her first term. During the rematch process, we were specifically told that we would only owe the au pair an extra stipend if she performed any childcare services during the calendar week beginning on July 23, the 46th week of her term. She did not as her term with us ended at the close of week 45. 
  At the end of the call, ***** mentioned that we would receive a written confirmation after a message was sent to the au pair. As of 6:00 p.m. on Monday, August 28, this written follow-up has not been provided. 
  
  Throughout this process, Cultural Care has demonstrated a lack of transparency. Further, we only received a follow-up call after caving to the expected demand and filing a formal complaint. We are completely dissatisfied and disappointed with the way this was handled. Our prior au pair continues to believe that she was not fairly compensated by our family until she filed a written concern and this is untrue. The circumstances surrounding our prior au pairs abrupt departure were extremely unfortunate. In the end, she not only got the early transition that she was looking for but was able to bypass the rematch process while knowing that our family had to pay a $2,000 emergency interim childcare bill. On top of this, two weeks after verifying with the *** in writing that she received all compensation, she made a claim that we owed her compensation for work that she performed for another family. This contradicted her report to the *** at the time of her transition. Cultural Care maintained an impartial stance and watched these events unfold regardless of the harm inflicted on our family. The bottom line is, our prior au pair was paid for week 46 of her term by her current host family. All childcare services rendered during this week were for her current host family. The expectation to double compensate her for this week doesnt make sense. There is nothing in the au pair contract or ********** of ***** regulations entitling au pairs to double compensation for one week of service. The only satisfactory resolution to add full closure is an official letter from Cultural Care acknowledging that our familys payment records were accurate based on the calendar, the service that she provided, and given the information/timeline explained to us during the rematch. Even if Cultural Care now wants to say that the three hours of work performed on her final Saturday was considered a new week, she was already compensated for that week by her new host family. As such, a double stipend from our family was not justifiable. We were coerced into paying it and did so in fear of delaying our future au pairs timely arrival. 
   
  Regards,
  Keya

   

   

  

  Business Response

  Date: 09/01/2023

  We have confirmed with the family that we consider the matter of the outstanding stipend to be resolved.   As we do not live in the home and we are not involved in the payment process between families and au pairs, we can only make every effort to resolve concerns that are brought to our attention.  Not reaching the resolution that was reached in this case could have potentially left the family at risk for a legal filing on the part of the au pair and while they may feel that they may have been successful in that dispute, we do not imagine that would have been a process either party would have wanted to engage in. 
  
  As a program sponsor, issues involving potential regulatory violations are taken very seriously, but we also take seriously the perspective of all parties involved in any dispute.  We hope that we will be able to continue forward in a positive way with this family and support them through a successful program experience.  We understand that they continue to be frustrated by this experience and feel it should have been handled differently.  We wish the family the best as they proceed forward and we consider this matter closed.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 09/05/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response submitted by the business and have determined that the response, while grossly inadequate, and does not meet our expectations, warrants the official closure to complaint #********. We are extremely dissatisfied by Cultural Care's lack transparency and impartial stance on the matter. Our family has been treated inequitably and has yet to receive any type of genuine apology. In the latest reply, the Cultural Care representative utilized intimidating language implying that had we not succumbed to their inappropriate demand to provide a bonus pay to our previous au pair, that legal implications may have ensued. The ********** of ***** requires that au pairs receive 52 stipends, not 53. We were coerced into providing the au pair a bonus stipend for childcare services that she did not provide. While we continue to be deeply disturbed by Cultural Care's actions, we are ready to move forward. I understand that by choosing to accept the business response that my complaint will be closed as resolved. I hope that the fact that we continue to be extremely dissatisfied will be documented for this case. 
  
  Regards,
  
  **********************************

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/16/2023

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  We brought our au pair into our home and along on our family vacation after being provided incomplete information and references. We never wouldve brought her into our family home, had Cultural Care provided us all the pertinent and necessary information required to make an informed and educated decision and risk-assessment, thus denying us our autonomy. Along with a complete refund ($6,766.25) and travel expense reimbursement ($5,212.30), we are demanding an immediate release from our contract with Cultural Care Au Pair. Our concerns with our au pair include serious neglect and safety issues. In a very brief summary, our au pair left our daughter (11) unattended in the ocean, left both of our children (1 and 11) to go swimming in the lake (Twice!), repeatedly stole our house keys, disappeared multiple times on vacation, and kidnapped our daughter/did not return when she was supposed to and did not respond to calls/texts from us or our LCC during this time. We were not provided her transition document, nor was it posted on her profile, which had GLARING safety concerns, including her first host family saying that they were afraid of her losing her patience with their 2-year-old and recommended she not work with young children...CC went on to place her with 2 more families with young children. They also did not inform us that she had an additional previous family, nonetheless that there were safety concerns. There were also numerous DOS violations, including that we never received an in-person meeting with us, au pair, and LCC. These violations not only reflect poorly on the integrity of your organization but also raise serious doubts about the quality and reliability of your services. Also, CC was zero help with our safety concerns, leaving us to figure out how to safely remove her from our family vacation (for stealing, kidnapping and endangerment) on our own. We have attempted to resolve with them and sent a letter of demands but haven't received a response.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 08/18/2023

  The host family has sent a separate demand letter to our office which seeks monies beyond what they have paid to the organization and,therefore, this matter is being handled by our legal counsel.  The legal office representing our organization reached out to the family to confirm receipt of the letter on August 10th.  The family requested a response by August 22nd and our legal counsel is working to meet this requested deadline.  As we are represented by counsel on this matter we feel it inappropriate to comment further through this site as the legal office will communicate back with the family and/or their legal counsel should they choose to identify their own representation.