Illness, Accidents or Medical Emergencies:
Au pair accident or medical emergency:
If an accident or medical emergency arises with your au pair, handle it as you would for any family member. Please contact your local communication counselor as soon as possible so that APIA may assist you in supporting your au pair and family during this situation. Your au pair should sign any consent forms that are required to enable the host to have easier access to medical information in order to keep other family members and APIA informed on the au pair’s status. If the au pair cannot sign the form, APIA has a signed release on file for treatment (it is included as part of the agreement the au pair signs in the application process). Under that scenario, call the 24-hour emergency service at 1-800-928-7247.
Medical emergency with one of your children:
As part of your orientation with your au pair, you should go over how you want emergency medical care handled in your absence. Download and complete this medical authorization form and keep it in an easy place to remember. Instruct your au pair to bring this form with her in a medical emergency. Create a list of medical emergency phone numbers (your doctor, local hospital or urgent care, trusted neighbor, etc.) and place in a prominent area where anyone can see or reach.
Household emergencies:
While an au pair’s primary responsibility is the children, she also assumes some responsibility for your home and your car in your absence. To prepare for any contingencies in these areas, discuss a general protocol for handling certain potential issues (suggestions below) while giving your au pair a tour of your home upon arrival. Some suggestions:
- Show the au pair the circuit breaker, the main water shut-off and how to turn a fuse on and off.
- Provide a complete list of phone numbers of any services you use regularly (oil company, water company, electric utility, etc.). Place this in a prominent area where anyone can read or reach.
Download a list of helpful questions to ask in case of a household emergency.
Car accidents:
Car accidents can be disorienting. Make sure that your au pair knows where to find the registration and insurance information for the car she is driving. Make a list of what the au pair should do in case of a car accident, such as what information to gather from the other driver so that a complete report can be made to police and insurance company, and place it in the glove compartment of the car. This list of helpful questions to ask in case of a motor vehicle accident is a good place to start.
Lost Passport
If an au pair’s passport is stolen, they must immediately file a police report. If the au pair lost it, then they don’t need to tell the police. In both cases the host family should call the Stamford office to speak to the Compliance Officer. Then you may need to assist your au pair in contacting the consulate (or embassy in Washington, DC) of the au pair’s home country and start the process to replace the passport.
Lost Visa
Losing a passport also means the visa is meaningless. To replace the visa, the au pair must return to her home country after receiving a new passport. Once there, the au pair must go to the U.S. embassy and apply for another visa. This has to occur in person. There is no guarantee that the au pair will receive another visa, so this is a big risk. While the au pair can remain in the U.S. and finish the program without a visa, they cannot travel outside the U.S.
Given the high stakes here, it is best to advise your au pair to use a different form of identification whenever possible and leave the passport safely at home. The au pair should also make a copy of the passport and visa and keep it in a safe place.
