Repayment of Flight and Training Costs Fair

When a Polish au pair was dismissed by her employers, they demanded repayment of the air fares and training costs they had incurred.



This was in accordance with the contract she had agreed, which provided that the costs would be repayable if she quit or was dismissed within six months of taking up her job.



Her former employers’ action left the au pair with no wages. She argued that the deduction was a penalty clause and thus unenforceable under English law.



The Employment Appeal Tribunal took a contrary view, finding that the deduction was a reasonable deterrent to the employee breaching the contract.