Training And internship News
SECOND quarter 2010	“WISE Support- it makes the difference”
Happy Spring from WISE This e-update includes important reminders about travel authorization, how to add participants to payroll before they obtain a social security number, and tips about following the training plan. Please look over this information and remember to contact us if you have any suggestions, or comments about the WISE e-update: peter@wisefoundation.com In this edition: Wise Tip: Travel Authorization News and Notes: Site Resource Manuals Available Now Adding Participants to Payroll Following the Plan Wise Tip: Travel Authorization If a participant travels outside of the United States at any time during their program, it is necessary for them to follow certain steps in order to re-enter the U.S. and continue their training or internship program. These steps are outlined in the WISE participant manual. Here is a summary of the process for obtaining travel authorization. Participants should send the following documents to WISE, at least two weeks prior to departing the United States: - A letter from their site manager or HR office stating that they have permission to be away from their training and the dates of their trip. This should be on company letterhead. - The original DS-2019 form* - A check or money order made out to WISE for $25, which covers the cost of return shipping of the DS-2019 form* - A return mailing address and phone number* Participants must have a valid J-1 visa stamp in their passport upon reentry to the U.S. Participants should not make plans to travel outside the U.S. during the 30 day grace period at the end of their program except to travel home.  Over the years several participants have lost opportunities or had significant issues as they prepared to travel on a cruise outside of the U.S. during their grace period as the Cruise company was doubtful of their ability to re-enter the U.S. * If the participant has already taken a trip outside of the U.S., it may not be necessary to send the DS-2019 form to WISE again. Please contact WISE prior to sending this form a second time. Back to top
News and Notes
WISE Site Resource Manuals are Available! WISE offers a free site resource manual available for any company who hosts J-1 Interns or J-1 Trainees. The manual contains information about the J-1 visa, adding participants to payroll, taxes, medical insurance, dealing with program concerns and much more. If you would like a copy of the Site Resource Manual, please contact WISE A WISE trainee takes a reservation at a hotel in New York Back to top			Adding recently arrived participants to payroll before obtaining a Social Security number It is possible to legally add training and internship participants to your payroll before they have obtained their Social Security number. The Social Security Administration has posted on its website a fact sheet for employers concerning the SSA's verification procedures.  The fact sheet also provides guidance on how employers are to file wage reports for exchange visitors who have not yet received a Social Security number. You can view the fact sheet at the following URL: http://www.ssa.gov/employer/hiring.htm Should you have any questions about this, please don't hesitate to contact WISE! Back to top
Following the plan
By WISE Team member Peter May From time to time, a participant or a host site will contact WISE with a concern: the training or internship program is not meeting the expectations of the participant, and the site is not sure that they can adjust the program to satisfy these expectations. This is a frustrating experience for everyone involved. Participants invest a substantial amount of money in the program, and see it as an essential step in what they hope to be a long career in hospitality, so the disappointment may have real implications for them personally and professionally. Training and internship participants arrive to the United States with a variety of expectations. Many expectations are set by personal experience, cultural media such as American music and movies, or gossip from friends who have traveled to the States. As you can imagine, some participants are surprised at how different the reality of the U.S. is from the country portrayed in the television shows. Through their time in the United States, their image of the country changes shape with experience. On a recent evaluation survey a participant observes that “on the one side [I’ve noticed] a lot of fast food; on the other side a lot of organic food.” Another, training as an F&B manager, noted that the timing of when to bring the bill is different in the U.S. than it is in their country: “In India, the guest would be insulted if I brought the bill at the end of the meal, before they asked for it. Here it is often expected!.” Welcome! A Rooms participant greets a guest at check in The expectations formulated by participants about the program itself are usually set by the materials that WISE and their host company provide them, including the DS-7002 “Training/Internship Placement Plan.” Training plans are detailed documents which outline the practical and theoretical learning that will be accomplished during the program, as well as a basic outline of any rotations that will take place. They include details about the length and dates of each rotation, and set expectations regarding learning objectives. It is important that the plan be a realistic outline of the program in these areas. It is common for the reality of the changing business needs of the host company, or the personal skills or interests of the participant to conflict with the outline set forth in the training plan. In these situations, the plan, which at one point seemed attractive to the host company and the participant, becomes restrictive or disappointing. Here are some suggestions for identifying and resolving concerns related to implementing the Training/Internship Placement Plan: - Schedule regular reviews of the program, where a manager, or a representative of Human Resources sits down with the participant to identify where they are on the plan, and what is coming up next. This should happen every 2-3 months on a 12 month program. (You can take advantage of the WISE midterm evaluation to discuss how the program is going.) - If there is a minor difference between the plan and the reality of the program, identify the difference and determine whether it can be reconciled. - If it cannot be reconciled, then call WISE. The training team has experience addressing this type of concern, and may have some creative ideas for how to deal with it. - Significant changes should always be discussed with WISE before implementation, so that WISE can ensure that program objectives and regulations are being met. Significant changes may include the length of time in each rotation or the opportunities to develop and master certain skills. - If there is an ongoing difference between the way the program is described in the plan and the reality of the program, perhaps it is time to call WISE to suggest adjustments to the plan for the benefit of future incoming trainees and interns. It is expected that there are to be minor deviations from any plan. It is when the deviations are major that concerns are raised among participants and host sites. Please do not hesitate to contact WISE if you have any questions or doubts about deviations from the plan. Back to top
We welcome your comments. Please send all comments to Peter May: peter@wisefoundation.com If you would prefer not to receive the WISE Training and Internship e-update and would like to be removed from our mailing list, please contact peter@wisefoundation.com