Health, Safety, Welfare, and Handling Major Emergencies

The majority of InterExchange Career Training USA participants enjoy safe, smooth and problem-free programs, but when living abroad for an extended period of time, they may occasionally run into challenges.

InterExchange is here to help if you or your participant experience any challenges or issues.

Avoiding Exploitative Behavior

As a host employer, you are an active participant in cultural exchange. Your actions and behavior towards your participants must not only meet the laws and regulations of the U.S., but they must also meet exemplary standards that reflect favorably on U.S. business practices. At no time should you engage in the following activities:

• Any activities that would violate the laws and regulations of U.S. federal, state, and local authorities.

• Any activities that may be legal, but nevertheless unethical, for example:

  • Inappropriate relationships with the participant
  • Coercive or harassing acts
  • Retaliating against the participant
  • Making promises to the participant that are outside of the scope of the program
  • Asking inappropriate questions of the participant
  • Making offensive statements to the participant

• Any activities that would endanger the participant’s safety or the safety of others or act in a manner that raises the appearance of endangering the participant’s safety or the safety of others.

• Any activities or promises to participants regarding any activities that either InterExchange or the U.S. Department of State prohibits.

IMPORTANT: If InterExchange finds that you or any of your employees or affiliates have engaged or will engage in exploitative or other unreasonable behavior, InterExchange will immediately end your participation in the program. In most instances, we will report such behavior to the Department of State, and this could impact your ability to host exchange visitors in the future. Where appropriate, exploitative behavior may also be reported to local law enforcement.

Read More Important Information for J-1 Participants:

• The Wilberforce Laws: Read about the Rights and Protections for Temporary Workers in the United States.

• Participant Safety - Know the Signs of Trafficking: Read our guidelines and help prevent human trafficking.

Participant Health, Safety, and Welfare

COVID-19: Health Guidance and Preparation

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the Department of Labor has published guidance to businesses concerning best practices in reducing the spread of COVID-19. To ensure the health and safety of program participants, employees, and the general public, it is expected that host employers shall comply and implement the following:

• Follow guidance from federal, state, and local health authorities to minimize the spread of the COVID-19 virus
• Implement workplace measures provided by the CDC and state and local public health authorities specific to your business and industry and the DOL’s Guidance for Preparing Workplaces for COVID-19
• Create a plan to address incidents of actual or possible workplace exposure to the COVID-19 virus, such as:
  • Policies and procedures for the prompt identification and isolation of symptomatic employees
  • Emergency communication channels which will facilitate that prompt communication of necessary information to participants
• Develop and communicate a quarantine protocol for participants in accordance with applicable guidance from public health authorities, which includes but is not limited to a provision indicating whether quarantine will be paid or unpaid time off

And Additional Health & Safety Protocols

If you are aware or become aware that your participant is suffering from any serious medical, psychological, or criminal incident that disrupts the internship or training program, contact InterExchange immediately.

If your participant suffers an accident or serious illness that, in the judgment of InterExchange, prevents the participant from successfully meeting program requirements, please understand that the participant may be asked to end his or her program early and return home for their own health and safety

Similarly, if your participant is deemed to be a danger to him or herself or to others, or if your participant’s conduct is deemed to be detrimental to the Exchange Visitor Program as a whole, InterExchange may end the participant’s program early.

Read More Important Information regarding J-1 Participants’ Health & Safety:

• InterExchange Accident & Sickness Insurance Information
• Bureau of Educational & Cultural Affairs: Health & Safety

Natural Disasters and Other Major Emergencies

Coordinate your Response

• Although InterExchange will provide emergency messaging to you and the participant, you are responsible for ensuring the safety of the participant. You should not alter any messaging sent by InterExchange, but you should also caution the participant to follow your guidance and/or the guidance of local authorities if the guidance conflicts with InterExchange guidance since you will have more information regarding your specific local conditions.

Emergency Contingency Plans

• The most important aspects of promoting safety are communication, preparedness, and coordination. You should have an emergency contingency plan and share this plan with the participant as part of his or her orientation with your company.

• You must issue emergency instructions to the participant to help prepare him or her in case of emergencies and make the participant aware of emergency and evacuation procedures issued by your company and federal, state, and local government authorities.

IMPORTANT: Timely communication with InterExchange throughout an emergency event is necessary and a requirement as a host employer. Please always respond to InterExchange’s inquiries about the safety of participants as soon as reasonably possible. Please read all safety notices sent by InterExchange and follow instructions as appropriate to ensure the health, safety and welfare of participants.

Contact Info

If you or the participant experience any problems or emergencies during the program, please contact Career Training USA below:

• Email: training@interexchange.org
• Phone: (888) 621-1202 (if you are in the U.S. M-F 9:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. EST)
• Phone: 212.924.0446 (from anywhere M-F 9:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. EST)
• Emergency: (917) 373-0994** (24 hour emergency line)

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