USA
General information
Our partner hotels are of the three, four or five-star category and are mostly located on the East coast of the USA, as well as Florida, Oregon and Alabama. All candidates’ job titles will be Trainee or Intern, but you will be doing the same duties and getting the same wages as all other employees in your department.
Duties & departments
Possible departments include food & beverage, conference & banqueting, bar, reception, housekeeping and kitchen. Other departments may be available on request. Every applicant must name at least two departments as possible placement options.
Wages
The exact national minimum wage differs from state to state, but it’s always going to be around $ 7.00 per hour. In some states, employees who receive tips earn less than minimum wage. You will learn more about your wages when you receive your internship/traineeship offer. With your wages you should be able to finance your stay in USA.
Working hours
As in all hospitality jobs, you will be working different shifts, weekends and public holidays; quite the opposite of a nine-to-five job. You will be working an average of 40 hours per week. During the high season or during events, there is a good chance that you will be required to work overtime. Overtime is usually paid at the hourly rate or at time-and-a-half, some employers prefer to give lieu time for all hours worked overtime. At some times you might be required to work unpaid overtime.
Accommodation
Some of our partner hotels offer staff housing, others do not. It’s quite easy to find a small furnished apartment or houseshare if there is no staff accommodation available. Many of our partner hotels offer assistance in finding affordable housing. We recommend you use www.craigslist.org or to get help from a real estate agent.
Meals
Most hotels give their staff one free meal on duty, sometimes two. Again, this rule differs from employer to employer.
Flight
You are responsible for booking and paying for your airfares. Please do not book your flight before you receive your internship offer and visa.
Arrival
Please let us know your exact flight details, so that we can tell CIEE and your host company when you will be arriving.
Visa
The visa that you will be applying for is the J1 Exchange Visitor Visa. You will need the DS2019 form to apply for this visa. The DS2019 can only be issued by our partner organization CIEE. The visa application process can take several weeks, and you will have to arrange an appointment for a visit to the US embassy in your home country. In the summer months, the waiting period for an appointment can be up to six weeks. After the appointment, you should receive your visa within three weeks.
Language skills
For F&B and C&B jobs, your English skills should be upper intermediate or above. For reception jobs, you should have advanced or fluent English skills. For those with only basic to intermediate English, we might be able to organize internships/traineeships in the housekeeping department or in the kitchen.
Absence from work
Please notify your employer as soon as you can if you don’t feel well enough to go to work. Many employers will want to see a doctor’s note.
Health insurance
You will have comprehensive health insurance throughout the entire duration of your stay in USA. The insurance package is included in the program fee. This insurance covers accident and emergency treatment, hospital treatment and visits to GPs. Should you have any pre-existing conditions that you are aware of before the start of the program, the treatment for these conditions will not be covered. You will receive more information about the CIEE insurance package when you have applied to take part in the program.
Contract
In the United States, the standard employment relationship is considered to be at-will, meaning that the employer and employee are both free to terminate the employment at any time and for any cause. Therefore it is not customary for entry-level employees to receive a formal work contract. Your contract usually consists of your internship/traineeship training plan, and an offer letter from the host company.
Employer rights
Employers in the USA sometimes have their staff undergo a drug test, and they have the right to do so. Should a drug test turn out positive, the employee will be dismissed without notice.
Employer rights
Employers in the USA sometimes have their staff undergo a drug test, and they have the right to do so. Should a drug test turn out positive, the employee will be dismissed without notice.
Payment of wages
You will be paid monthly, some employers pay fortnightly. We recommend you open a bank account in the USA, so that you have quick and easy access to your money. In order to open a bank account, you will need the following documents:
Your passport, Your driver’s license or State Identification Card (not required for all banks),
Your rental agreement or any other proof-of-address document,
A confirmation of employment from your host company
You will be paying tax which will be automatically deducted from your gross wages. You’ll be able to see how much tax you pay when you receive your first salary statement, pay stub or pay slip.
Social Security
Upon your arrival, your HR department will make arrangements for you to apply for a Social Security Number (SSN). For this you will need to travel to a social security office near your workplace. The application will take 4 – 6 weeks. You will find more information on the social security system in your CIEE handbook, which will be given to you during your course at the European Hotel Academy.
Early withdrawal
Generally it is possible to end your internship/traineeship any time. However, you should give serious thought to this action. Visa restrictions prevent you from simply changing host companies. Also it is probable that you will not be allowed to participate in the program a second time, as J-1 visas are only issued once in a life-time. If you do decide to end your internship/traineeship earlier than planned, please make sure to do the following:Speak to your supervisor and inform him / her of your plans, contact CIEE and the European Hotel Academy by fax or email.
You will find further instructions in the CIEE handbook, which will be given to you during your course at the European Hotel Academy.
