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Welcome to the Quiet Resorts!

Bethany Beach – Fenwick Island – South Bethany – Ocean View – Clarksville – Roxana – Dagsboro – Millville – Frankford – Selbyville

Thank you for choosing the Quiet Resorts for your work/travel program. You are sure to have an experience of a lifetime. To ensure you get the most out of your time here, please see the resources below.

Each category provides clickable links to help you find what you need easily! Be sure to check out the Bridge USA Resource page for additional info.

FOR AREA INFO
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EVENTS:

Any upcoming events relevant to seasonal workers will be listed below. Check out our community events calendar to see what is happening in the Area. If you do not see any events, be sure to check back regularly to see if anything is new.

 

SPONSORSHIP:

The Summer Work Travel program provides foreign students with an opportunity to live and work in the United States during their summer vacation from college or university to experience and to be exposed to the people and way of life in the United States.

    • Program begin date cannot interfere with foreign students completing their classes or exams
    • The end date cannot extend into the college and/or university academic calendars
    • All countries have a set range of acceptable program dates

The U.S. Dept. of State is responsible for the oversight of the designated program sponsor organizations. The program sponsors are responsible for the effective administration of the program, and are ultimately responsible for full compliance with all Exchange Visitor Program regulations.

Sponsor Responsibilities
  • Health, safety and welfare of all participants
  • Ensuring availability of suitable and affordable housing
  • Vetting and verifying all jobs to ensure that potential host employers are legitimate and reputable businesses and that the job offers meet all regulations
    • Jobs must be seasonal or  temporary in nature — cannot displace American workers
    • 3rd shift night jobs not permitted (work hours that fall predominately between 10:00pm – 6:00am)
    • Participants are employees “At-Will” and cannot be forced to remain at any job
  • Ensuring all participants have sufficient health insurance
  • Screening, selection, orientation, placement and monitoring of participants
  • Communicating with and updating DOS on all participant related issues
  • Cannot threaten participants with Visa cancellation or deportation
  • Sponsors Provide the Form DS-2019
    • The Form DS-2019 is SEVIS generated and can only be issued by a program sponsor
    • The Form DS-2019 must be signed in blue ink by the sponsor’s responsible officer and given to the SWT participant
    • The Form DS-2019 is the basic document required to support a J-1 visa application
    • The student’s work authorization comes from the DS-2019 Form, not their visa.
    • The DS-2019 is an 8 ½ x 11 inch document containing the following information
      • The range of dates the student is legally allowed to work in the U.S.
      • The name of the student’s program sponsor and the sponsor’s contact information.
      • The address of the student’s employer.

Who are the SWT Program participants? They are foreign post-secondary students, on their summer break from university from Over 50 different countries from around the world. Many enroll in the program to learn about US culture, improve their English, and earn money towards the cost of the program.

  • Housing – Sponsor Responsibilities
    • Place participants with employers who provide suitable housing, or are able/willing to assist the participant in finding housing prior to arrival
    • Act as  a resource to both employers and participants in their search for housing
    • Vet participant housing to ensure it is suitable, safe and affordable, even visiting it beforehand
    • Check in with participants and conduct site visits
    • Collaborate with other sponsors to share any problematic housing addresses to avoid further issues
    • Evaluate what did or did not work during the season and plan ahead (e.g., do not cooperate with employers who have problematic housing)
  • Host Employer Responsibilities
    • Notify sponsor of issues and changes with jobs or participants
    • Position your company and community as a destination of choice
    • Assist and support with housing
    • Remember this is an exchange program! Provide opportunities for participants to engage in your community and interact with domestic staff and local residents
    • All primary and “second” or “replacement” jobs MUST be vetted/verified by the Sponsor before participant may begin work
    • Host Employer cannot hold participant’s D.S. Form, Passport, SS Card or any other legal documentation
  • Housing – Employer Responsibilities
    • Provide safe and affordable housing for participants or assist participants to locate suitable housing.
    • Provide pre-arranged housing information as part of the job offer.
    • Most sponsors will not approve placement, and issue DS2019 form, without housing being pre-arranged and having vetted the housing
    • Notify  sponsor of any problematic housing addresses, landlords, etc.
    • Be prepared to assist participants who arrive without pre-arranged housing.
    • Employers must take an active role in sourcing and securing housing for participants.
    • Evaluate what did or did not work during the season and plan ahead (e.g., different landlords, house rules, etc.)
  • Participant Responsibilities
    • Check in upon arrival
    • Monthly check in with sponsor
    • Notify sponsor of changes in job or housing
    • Report second job requests prior to beginning work
    • Participate in cultural activities
  • J-1 Visa
    • All of the students participating on the Summer Work Travel Program will have a J-1 Visa in their passport.
    • The J-1 Visa is a travel document, which allows the foreigner to travel to the U.S. and apply for admission at a port of entry.
  • Some of the issues/problems SWT participants face:

    • Fewer hours than on job agreement
    • Job duties different than expected
    • Dissatisfaction with job conditions/supervisor
    • Leaving job early, with or without two-weeks’ notice
    • Housing conditions different than expected
    • Housing disputes (rent, deposit return, early move-out)
    • Excessive distance between housing and job placement
    • Overcrowded and/or overpriced housing
  • Community Support Group Responsibilities
    • Plan Committee Meetings for the Upcoming Season
    • Provide Resources/Information to Participants
    • Develop Disaster Preparedness/Evacuation Plans
    • Plan Cultural Activities
    • Assist the participant to adjust and be acclimated to the local community.
    • To feel welcome by the community.
    • To be knowledgeable about the resources available to them.
    • Bike safety, Water safety, Local rules and regulations , etc.
    • Participants do not always know U.S. Laws or know / abide by the U.S. rules of the road or do not understand rules of the road apply to bikes.
    • Benefits of having the Police Department and EMS at orientation to show they are there to help. Some participants are wary of figures of authority, because some of them are corrupt in home countries.

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FINANCIAL INFORMATION:
1. Social Security – Review the steps for the Social Security application process
      • Use the following link directly to the SSA site ssa.gov/ssnumber/start.htmlto start an online application
      • Exchange Visitors will provide all the same information that is on the current paper Social Security Card application
      • Upon completion of the online application, the EV will be provided with a reference number to bring to the office.
      • The EV will need to visit an SSA office to show proof (original documents) and to verify the information submitted is correct within 45 days.
      • While walk-ins are being seen, those with scheduled appointments take priority
      • Int’l. travelers must wait 5 days after arrival in US before going to SSA.
      • Wages should not be withheld pending the receipt of the Social Security card.
      • Employers may use the participant’s immigration documents as proof of their authorization to work in the U.S. along with their receipt from SSA that their application is in process.
    • Going to the SSA Office – Documents Check List
      • Reference Number from the online SSN Application
      • I-94 printed copy ( Can be obtained through this link)
      • Original DS-2019 Form
      • Passport/Visa
      • Participants should wait 14 days for the receipt of their Social Security card.

Exchange Visitors should ensure they’ve completed all steps to report their arrival in the USA to sponsor, and their program is Active in SEVIS before applying. After applying, SSA will give you a letter stating that you have applied. Give a copy of this letter to your employer. You may begin working before you receive your Social Security Card. It is illegal for an employer to withhold an Exchange Visitor’s wages because they don’t have an SS Card yet. Exchange Visitors must be paid for the time you work, regardless of whether or not you have been assigned a SS number.

    • Check in with your Sponsor
      • New US government regulations for the Summer Work Travel Program mandate that students must check-in with their sponsor within 10 days of arrival in the USA. Failure to check-in within 10 days will result in program termination. Termination means student’s status in SEVIS will be inactive, student cannot legally work in the USA, will not have medical insurance, and will need to return home immediately, and will have difficulty obtaining any type of US visa in the future.
2. Taxes
      • All summer work/travel participants must pay state, federal and local taxes
      • You will complete forms obtained from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to get most of the taxes refunded to you at the end of the calendar year that you worked.
      • Exchange Visitors are not subject to FICA and FUTA
    • Taxes Exchange Visitors will not have to pay*:
      • Social Security
      • Medicare
      • Federal Unemployment

The full IRS regulations regarding Social Security and Medicare Taxes (FICA), as well as exemptions for J1 exchange visitors, can be found on Publication 515, Withholding of Tax on Nonresident Aliens and Foreign Entities; link follows:  http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p515.pdf.

*Exchange Visitors: after receiving your first paycheck, make sure the 3 above taxes have not been taken out of your paycheck. If you see any deductions under words “FICA”, “SS” or “Soc Sec”, or “Medicare” or “Med”, or “FUTA”, then the employer has made a mistake. You should speak to the employer about this since the law is different for J-1 students and the employer may be unaware that you are exempt from these three taxes. Go to http://www.irs.gov for IRS Publication 519 which explains this exemption.

    • W-4 Form: Employee’s Withholding  Allowance Certificate
      • You will complete a W-4 form when you begin your job to avoid being over-taxed
      • Instructions from IRS Publication 515 “Withholding of Tax on Nonresident Aliens and Foreign Corporations”
        • Step 1(a) – name and address
        • Step 1(b) – SSN (if participant has it at the time)
        • Step 1(c) – check the box for “Single or Married filing separately” (even if you are married or divorced)
        • Step 5 – Sign and date the form
        • Do not claim “Exempt” withholding status on Line 7

If a participant has two employers, in this case, they have the option to choose Step 2(c), checking the box on both employers’ W-4 Forms, and writing “NRA” (or “nonresident alien”) below Step 4(c) for the W-4 Form of the highest paying job only.

    • Tax Refunds
      • Income earners in the USA are required to file a tax return after the end of the calendar year. (The following year after their program)
      • Your tax return reflects your earnings for the previous year, the amount of taxes you paid, and the total amount of taxes owed/refunded to you
      • Participants are considered non-resident aliens and will need to file a Form 1040NR (which can be e-filed or mailed).
        • Common tax preparation software (e.g. TurboTax) typically do not support filing with a Form 1040NR.
        • Using such software may make the participant appear to be filing erroneously as U.S. residents, and doing so intentionally or unintentionally may make the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) suspect tax fraud.
      • To file your tax return, you will need your W-2 Form and Form 1040NR-EZ
        • Your employer will send you a W-2 Form (required by law to mail to you by February 15). Make sure you provide your employer with your correct address in your home country before you leave the USA.
        • After you receive your W-2 Form, complete a 1040NR-EZ tax form. You can obtain the 1040NR-EZ form (with instructions) at the US Embassy in your home country or by visiting http://www.irs.gov
      • You must file your tax return no later than April 15.
      • Once you have completed the form, mail it to:
        • United States Internal Revenue Service Center
        • Philadelphia, PA 19255 USA
3. Wages

A wage is payment or compensation earned by an employee for work performed under an employer’s direction, or with the employer’s knowledge or consent.

    • Delaware’s Minimum wage is $13.25 per hour under state law
    • Tipped Employees (earning more than $30 per month in tips) earn $3.63/hour. This amount plus tips must equal at least the State Minimum Wage.
    • Wages must be paid at least once each month
    • Employees must be paid all wages within seven (7) days from the close of each pay period
    • Each employer shall pay an employee, or authorized representative of an employee, all wages due for work that the employee performed before the termination of employment, on or before the day on which the employee would have been paid the wages if the employment had not terminated (the next scheduled payday.)
    • No employer may withhold or divert any portion of an employee’s wages
    • Wages should not be withheld pending the receipt of the Social Security card.
4. General Info
    • Monetary Units = US Dollar $: Most common bills/notes: $1, $5, $10 and $20
    • Delaware has no sales tax.
    • Maryland sales tax is 6% so your bill will be higher than the price tag on an item
    • Tipping/Gratuity: Giving a small amount of money to another person for a service, such as:
      • Waiter/waitress: 18 – 20% of food bill
      • Barbers/hairdressers: 18 – 20% of bill
      • Taxi drivers: 10 – 15% of fare
      • Food delivery persons: No less than $5
      • You do not tip bus drivers, theater ushers, museum guides, salespeople, employees at fast food restaurants or hotel clerks
      • You should never tip police officers, physicians, government employees or university employees. It may be interpreted as a bribe, which is illegal.