Friend arrived via the "Work and Travel" program - potential sweat shop situation

[TomLena 0]

A good friend of my wife (who is from Russia) has arrived here in the USA Thursday on a program that is called the "Work and Travel Program". She was told by the agency that she worked with to get on the program that she would be provided a place to live and a job working at a beach/surf shop here in the USA.

She arrived Thursday evening and was quickly put to work Friday morning at 8am... and was required to work until the shop closed at around midnight. When she was finally able to call us, she's told us that her 'boss' at this job told her that they will not pay her for all of the hours that she works - that they will only pay up to a certain amount, but that she has to work all of the time anyway. They also told her that she has to pay $300 a month rent to share a very crowded apartment. Sounds like a few labor laws are being broken here at the very least.

My question - I may be able to line up a job for her where I am at... we live only about 6 hours away from where she's staying now and there is a shop that has mentioned to me that if my wife had any friends who were looking for work that they might be interested in hiring. The only problem right now is that our friend is slaving away at this sweat shop and will probably continue to have to do so until we know what she can legally do to make a transition.... example, what would happen if we drove over there tomorrow and removed her from that situation and let her live with us for a few days until we could get ahold of the shop owner here in our city? Would the current 'employer' be able to do anything to cause our friend to be in any trouble?

Also, she's asking us about the SSN. Does she need to have her SSN in order to work, or just the work permit in hand? I'm sure she could eventually get one, but I also know that it takes a little while for her to even be in the system to get the SSN.

Any advise, especially accurate expedited advise that could spell out our options here would be much appreciated. Thank you.

[Dan J 277]

I think the question is, is she being forced to work against her will? If so, the employer could be some legal trouble.

I would put in a call to the state labor department as well as local police departments. Its hard to tell if laws are being broken in this case, but there is a pretty good chance that some are. If so, thats the place to find out. But if she is forced or threatend in any way, then she should go to the police.

[natashenika 0]

A good friend of my wife (who is from Russia) has arrived here in the USA Thursday on a program that is called the "Work and Travel Program". She was told by the agency that she worked with to get on the program that she would be provided a place to live and a job working at a beach/surf shop here in the USA.

She arrived Thursday evening and was quickly put to work Friday morning at 8am... and was required to work until the shop closed at around midnight. When she was finally able to call us, she's told us that her 'boss' at this job told her that they will not pay her for all of the hours that she works - that they will only pay up to a certain amount, but that she has to work all of the time anyway. They also told her that she has to pay $300 a month rent to share a very crowded apartment. Sounds like a few labor laws are being broken here at the very least.

My question - I may be able to line up a job for her where I am at... we live only about 6 hours away from where she's staying now and there is a shop that has mentioned to me that if my wife had any friends who were looking for work that they might be interested in hiring. The only problem right now is that our friend is slaving away at this sweat shop and will probably continue to have to do so until we know what she can legally do to make a transition.... example, what would happen if we drove over there tomorrow and removed her from that situation and let her live with us for a few days until we could get ahold of the shop owner here in our city? Would the current 'employer' be able to do anything to cause our friend to be in any trouble?

Also, she's asking us about the SSN. Does she need to have her SSN in order to work, or just the work permit in hand? I'm sure she could eventually get one, but I also know that it takes a little while for her to even be in the system to get the SSN.

Any advise, especially accurate expedited advise that could spell out our options here would be much appreciated. Thank you.

[natashenika 0]

A good friend of my wife (who is from Russia) has arrived here in the USA Thursday on a program that is called the "Work and Travel Program". She was told by the agency that she worked with to get on the program that she would be provided a place to live and a job working at a beach/surf shop here in the USA.

She arrived Thursday evening and was quickly put to work Friday morning at 8am... and was required to work until the shop closed at around midnight. When she was finally able to call us, she's told us that her 'boss' at this job told her that they will not pay her for all of the hours that she works - that they will only pay up to a certain amount, but that she has to work all of the time anyway. They also told her that she has to pay $300 a month rent to share a very crowded apartment. Sounds like a few labor laws are being broken here at the very least.

My question - I may be able to line up a job for her where I am at... we live only about 6 hours away from where she's staying now and there is a shop that has mentioned to me that if my wife had any friends who were looking for work that they might be interested in hiring. The only problem right now is that our friend is slaving away at this sweat shop and will probably continue to have to do so until we know what she can legally do to make a transition.... example, what would happen if we drove over there tomorrow and removed her from that situation and let her live with us for a few days until we could get ahold of the shop owner here in our city? Would the current 'employer' be able to do anything to cause our friend to be in any trouble?

Also, she's asking us about the SSN. Does she need to have her SSN in order to work, or just the work permit in hand? I'm sure she could eventually get one, but I also know that it takes a little while for her to even be in the system to get the SSN.

Any advise, especially accurate expedited advise that could spell out our options here would be much appreciated. Thank you.

Hi,

your friend is supposed to have a guide with all the contact information in case she will have any problems you can try to call one of those numbers to ask and she mght have the copy from the employer with the all the information about salary and hours as well as housing so you should check if it's the same as they promised

also she was supposed to apply for ssn the few first day she arrived and she gave the address of her employer i think

so the best she can do is to wait for the ssn cause she won't be able to work without it she can go directly to the office to ask for one

and with W&T programm she can only work in shops restaurants or hotels, ammusement parks etc.

GOOD LUCK

[DavidEvgeniya 0]

Hello,

it sounds like your friend is on a J-1 visa. if so, there is no contract between her and the employer. She can choose to leave at any time. Usually she is isssued a SS#, she ay want to wait for that, but she is subject and should receive the same treatment as any employee while here. The boss must pay her.

Hope this helps.

[Neonred 3,564]

My stepdaughter was supposed to arrive on this same J-1 visa. You may have seen my post in the Russia forum where she was denied that visa. I believe your wife's friend can change jobs any time she wants. Last summer I met several students in Orlando that were here on the same program. I will tell you that all the students I met were working the same long hours, but usually at multiple jobs. They were here to make as much money as possible. One girl told me the previous year she took back to Ukraine more than ten thousand dollars.

Just having this visa and work permit in hand is sufficient, but the employer must understand that and agree. I have seen and filled out one of the employer applications for this program.

[Killer_Clown_2009 0]

The US is really down on employers importing slaves to work in the US. You need to get her out of there and contact the FBI.

[CutienPurg 0]

http://www.allianceabroad.com/ib/work_trav...k_travel_01.htm

there is some good info on this link to help explain what is allowed and what is not and also a contact number for problems.