Finances and Regulations

Finances and Regulations

Finances

Medical Insurance

Visa Regulations

Finances

Program Fee At the time of application each prospective counselor pays to the ICEP representative in her or his home country, a registration fee of $100. Prospective counselors from Africa and Eastern Europe will pay a program fee of $50. If the counselor is not accepted for the summer program, half of this fee is refunded. This fee covers administrative cost in their home country.

Air Fare ICEP counselors pay their own round-trip transportation to New York or Los Angeles. Health Insurance: ICEP counselors are also required to pay (approx. $30 per month) for sickness and accident insurance for the full 4-month period they will be in the USA (June through September). For more details see item 2: medical insurance.

Financial Arrangements The ICEP arranges for placement with a camp for an agreed salary amount for each counselor, depending on age, skills, and experience. These amounts are equalized, so that every ICEP counselor receives the same benefits. Invariably, camps pay a certain amount to ICEP. Half of this goes to the counselor and the remaining half to the ICEP fund (to cover administrative costs).

· All first year counselors will receive a total of $800. During the summer the camp pays $200 pocket money directly to the counselor. The remainder of the agreed payment is sent to the ICEP Fund, which pays for the final payment of $600 to each counselor as travel expenses, as well as the administrative costs of the program and counselor accommodations (three nights each) during the Orientation Conference (June) and Evaluation Conference (August).

· All second year counselors returning to the same camp will receive a total of $1000 ($200 as pocket money during camp, and $800 as travel allowance at the end of camp during the ICEP evaluation conference).

· All third year counselors returning to the same camp for the third time will receive a total of $1300 ($300 as pocket money during camp, and $1000 as travel allowance at the end of camp during the ICEP evaluation conference).

· All returning counselors (2-year, 3-year and over) have the option of making their own financial and salary arrangements with the camps they are returning to. In this case, these counselors will not get paid by the ICEP but directly from their camp. However, the camp will have to pay (for each counselor) the ICEP $200 as program fee and $120 as insurance fee for four months. This amount is to cover administrative and program fee costs. Counselors who make their own financial arrangements with the camps will have to pay for their own accommodation while in New York.

The camp provides transportation between New York or Los Angeles and the camp at the beginning and end of the camp season, as well as other ordinary living expenses (food, lodging, etc.) during the time the counselor is working in the camp.

Personal Expenses

In general, all necessary expenses in the US during the camp season are taken care of. These expenses include food, board, lodging, etc. However, counselors must carry enough money with them to cover incidental personal expenses (laundry, postage, clothing, phone calls, local transportation, entertainment, etc.) If a counselor chooses to spend several days in New York City or Los Angeles before and after the camp period, he or she would need an average $150-$200 per week to cover basic food and living expenses.

Medical Insurance

Every counselor is required to purchase the ICEP Health Insurance Program for four months ($120). It is mandatory! Absolutely no exceptions! The ICEP has made arrangements through the World Student Insurance Service, Inc., To provide the medical insurance package at a premium payment of $30 per month. If a counselor plans to travel across the United States after camp, she or he must extend their medical insurance at an additional payment of $30 per month.

Prospective counselors must pay the insurance premium for four months (June to Sept) along with their application registration fee. The ICEP overseas representative will provide the information about medical insurance package to every counselor.

In compliance with USA regulations, the ICEP health insurance program covers the following requirements:

• Medical benefits for accidents or illness in the amount of $50,000 per incident.

• Expenses associated with the medical evacuation to the counselor's own country in the amount of $10,000.

• Repatriation of remains in the amount of $7,500.

The counselor will not be responsible for more than a $100 deductible. This means that any visit to a doctor may entail a fee of $100, but the patient will not be responsible for any further payments. This is crucial to save hefty medical bills in the event that expensive procedures are required for injuries illnesses sustained while on the job. However, ICEP counselors desiring travel insurance and baggage insurance should make their own arrangements.

Visa Regulations

US immigration regulations specify that those entering the USA on visitor visas are not allowed to accept employment. It is therefore essential that every counselor obtain a "J1" visa with a special IAP-66 form provided by the ICEP after the counselor has been accepted into the program and after the program fee and health insurance premium have been paid in full. This type of visa is provided for a short-term trainee experience and is limited to the summer period from June through September. The J-1 visa cannot be extended !