How to contact us

Phone: 1.800.952.4521

The Teacher Resources team is available from 8:30 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday. If we miss you, we will return your phone call the same or next business day.

Online Chat

Connect with Teacher Resources staff using the Participate Learning website chat icon in the bottom right corner on any page of participatelearning.com. You also have the option to be emailed once we answer your question.

Email: [email protected]

Your email will be answered within two business days.

Fax: 1-919-869-1555>

You can fax any important documents to Participate Learning. Please contact us to let us know when you are sending a fax so that we can confirm that your documents have been received.

 

How we can help

Participate Learning staff will answer your questions on topics such as:

• J-1 or J-2 visas
• Social Security
• Travel
• Personal concerns
• Benefits

 

We will also help investigate complex or unusual issues including:

• Classroom management
• Classroom instruction
• Serious personal concerns
• Emergency Procedures

 

Participate Learning has an emergency message system for after-hours emergencies. If you experience one of the emergency situations below, call Teacher Resources at 1.800.952.4521 at any time and follow the directions for reporting emergencies. A Teacher Resources team member will return your call as quickly as possible to assist you.

 

Emergencies include:

• Serious automobile accidents
• Family emergencies
• Concern regarding personal safety
• Denied entry into the United States

 

Banking issues, car issues, salary questions and other concerns are not considered true emergencies and will be responded to the next business day.

The U.S. Workplace

The following information explains specific policies about certain rights and obligations you have while working in the United States. If at any time during your participation with Participate Learning you need assistance with or have questions about these policies, please let the Teacher Resources team know.

As an exchange teacher, you are a participant in a cultural exchange program intended to improve foreign relations. Although your exchange teaching activities are distinct from ordinary U.S. employment, you will need to become familiar with the rules and policies that govern the U.S. workplace.

These rules and policies may be different from those to which you are accustomed. Your school district will have established the specific rules and policies that will govern your activities at the school and will be responsible for supervising your day-to-day exchange teaching activities. As your visa sponsor, Participate Learning has also established rules and policies to help ensure the requirements for the U.S. workplace are met. Participate Learning will monitor your overall progress and welfare and will be available to you and your school district to support you in a successful exchange-teaching program.

Participate Learning has established the policies below to help ensure that your exchange teaching activities meet requirements for the U.S. workplace. In addition to reviewing carefully the Participate Learning policies below, please make sure to familiarize yourself with the policies in effect at your school district upon your arrival. Please make sure to review carefully and strictly comply with your host school’s social media/Internet policies as requirements may vary by school district.

Equal Employment Opportunity: Participate Learning maintains an equal employment opportunity policy prohibiting unlawful discrimination and harassment. Unlawful discrimination is prohibited in all aspects of the employment relationship, including recruiting, hiring, wages, promotion, training, transfer, compensation, benefits, working conditions and other terms and conditions of employment, without regard to race, sex, religion, color, national origin, age, citizenship status, disability, marital status, veteran status or any other status protected by law. Participate Learning will not tolerate any such discrimination and any such conduct is prohibited.

No Discrimination and Harassment Policy: Participate Learning prohibits discrimination and harassment in employment on the basis of sex, race, color, ethnicity, age (40 or over, as covered by federal law), religion, disability, national origin, veteran status, marital status or any other factor prohibited by law. This policy applies to everyone within the organization as well as to third parties with whom you may interact in the course of program-related activities.

Sexual Harassment Defined: Participate Learning will not tolerate sexual harassment. Sexual harassment is defined in federal regulations as to include, but not be limited to, unwelcome advances, requests for sexual favors or other verbal or physical conduct either (1) sexual in nature, or (2) based on gender, when:

• Submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of an individual’s employment,
• Submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as the basis of employment decisions affecting such individual, or,
• Such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual’s work performance, or creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive working environment.

 

Sexual harassment includes, but is not limited to the following:

• Intentional physical conduct that is sexual in nature or directed at a person’s gender, such as touching, pinching, patting, sexually-oriented gestures, noises, remarks, innuendos, jokes or comments about a person’s sexual experience.
• Repeated unwelcome requests for a romantic relationship.
• Displaying pictures, posters, calendars, graffiti, objects, promotional materials, reading materials or other materials that are sexually suggestive, sexually demeaning or pornographic.

Harassment Other than Sexual Harassment: Harassment other than sexual harassment is verbal or physical conduct that denigrates or shows hostility or aversion to an employee because of gender, race, color, ethnicity, age (40 and over, as covered by federal law), religion, disability, national origin, veteran status, marital status or any basis prohibited by law when the conduct:

• Has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an employee or exchange teacher’s work performance,
• Creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, or,
• Otherwise adversely affects an individual’s employment opportunities.

Harassment may include but is not limited to:

• Verbal abuse; ridicule, including slurs, epithets and stereotyping; offensive jokes and comments,
• Threatening, intimidating or hostile acts, and,
• Displaying or distributing offensive materials, writings, graffiti or pictures.

If you believe that you or another exchange teacher or co-worker has been subjected to prohibited discrimination or harassment, including sexual harassment, you must report the incident under school and/or Participate Learning policies.

Participate Learning and/or your school district will promptly investigate all reported complaints of harassment and take corrective action as appropriate. Generally, your school district will be responsible for investigating any alleged incidents of discrimination or harassment arising from school activities or on school premises or involving school employees. Participate Learning will respond to complaints of unlawful discrimination with prompt and appropriate remedial measures appropriate to its role as your visa sponsor. Such measures may include investigating complaints relating to Participate Learning activities and/or communicating with your school district to confirm that it is responding to complaints relating to school activities or premises.

Complaints of harassment should be reported promptly to the Participate Learning Director or Manager of Teacher Resources in addition to following the reporting procedures under school policies relating to school activities. Any investigation by Participate Learning will be conducted on a confidential basis to the extent possible as necessary for a resolution.

Any Participate Learning employee or exchange teacher who is found by Participate Learning to have engaged in prohibited discrimination or harassment will be subject to appropriate disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment or visa sponsorship. Participate Learning prohibits retaliation for making a complaint, and no employee or exchange teacher who in good faith reports what he or she reasonably believes to be unlawful discrimination or harassment will be subject to retaliatory action.

Therefore, if in response to an employee or exchange teacher’s report of suspected harassment, a staff member, other Participate Learning employee or exchange teacher retaliates or threatens to retaliate against the employee or exchange teacher, the affected employee or exchange teacher should promptly report the incident(s) to the Participate Learning Director or Manager of Teacher Resources. If you have any questions about this policy or its application or about discrimination or harassment in any form, you are encouraged to contact Participate Learning Teacher Resources.

Remember, if you experience or become aware of prohibited discrimination or harassment, you must report it immediately in accordance with the reporting procedure of your host school district’s policies and to Participate Learning through its Director or Manager of Teacher Resources. Participate Learning management and/or the administration of your host school district can take corrective action only if aware of the situation.
Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA): As your visa sponsor, Participate Learning fully complies with the requirements of the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and supports its principles. Normally, your school district will be primarily responsible for providing FMLA leave, if you become eligible. Please refer to your school district policies for additional details regarding FMLA and leave requests. The details of policies may vary in each district.

You should generally be aware that the FMLA allows eligible employees to take up to 12 work weeks of unpaid leave in any 12 month period for the birth of an employee’s child and to care for the child; for placement with the employee of a child or adoption or foster care; to care for the spouse, son, daughter or parent of the employee, if such spouse, son, daughter, or parent has a serious health condition; or a situation in which the employee is unable to perform the functions of his/her position because of the employee’s own serious health condition.
Additionally, the FMLA permits an eligible employee to take up to 26 work weeks of leave to care for a spouse, son, daughter, parent, or next of kin who is a member of the United States Armed Forces, including a member of the National Guard or Reserves, who is undergoing medical treatment, recuperation, or therapy, is otherwise in outpatient status, or is otherwise on the temporary disability retired list, for a serious injury or illness. To be eligible for FMLA with an employer, an employee must have been actively employed with the employer for at least 12 months before the leave request, have worked at least 1,250 hours during that time, and be working at a time of the leave request at a location where at least 50 or more employees work within a 75-mile radius.

In addition to submitting any leave requests under your school district policies, you should also notify Participate Learning Teacher Resources of any absence or leave of more than five days from your scheduled duties such as an absence resulting from a serious health or family emergency.

Generally, any absence from class must be approved by the host school in progress and welfare during the program to ensure that visa requirements are met. Participate Learning will work with teachers and host school districts on a case-by-case basis to help with exceptional situations such as serious unanticipated health or family emergencies that require a temporary absence from class of more than five days.

For example, in the case of an approved FMLA leave, you will be eligible to be retained on the Participate Learning group health plan under the same conditions that applied before leave commenced provided that you arrange to continue to make any contributions to your share of premiums that you made before taking leave. If you are not eligible or do not qualify for FMLA leave, Participate Learning will still work with you and your host school district to assist in an emergency. You should be aware, however, that U.S. Department of State regulations require that Participate Learning end a teacher’s J-1 visa status in the event the teacher is unable to teach for an extended period, whether due to a serious health emergency or other circumstance. In such cases, immigration laws may require that you obtain a medical visa status or make arrangements to return to the home country. Participate Learning will endeavor to assist in the event of an unanticipated medical emergency.

Employees with Disabilities: The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) prohibits discrimination against employees with disabilities. Consult the personnel policies of your school district for information about your school district’s policies prohibiting discrimination against employees with disabilities. Participate Learning also fully complies with all requirements of the ADA and does not discriminate on the basis of physical or mental capability regarding any position for which a candidate is qualified. Participate Learning will treat him or her equally in all employment practices. Participate Learning will make reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with known disabilities to enable them to perform essential job duties, unless doing so would result in an undue hardship on the operation of Participate Learning.

If you have questions or concerns about disabilities or discrimination in the school workplace, you should bring these issues to the attention of appropriate school district representatives in accordance with school district policy. If you have any further questions or concerns regarding this policy, or if you believe you have been the victim of discrimination, please contact the Participate Learning Director of Teacher Resources or the Participate Learning School Partnerships Director. Any Participate Learning employee, exchange teacher or other representative found to be engaging in unlawful discrimination will be subject to disciplinary action, including termination of employment or visa sponsorship.

Pregnancy: The Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978 (PDA) prohibits employment discrimination on the basis of pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions. You should consult appropriate school district representatives if you have questions or concerns regarding pregnancy discrimination or leave at your school. Participate Learning also complies with the provisions of the PDA and will not unlawfully discriminate against pregnant women. Please contact Participate Learning Teacher Resources if you have questions about pregnancy discrimination or concerns about pregnancy leave.

Worker’s Compensation: Employees or exchange teachers who suffer a work-related injury or illness may be entitled to benefits. If you are paid by your school district and you suffer a work-related injury or illness, you should report it immediately (or as soon as possible) to your school supervisor or other appropriate school district representative under your school district’s policies. If you suffer an injury or illness related to work for which you are paid by Participate Learning, you should report it immediately (or as soon as possible) to Participate Learning Teacher Resources. You should report the injury or illness orally and in writing without delay. Delay or failure to report job injuries or illness may result in the loss of benefits.

Monitoring of Exchange Visitors and Prohibition Against Relation: As your program sponsor, Participate Learning will coordinate with your school to ensure that you have a safe and appropriate work environment and monitor your success and progress in the program. Although your host school will generally be responsible for your day-to-day work environment, please do not hesitate to let us know if any concerns arise that may adversely impact your welfare or program success. We have many years of experience in addressing the most common challenges encountered by exchange visitor teachers and can often be of assistance such as by coordinating with the host school to find a solution.
In order to allow us to monitor your participation as an exchange visitor teacher, you are required to report to us as soon as possible and within ten (10) calendar days any changes in the telephone numbers, email addresses, actual and current U.S. addresses (i.e., physical residence) for yourself and any accompanying family members in J-2 status and any change in your site(s) of teaching activity. Teachers can report these changes by email to [email protected] or through a monthly wellness check if within 10 days of the change.

Reporting Serious Problems or Controversies

As part of our role in monitoring exchange visitors, Participate Learning is required to report immediately to the U.S. Department of State any serious problems or controversies that may arise relating to you or other exchange visitors sponsored by us that may have a serious adverse impact on the exchange visitor’s health safety or welfare or ability to successfully complete the program. Examples of such matters may include but are not limited to the death, disability, deportation or disappearance of an exchange visitor; serious mental health conditions; serious substance abuse issues; serious illnesses or injuries such as those that may be life threatening, require hospitalization or impact your ability to continue teaching; unsafe school or unlawful work conditions or any serious employment-related issues at your host school; incidents involving the criminal justice system including the arrest of an exchange visitor or any investigation of an exchange visitor by law enforcement or other governmental agencies or any alleged criminal conduct by an exchange visitor; foreign embassy intervention in any exchange visitor’s program; an exchange visitor becomes of the victim or a crime or natural disaster; alleged incidents of domestic violence involving an exchange visitor whether as a victim or perpetrator; alleged incidents of sexual harassment or abuse or other serious misconduct involving an exchange visitor whether as a victim or perpetrator.
Therefore, you must report to us immediately and within 24 hours any such serious problem or controversy that may arise relating to your program. You must also cooperate fully within any investigation by Participate Learning or your school district regarding any matters and provide complete and accurate information and documentation in response to our requests. While Participate Learning will handle such matters in a confidential manner, we will require complete, timely and accurate information to assess our reporting obligations to the Department of State. A failure to comply with the obligations described in this paragraph may be grounds for the end or termination of participation in our program.

Participate Learning and our employees are prohibited from threatening program termination, removing from the program, banning from the program, adversely annotating an exchange visitor’s SEVIS record, or otherwise retaliating against you or any other exchange visitor sponsored in our program solely because he/she has filed a complaint; instituted or caused to be instituted any proceeding; testified or is about to testify; consulted with an advocacy organization, community organization, legal assistance program or attorney about a grievance or other work-related legal matter; or exercised or asserted on behalf of himself/herself any right or protection. If you believe that you or another exchange visitor has been retaliated against by any Participate Learning employee in violation of the above, please report the matter immediately to [email protected]