iTeach  America  and  Visa  Sponsor  
Code  of  Conduct  Related  to  COVID-­‐19  
 
 
In   addition   to   the   J1   Visa   Teacher   Participant   Terms   &   Conditions   for   of the  
________________________   (visa   sponsor)   and   iTeach   America   LLC,   I   confirm   that   I  
understand  and  agree  to  the  following:    
 
• I  may  be  subject  to  a  period  of  self-­‐isolation  or  quarantine  after  my  arrival  in  the  
U.S.,  or  at  any  time  while  I  am  in  the  U.S.  due  to  possible  viral  exposure,  or  as  the  
result  of  a  governmental  or  other  health  order.    
• I  confirm  that  I  have  the  financial  resources  to  support  myself  for  a  period  of  two  
weeks  or  longer  in  isolation,  including  paying  for  my  housing,  food,  and  personal  
needs  (access  to  funds  of  $1,000  or  more  in  addition  to  the  $1,000  Emergency  
funds  that  I  am  required  to  bring  as  stated  in  the  Terms  &  Conditions).    
• I  may  not  be  able  to  continue  my  program  through  the  scheduled  end  date  and  I  
may  be  required  to  return  to  my  home  country  sooner  than  I  planned.    
• I   confirm   that   I   have   the   financial   resources   to   return   to   my   country   at   any   time,  
i.e.,  to  pay  for  my  return  transportation/flights  home.    
• I  also  confirm  that  I  will  abide  by  any  directive  from  my  visa  sponsor,  as  my  J-­‐1  
visa  sponsor,  from  any  part  of  the  U.S.  government,  or  from  the  government  of  
my  home  country  to  return  home.    
• If  I  am  unable  to  return  to  my  home  country  after  the  end  of  my  program  due  to  
travel  and  other  restrictions,  I  will  be  responsible  to  support  myself  during  any  
extra  time  that  I  spend  in  the  U.S.    
• I  will  ensure  that  I  have  medical  insurance  throughout  my  stay  in  the  U.S.  and  I  
will   pay   to   extend   my   medical   insurance   if   my   time   in   the   U.S.   is   extended  
beyond  the  visa  sponsorship  dates.    
• If   my   time   in   the   U.S.   is   extended,   I   will   also   communicate   regularly   with   my   visa  
sponsor:  I  will  inform  ________________________  (visa  sponsor)  of  any  changes  
to   my   situation   or   my   health;   I   will   keep   ________________________   (visa  
sponsor)  informed  of  my  plans  to  return  to  my  home  country;  and  I  will  confirm  
to  my  visa  sponsor  when  I  have  successfully  repatriated  to  my  home  country.    
• I  take  responsibility  for  managing  my  own  personal  budget  and  to  ensure  that  it  
reflects  any  changes  in  my  employment  status  while  in  the  U.S.    
• Additionally,   I   take   responsibility   for   planning   ahead   for   emergency   funds   that  
might  be  required  in  the  event  that  my  program  or  employment  is  disrupted  in  
any   way   by   an   emergency,   specifically   those   associated   with   COVID19.   These  
 changes   may   include   changes   to   the   program   duration,   the   average   number   of  
work   hours   per   week,   the   rate   of   pay,   and/or   the   cost   of   housing   or  
transportation.    
• I   confirm   that   I   am   able   to   manage   my   finances   and   that   I   understand   the  
implications  that  program  changes  may  have  on  my  financial  situation.    
• I  will  comply  with  all  government,  work,  and  housing  policies  related  to  COVID-­‐
19   prevention.   This   may   include   washing   my   hands   frequently,   not   leaving   my  
housing  and/or  moving  to  isolated  housing  if  I  am  sick  or  exposed  to  the  virus,  
avoiding   large   group   gatherings,   observing   social   distancing,   and   using   a   face  
mask  and  gloves  as  preventative  measures.    
• I  will  bring  a  personal  supply  of  face  masks/coverings  that  I  can  use  throughout  
my  entire  time  in  the  United  States.  These  may  be  washable  cloth  or  disposable  
masks.   If   I   bring   disposable   masks   or   masks   that   require   filters,   I   will   bring  
enough  for  the  entire  period  of  my  program.    
• I  understand  that  my  host  organization  may  choose  to  dismiss  me  from  my  job  if  
I  do  not  follow  required  safety  instructions  that  are  in  place  to  avoid  the  spread  
of   COVID-­‐19.   If   this   were   to   happen,   I   understand   that   my   visa   sponsor   may  
shorten  or  terminate  my  visa  sponsorship.    
• I   understand   that   cultural   activities   may   be   limited   or   restricted   due   to   social  
distancing  guidelines,  limitations  on  group  gatherings,  and  other  precautions  for  
reducing  the  risk  of  infection.    
• I   acknowledge   that   it   is   still   my   intention   to   maximize   my   exposure   to   U.S.  
culture   throughout   my   program   in   whatever   way   I   can   safely   do   so,   and   that   I  
will   report   my   cultural   activities   to   my   visa   sponsor   via   the   Cross-­‐Cultural  
Activity/Annual  Report  template  annually  and  will  report  other  relevant  cultural  
experiences  via  my  monthly  check-­‐in.    
• By  signing  this  Agreement,  I  thereby  acknowledge,  understand,  and  accept  that  
certain  unforeseeable  circumstances  beyond  my  agency  and  visa  sponsor’s  right  
or   ability   to   control   and/or   prevent   may   result   without   notice   in   the   delay,  
disruption,   and/or   termination   of   certain   programs,   the   cancellation   or  
suspension  of  planned  activities  within  such  programs,  and/or  otherwise  render  
the   visa   sponsor’s   reasonable   and   good   faith   performance   of   its   contractual  
obligations   impractical   and/or   impossible   to   carry   out.   Examples   of   such  
circumstances   include,   but   are   not   limited,   to:   (1)   acts   of   God,   such   as   severe  
acts   of   nature   or   weather   events   including,   but   not   limited   to,   floods,   fires,  
earthquakes,  hurricanes,  tornadoes,  explosions,  and  similar  acts  and/or  events;  
(2)   war,   acts   of   civil   or   military   authority,   national   emergencies,   insurrection,  
riots,   and/or   acts   of   terrorism;   (3)   epidemics,   pandemics,   and/or   similar  
widespread   public   health   phenomena;   (4)   strikes,   labor   disputes,   and/or   work  
stoppages;   (5)   acts   or   events   that   disrupt   channels   of   communication   and/or  
power   supply;   and/or   (6)   any   other   acts,   events,   or   circumstances   not   within   the  
placement  agency  and  visa  sponsor’s  reasonable  right  or  ability  to  control  and/or  
prevent  that  would  render  the  placement  agency  and  visa  sponsor’s  reasonable  
 and   good   faith   performance   of   its   contractual   obligations   impractical   and/or  
impossible.    
• I  appreciate  and  accept  the  risk  that  in  the  event  a  program  or  element  thereof  is  
disrupted   due   to   unforeseeable   circumstances   beyond   the   placement   agency  
and  visa  sponsor’s  reasonable  right  or  ability  to  control  and/or  prevent,  I  may  be  
requested   and/or   required   to   return   to   my   home   country   early   at   my   own  
expense.    
• I   agree   to   review   all   my   visa   sponsor’s   program   disruption   and   cancellation  
policies  prior  to  agreeing  to  participate  in  the  J1  Visa  Teacher  program.    
• I  further  agree  to  renounce  any  and  all  legal  claims  against  the  placement  agency  
and   visa   sponsor   that   may   arise   from   the   occurrence   of   unforeseeable  
circumstances  beyond  the  placement  agency  and  visa  sponsor’s  reasonable  right  
or  ability  to  control  and/or  prevent,  including,  but  not  limited  to  loss  of  income,  
loss   of   academic   credit,   unanticipated   housing   expenses,   program   fee   refunds,  
ground  transportation  costs,  etc.    
• By  signing  below,  I  confirm  that  I  understand  and  agree  to  the  above  conditions  
of  participation  in  the  Teacher  Exchange  Program.    
 
Participant  Name  (printed):  
________________________________________________________    
Participant  Signature:  
________________________________________________________    
Date:  ___________________________________________________