Compensating Camp Staffs

Each year, tens of thousands of students work at US summer camps as counselors and other staff members. Many of these staffers come from abroad under the J1 Visa Program. Other employees are US citizens that must travel some distance to arrive at their summer jobs. Although starting from different parts of the earth, scores of these students take time before and after camp to explore the country.

Typically, staff compensation consists of room, board and a basic salary. In some cases, camps will advance a percentage of a staffer’s salary so the employee will have spending money prior to, or during, the camp season. Camps then pay staff at various times during the camp session. Finally, staffers are paid the balance of their salary at the conclusion of the season.

Paying camp staffs can be challenging
Paying camp employees is not as straightforward as it seems. Because they come from abroad, workers typically do not possess a local bank account. Obtaining a bank account is difficult for J1 workers because they do not necessarily have a social security number or a permanent address. Current banking security measures like OFAC can also make it more difficult for J1s to obtain an account. And because camp jobs last for only seven to ten weeks, it just doesn’t make sense for J1s or US staff members to open a local account.

Employers generally have two options when paying staff members: either by check or in cash. Checks, while routine for camps, can be problematic for staffers, who generally won’t open local checking accounts. These employees are therefore compelled to resort to awkward and expensive methods to cash their checks. From the camp’s perspective, paying by check can be a time consuming, paper-driven task requiring a great deal of record-keeping and oversight. Paying in cash is simply a poor disbursement option. Both camps and their staffs simply dislike having to hold a lot of cash, which is subject to loss or theft.

Payoneer camp staff compensation solutions
Payoneer is a simple and powerful camp staff payment solution. Since 2005 our industry specific solutions have securely delivered millions of payments to hundreds of thousands of people around the world. Utilizing a prepaid MasterCard^® card, we enable camps of all sizes to affordably deliver compensation to staff members.

Payoneer offers prepaid MasterCard cards to staffers on behalf of our camp customers. These Camps can then load the prepaid cards when salaries are due. Employees can then withdraw funds from more than one million ATMs in over 210 countries. These prepaid cards can also be used to purchase goods from merchants accepting Debit MasterCard worldwide.

Why staff members want the Payoneer Prepaid MasterCard:
Camp staffers from across the globe – or across the country – have a lot of reasons to like the Payoneer Card. First and foremost, our prepaid card is the most convenient and liquid payment instrument available.

• Foreign employees are not required to possess a bank account, social security number or undergo a credit check.
• Domestic staffers do not require access to remote, home bank accounts.
• Staff members have access to their funds in as little as two hours after loading.
• Hard cash can be retrieved from over 1 million ATMs worldwide, even after employees have left the country.
• Cards can also be used to purchase goods from online merchants or retail locations accepting Debit MasterCard throughout the world.
• If a card is lost, remaining funds may be transferred to a replacement card – sometimes within hours.
• Parents or other relatives can load the cards with more cash providing the employee with additional spending money.
• In most cases, the card is protected against fraud and theft.

So, when camp is over, the card is a secure instrument to help the staff member fund travel and other adventures. What’s best is that your staff receives all these benefits at virtually no cost.

Why the Payoneer Prepaid MasterCard is ideal for camps:
The Payoneer solution is perfect for camps needing to pay camp staff – both foreign and domestic. Our system provides a comprehensive end-to-end online payments solution that incorporates registration, issuance, funding, and reporting:

• The Payoneer system provides an extensive, user-friendly online interface to manage the entire compensation process.
• Extensive fraud controls protect payers and payees alike.
• Until spent or withdrawn, all funds reside in the US in US dollars and are protected by Federal Deposit Insurance.
• Holding the card will provide staff members with feelings of independence and status.
• The solution integrates seamlessly with your current payroll provider – direct deposits can be automatically loaded onto the Payoneer Card.
• Tax refunds can also be loaded onto the card via direct deposit even after an employee has left the country
• Cards can be issued in advance and delivered anywhere in the world, so they are ideal for providing workers with travel stipends. Cards may also be delivered to the camp in bulk.

In addition to payroll, additional “petty cash” cards can be issued to camp staff to pay for camp related activities and field trips.

An exciting and convenient way to pay staff members:
Perfect for camps, and ideal for staff, the Payoneer solution represents the fastest and most efficient staff payment solution available. Payoneer allows camps and staff members to avoid the cost, complexity and security issues associated with traditional bank accounts, check cashing or holding hard cash. Utilizing a prepaid MasterCard card, Payoneer provides camps with a highly functional payment management system, while offering staffers a compensation option with unmatched liquidity.