Unpaid Internships and the Law Essay - 1348 Words

Introduction Internships play an important role in the career development and recruitment process of young professionals and soon-to-be college graduates. Internships come in two forms: paid and unpaid. Paid internships are most commonly procured in the private sector or in organizations that have financial stability to pay students to gain experience and learn while they work. Unpaid internships are becoming increasingly common in the current workplace where some businesses are cutting costs and downsizing due to economic struggles. The following paper will show the negative effects of unpaid internships and how unpaid internships challenge ethical business practices. Causes Internships are becoming the norm in today’s ever changing†¦show more content†¦The economic recession of the mid 2000s is most often blamed for the rise in unpaid internships. While a statistic regarding the amount of unpaid internships offered each year is not calculated, research shows that anywhere between 20-40% of all internships offered are unpaid. Given the opportunity afford by gaining experience and building a network, internship seekers are most often willing to give up pay in return for the above benefits. In 2010, the Obama administration issued legislative change to the way internships are handled and classified. While all employers are legally required to pay employees at least minimum wage under the Fair Labor Standards Act, an exception exists within the Fair Labor Standards Act in regards to employment of interns. The 2010 amendment provided a list of 6 criteria that must be met in order to be in compliance with the Fair Labor Standards Act: (1) th e internship, even though it includes actual operation of the facilities of the employer, is similar to training which would be given in an educational environment, (2) the internship experience is for the benefit of the intern, (3) the intern does not displace regular employees, but works under close supervision of existing staff, (4) the employer proves the training derives no immediate advantageShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Glatt V. Fox Searchlight Pictures Inc.1209 Words   |  5 Pages6. Clear Understanding of Non-Payment It is vital that, at the outset of the relationship, the intern and the organization both understand that the job is unpaid and that the intern is not entitled to wages for the time spent in the internship. Although stipends are not always provided to unpaid interns at for-profit enterprises, this type of payment can undermine the understanding of nonpayment. Moreover, if the intern is paid a stipend and he/she is likely to be treated as an employee. AccordinglyRead MoreFederal And New York Minimum Wage Laws1586 Words   |  7 PagesA Federal District Court judge in Manhattan ruled in June of 2013, that Fox Searchlight Pictures had violated federal and New York minimum wage laws by not paying production interns, it was a case that could radically affect the long-held practice of businesses to rely heavily on unpaid internships. The judge had decided that Fox Searchlight should have paid two interns on the movie â€Å"Black Swan,† because they were essentially regular employee s. The interns were made to do basic chores usually doneRead MoreBenefits Of Internships On The Middle Ages1457 Words   |  6 PagesJustin Wu Carol Nader IS301L 5/7/2015 Get What You Can Internships have been around for a very long time. Even in the medieval ages there have been signs of internships through the process of apprenticeship. During the Middle Ages humans did not suddenly become professional blacksmiths. Novices normally went through a process called apprenticeship. Apprentices would study under their teacher in order to familiarize themselves with the craft. Apprenticeships typically last three to sixRead MoreInternships Do More Harm Than Good965 Words   |  4 PagesInternships do more harm than good What is an internship? An internship is a work-related learning experience for individuals who wish to develop hands on work experience in a certain occupational field. Most internships are temporary assignments that last approximately three months or up to a year. After reading the essayâ€Å" Take This Internship and Shove it â€Å" by Kamenetz Anya who graduated from Yale University, I agree with her that internships do more harm than good because of the opportunity costRead MoreUnpaid Internship Is The Exploitation Of Student Workers908 Words   |  4 PagesWith internships both paid and unpaid, you are gaining valuable work experience in the career you pursuing after college. Today most employers will require that the student performed some type of internship to even be considered for employment. However paid internships are much more beneficial to the interns and to the employers than unpaid internships. With a paid internship you bypass almost all legal issues that may be i nvolved in an unpaid internship and an intern is being paid for their timeRead MoreAn Internship Is A Professional Program959 Words   |  4 Pagestheir field rather than their qualifications. An internship is a professional program that provides practical experiences to students in which they learn and can reflect back on for their future careers. Internships are increasingly becoming more evident in the work force as it helps give employers an opportunity to find good quality employees and in return provides good experience for the intern. Participating in internships, no matter paid or unpaid, is believed to strengthen the probability of acquiringRead MoreWorkplace Protection for Unpaid Interns783 Words   |  4 PagesWorkplace Protection for Unpaid Interns Sexual harassment claims from unpaid interns against companies have been consistently dismissed. Current legal precedent forces students who accepting unpaid internships into a pool of vulnerable, powerless, at risk population. Many cases go undocumented, interns are often disempowered, feeling inferior in the workplace, working for no pay (often actually paying tuition for the honor to work for free), report to multiple superiors. With hopes of a futureRead MoreUnpaid Internships : An Internship927 Words   |  4 Pages Internships   Fetching an endless amount of coffee for employees. Copying a constant supply of papers for a business meeting. Running around and completing errands continuously are the many tasks that sound like a stereotypical unpaid internship. But not all internships consist of these tasks and even if they do, they are important because they provide experience, networking, and possibly a job. However, unpaid internships are not as lucrative because in the recent years, researchers have foundRead MoreThe fashion industry is a utopia, of silk and suede and, shoes and belts. It is a place where900 Words   |  4 Pagesand giving out resumes, when one does land up with a job, they might think that they are not cut-out for it. What then? Start with the whole cycle of spamming and searching again? No. An internship is a better option. But is an unpaid internship the right way to go about it? Thats the real question. An internship is an answer to all the dilemmas faced by young adults trying to choose the right path. It can put one at the top of the game. It allows young aspirants to get a flavor of their dream jobsRead MoreInternship Problem At The Intern947 Words   |  4 PagesThere are lots of internship problem come to the public’s attention. Some of the students required intern at certain company or enterprise just to graduate, and get a better profile in their resume. Some companies take an advantage of the rule that during the internship, the companies do not need to pay their student working hours. Therefore, the companies make the best use out of the intern student, and squeeze every last drop of the energy from the student. Intern students are forced to work excessive