5 ms·

How do interns work? (In the general sense of compliance with the minimum wage statute.)

freehunter 13y ago
Paid internships are generally above minimum wage. My lowest paid internship was $10/hr, highest was $15/hr. Interns, however, are not legally supposed to be doing production work or run-the-business kind of work. They're there as a learning experience similar to a classroom. They can do project work and attend meetings. Interns generally aren't classified as workers. They're getting experience in exchange for their time. The employer can't immediately gain from an intern's work. As long as the employer follows the guidelines of the intern regulations, they don't have to follow minimum wage or pay the intern at all (similar to how students don't get paid by their university for attending class).
deleted 13y ago
[deleted]
abtinf 13y ago
Unpaid internships are illegal[1]. Unless you are the government, in which case you exempt yourself from the law. [1] http://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/whdfs71.htm http://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/whdfs71.htm
- judk 13y ago
  Is there actually an exemption for government interns? You didn't cite that part of your post.
- dragonwriter 13y ago
  Your link says: There are some circumstances under which individuals who participate in “for-profit” private sector internships or training programs may do so without compensation. Which is directly contrary to the point you cite it to support.
mikeash 13y ago
Until recently, interns slipped through the cracks somehow. A recent court decision determined that interns actually aren't magically exempt from the law just because they're interns, though, so expect a lot fewer unpaid internships from now on. http://bigstory.ap.org/article/unpaid-internships-jeopardy-after-court-ruling http://bigstory.ap.org/article/unpaid-internships-jeopardy-a...
- judk 13y ago
  The determination wasn't new, that was just a high profile instance of a successful suit.

Paid internships are generally above minimum wage. My lowest paid internship was $10/hr, highest was $15/hr. Interns, however, are not legally supposed to be doing production work or run-the-business kind of work. They're there as a learning experience similar to a classroom. They can do project work and attend meetings. Interns generally aren't classified as workers. They're getting experience in exchange for their time. The employer can't immediately gain from an intern's work. As long as the employer follows the guidelines of the intern regulations, they don't have to follow minimum wage or pay the intern at all (similar to how students don't get paid by their university for attending class).

deleted 13y ago

[deleted]

abtinf 13y ago

Unpaid internships are illegal[1]. Unless you are the government, in which case you exempt yourself from the law. [1] http://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/whdfs71.htm http://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/whdfs71.htm

judk 13y ago
Is there actually an exemption for government interns? You didn't cite that part of your post.
dragonwriter 13y ago
Your link says: There are some circumstances under which individuals who participate in “for-profit” private sector internships or training programs may do so without compensation. Which is directly contrary to the point you cite it to support.

mikeash 13y ago

Until recently, interns slipped through the cracks somehow. A recent court decision determined that interns actually aren't magically exempt from the law just because they're interns, though, so expect a lot fewer unpaid internships from now on. http://bigstory.ap.org/article/unpaid-internships-jeopardy-after-court-ruling http://bigstory.ap.org/article/unpaid-internships-jeopardy-a...

judk 13y ago
The determination wasn't new, that was just a high profile instance of a successful suit.