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I don't agree at all. If you allow unpaid internship, then employers will abuse this for fields where there is a lot of unemployment. And jobless people will b

I don't agree at all. If you allow unpaid internship, then employers will abuse this for fields where there is a lot of unemployment. And jobless people will be forced to accept those internships because they can't find any other job due to lack of experience. Some slaves were ok to work for free and be owned by someone. Does it mean slavery should be authorized because some slaves are ok with it?

somethingle234 8y ago
There are a few things with this: 1. That could be true in only some areas. I doubt it's true for the technology sector where there are a lot of players competing. 2. Companies are already trying to pay as low as possible. If a company could pay $1 for a software engineer, it would. 3. It's absurd in its reasoning to distinguish between "unpaid" and $1 a month internship. So, a company hiring a $1-a-month intern is fine? If not, then what's the number? After asking this, then it'll be boiled down to supply-demand force in the market. This is back to number 2. If a company could pay $1, it would. Comparing unpaid internship with slaves is also absurd. For one thing, slaves can't walk away. I also don't think my volunteer job at an animal shelter is slavery.
refurb 8y ago
And if you ban unpaid internships, you’d likely have no intern positions at all. Which is better? Giving the choice of an unpaid internship or no choice at all?
- threeseed 8y ago
  > And if you ban unpaid internships, you’d likely have no intern positions at all. Based on what evidence ? Let me guess. None.
  - ttoinou 8y ago
    Supply and demand ? There would certainly be less internships (not none though), so less opportunity for everyone. Some internship might get paid a little bit, that depends on the minimum internship wage, but that won't be true for all internships
- anyfoo 8y ago
  Yes, a company that is not willing to pay their interns a salary (which is usually rather small), probably should not offer any internship positions at all. The only legitimate reason that comes to mind is that they actually cannot afford to pay the intern. In which case, they really should not offer any internship positions at all.
  - ttoinou 8y ago
    Or you could imagine that they don't have a cash flow yet, but they could offer training in exchange of salary. Why try to regulate a number ? Salaried jobs and internship are not only about money.
    - anyfoo 8y ago
      I don't think that a company that is so early that it does not even have enough cash flow yet to pay an intern is well equipped, and has much incentive, to train interns. I mean, seriously now. Do you think an executive in a company that's that new and/or that strapped for cash is going to sit there one day and think "You know what's on top of my mind right now? Training an intern, showing them the ropes, offering them some quality career experience!" My guess is that it's more along the lines of "Man, I really wish I had some cheap labor right now".
      - ttoinou 8y ago
        Not all company are deemed to be unicorn. You know, you could just try to create a decent business bringing decent income, and beginning by exchanging what you know to students / young adults / dropped out is a good start if you like that path. I would certainly do it if I find the right people to train, and I would have loved it to have a serious mentor earlier in my life in this way. No one here can judge or make decision for others there's so much things in life that to pretend otherwise seems silly. EDIT : actually, now that I think of it, I know a friend who did exactly that. He even said to me that he preferred this unpaid internship to the one he got one year later, paid, but bad environment and no mentorship.
  - 8y ago
- elcomet 8y ago
  Come on, look outside your own country. A lot of European countries banned unpaid internships (that are longer than a few weeks). And people find plenty of 3 to 6-month internships.
  - thedufer 8y ago
    I think you're referring to the US, but we've already banned most unpaid internships. They're only allowed in specific circumstances, including when they're mostly educational and do not displace any potential paid workers. That said, it's definitely underenforced. Most unpaid internships probably don't follow the rules. When it is enforced, the penalty is typically no more than a slap on the wrist + back pay at minimum wage.

somethingle234 8y ago

There are a few things with this: 1. That could be true in only some areas. I doubt it's true for the technology sector where there are a lot of players competing. 2. Companies are already trying to pay as low as possible. If a company could pay $1 for a software engineer, it would. 3. It's absurd in its reasoning to distinguish between "unpaid" and $1 a month internship. So, a company hiring a $1-a-month intern is fine? If not, then what's the number? After asking this, then it'll be boiled down to supply-demand force in the market. This is back to number 2. If a company could pay $1, it would. Comparing unpaid internship with slaves is also absurd. For one thing, slaves can't walk away. I also don't think my volunteer job at an animal shelter is slavery.

refurb 8y ago

And if you ban unpaid internships, you’d likely have no intern positions at all. Which is better? Giving the choice of an unpaid internship or no choice at all?

threeseed 8y ago
> And if you ban unpaid internships, you’d likely have no intern positions at all. Based on what evidence ? Let me guess. None.
- ttoinou 8y ago
  Supply and demand ? There would certainly be less internships (not none though), so less opportunity for everyone. Some internship might get paid a little bit, that depends on the minimum internship wage, but that won't be true for all internships
anyfoo 8y ago
Yes, a company that is not willing to pay their interns a salary (which is usually rather small), probably should not offer any internship positions at all. The only legitimate reason that comes to mind is that they actually cannot afford to pay the intern. In which case, they really should not offer any internship positions at all.
- ttoinou 8y ago
  Or you could imagine that they don't have a cash flow yet, but they could offer training in exchange of salary. Why try to regulate a number ? Salaried jobs and internship are not only about money.
  - anyfoo 8y ago
    I don't think that a company that is so early that it does not even have enough cash flow yet to pay an intern is well equipped, and has much incentive, to train interns. I mean, seriously now. Do you think an executive in a company that's that new and/or that strapped for cash is going to sit there one day and think "You know what's on top of my mind right now? Training an intern, showing them the ropes, offering them some quality career experience!" My guess is that it's more along the lines of "Man, I really wish I had some cheap labor right now".
    - ttoinou 8y ago
      Not all company are deemed to be unicorn. You know, you could just try to create a decent business bringing decent income, and beginning by exchanging what you know to students / young adults / dropped out is a good start if you like that path. I would certainly do it if I find the right people to train, and I would have loved it to have a serious mentor earlier in my life in this way. No one here can judge or make decision for others there's so much things in life that to pretend otherwise seems silly. EDIT : actually, now that I think of it, I know a friend who did exactly that. He even said to me that he preferred this unpaid internship to the one he got one year later, paid, but bad environment and no mentorship.
- 8y ago
elcomet 8y ago
Come on, look outside your own country. A lot of European countries banned unpaid internships (that are longer than a few weeks). And people find plenty of 3 to 6-month internships.
- thedufer 8y ago
  I think you're referring to the US, but we've already banned most unpaid internships. They're only allowed in specific circumstances, including when they're mostly educational and do not displace any potential paid workers. That said, it's definitely underenforced. Most unpaid internships probably don't follow the rules. When it is enforced, the penalty is typically no more than a slap on the wrist + back pay at minimum wage.