4 ms·
There's been a lot of debate over the past several years as to whether or not unpaid internships are even legal. The clearest outline is from the FSLA, and the
by aresant 13y ago
There's been a lot of debate over the past several years as to whether or not unpaid internships are even legal.
The clearest outline is from the FSLA, and the criteria is outlined below:
"If all of the factors [below] are met, then the worker is a “trainee”, an employment relationship does not exist under the FLSA, and the FLSA’s minimum wage and overtime provisions do not apply to the worker:
1. The training, even though it includes actual operation of the facilities of the employer, is similar to what would be given in a vocational school or academic educational instruction;
2. The training is for the benefit of the trainees;
3. The trainees do not displace regular employees, but work under their close observation;
4. The employer that provides the training derives no immediate advantage from the activities of the trainees, and on occasion the employer’s operations may actually be impeded;
5. The trainees are not necessarily entitled to a job at the conclusion of the training
period; and
6. The employer and the trainees understand that the trainees are not entitled to wages for the time spent in training. "
EG if an internship meets those criteria, you don't need to be paid.
(1) http://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/attach/TEGL/TEGL12-09acc.pdf http://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/attach/TEGL/TEGL12-09acc.pd...
- deleted 13y ago[deleted]
- shardling 13y agoAnd it would have somehow been worse if they'd paid you? Not everyone has the luxury to work an unpaid internship, so if they're necessary (or even just helpful) to get into a field that's actually a pretty huge problem.
- deleted 13y ago[deleted]
- DrJokepu 13y agoIs it possible that there was someone else who was more talented, competent or dedicated than you and deserved that internship even more than you but simply couldn't afford working for free? I'm not making a value judgement here, I'm just pointing out the fact that free internships are not necessarily compatible with meritocracy.
- deleted 13y ago[deleted]
- ryguytilidie 13y agoCouldn't you have maybe demonstrated why you were valuable while getting paid minimum wage? The situation you are describing encourages companies not to take risks EVER while forcing their employees to take a risk. The fact that you benefitted from this is irrelevant. Perhaps try looking outside of just your own specific situation and at the many other situations that might come from a world where unpaid internships are legal, or the norm.
- deleted 13y ago[deleted]
- ryguytilidie 13y agoApprenticeships and unpaid internships are two completely different things. Apprenticeships are completely common in modern society and are, in fact, paid. So no, that is a rock bottom terrible example...
- amputect 13y agoThe problem is that these companies are not bringing in scrappy 17-year-olds with a hoop dreams, they're bringing college-educated professionals, and then refusing to actually pay them in exchange for producing valuable work. This is creating yet another barrier to professional entry for people who weren't born rich. In addition to the (skyrocketing) expense of college, they now have to endure an indefinite amount of indentured servitude in exchange for possibly eventually getting paid? Do we now expect new grads to work a two jobs once they graduate? One for what they went to college for, and a second job pumping gas or waiting tables to support them while they are working their primary job? And that sounds good to you?
- deleted 13y ago[deleted]
- amputect 13y agoYou were by your own admission 17, which implies (since you were a minor) that you were living with relatives and debt free. Can you think of any important differences between a 17-year-old with a support net (even a shitty one) working for free, and a college educated adult with debt?
- deleted 13y ago[deleted]
- wslh 13y agoHow much code did you write for their games? Don't you think that, in certain areas, if I can fill my office with 10 unpaid trainees that do the job of one engineer is unfair? Is more about respect for others. I have a small company and I always paid for responsabilities inside my company, even few ones. For example, I invited my 15 years old cousin to do testing in the summer and I paid him, even knowing that he will study economics in the University.
- deleted 13y ago[deleted]
- ryguytilidie 13y ago"People need to take their entitlement and/or handholding attitude and stuff it." Wait, you're making this quote about the fact that people think they should be paid for doing work? Holy fuck. Man, people really need to try an ounce of self awareness with the words they say.
- deleted 13y ago[deleted]
- ryguytilidie 13y agoHow does any of that make you calling people "entitled" for not wanting to work unpaid internships remotely rational? Also, I'm sure if you were anything but a net positive they would have kicked you out immediately.