THE ISSUE: In recent years, multiple court cases have been heard over the legality of the unpaid internship. A Supreme Court case found that two interns on the set of ‘Black Swan’ should have been paid. As summer — or internship season — nears, two editorial board members weigh in on the matter.
Click to see an opposing viewpoint.
The argument concerning unpaid internships is all too often approached from a viewpoint of morality rather than one of legality. For an organization to offer an internship position without pay, strict guidelines set by the U.S. Department of Labor and the Fair Labor Standards Act must be met.
Unfortunately, these guidelines are loosely enforced, resulting in the misconception that for-profit companies can legally exploit unpaid interns as a form of free labor.
This is simply not true. In fact, federal law requires the net benefit of unpaid internships to go to the intern rather than the employer. It is important to note that these benefits do not always have to come with a dollar sign.
Employers can satisfy this law by providing interns with training similar to that which would be given in an educational environment.
Internships provide students with real-life experience in their respective career field, an opportunity far more valuable than monetary compensation.
If the government required interns to be paid, many companies would likely eliminate the positions rather than fork over the cash.
The U.S. is a country founded on capitalistic ideals, and competition is the main driver for growth in any aspect of the economy. Unpaid interns usually lack relevant experience in their particular field, so they make up for this by working without pay. This results in a mutually beneficial agreement between the company and intern.
