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Unpaid Interns

AustinInDallas

AustinInDallas

Golden Member
So my company has tasked me with finding an intern or two at my old Almamater. Can you still get unpaid interns? I have heard/read a lot of bad press on interns lately. And if you do have to pay them, is minimum wage acceptable? I mean these kids aren't gonna be doing differential equations.

Marketing Interns.
 
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Yeah don't do it unless this person is going to be getting you coffee and anything else that isn't a paid project. Our company is being sued by some kid with a lawyer father. It's really stupid that you can't have an unpaid intern working on paid projects but that's what the law says.

Minimum wage should be perfectly acceptable. Just make them sign paperwork that says they acknowledge their pay is going to be that low.
 
nboy22 said:
Yeah don't do it unless this person is going to be getting you coffee and anything else that isn't a paid project. Our company is being sued by some kid with a lawyer father. It's really stupid that you can't have an unpaid intern working on paid projects but that's what the law says.

Minimum wage should be perfectly acceptable. Just make them sign paperwork that says they acknowledge their pay is going to be that low.
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what state are you in?
 
Yea a lot of companies kept using unpaid interns to do real work with the "hint" a full time job might be there if they worked hard and did a good job. Then schools ends and the company just gets another intern and starts back again.

So yea you need to pay them if they do any real work. Min wage is probably ok in most areas ok but I would budget a raise for them if you get some good ones.
 
Jimzz said:
Yea a lot of companies kept using unpaid interns to do real work with the "hint" a full time job might be there if they worked hard and did a good job. Then schools ends and the company just gets another intern and starts back again.

So yea you need to pay them if they do any real work. Min wage is probably ok in most areas ok but I would budget a raise for them if you get some good ones.
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define real work?
 
Lol, can you still get unpaid interns. Companies love slave labour.

Seriously, yes you can. However, they have to earn college credit. Otherwise it's illegal.
 
mmntech said:
Lol, can you still get unpaid interns. Companies love slave labour.

Seriously, yes you can. However, they have to earn college credit. Otherwise it's illegal.
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Its all been organized by the marketing intern coordinator at the university. All of its legitimate and the intern will early college credit
 
Yes, as long as the following apply:


  1. The 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 that provides the training derives no immediate advantage from the activities of the intern; and on occasion its operations may actually be impeded;
  5. The intern is not necessarily entitled to a job at the conclusion of the internship; and
  6. The employer and the intern understand that the intern is not entitled to wages for the time spent in the internship.
Have fun with #4.
 
AustinInDallas said:
ADDITIONAL QUESTION:
If they are minimum wage, do we have to make them w2, or can they be 1099?
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Level of compensation doesn't play a factor in determining whether the person is an employee or an IC. In this case, I can tell you with 100% certainty that they would be an employee and you would need a W4 from them and would have to provide a W2.
 
PenguinPower said:
Level of compensation doesn't play a factor in determining whether the person is an employee or an IC. In this case, I can tell you with 100% certainty that they would be an employee and you would need a W4 from them and would have to provide a W2.
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So no way to 1099 an intern?
 
Ksyder said:
You should show your interns this thread so they see what kind of person/company you guys seem to be.
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I'll CC them on it.

And I'm sorry if you feel like I'm a bad person.

I came here genuinely for advice and personal experiences. I was under the impression that it was a common(or at least previously common) practice and not seen as evil
 
AustinInDallas said:
I'll CC them on it.

And I'm sorry if you feel like I'm a bad person.

I came here genuinely for advice and personal experiences. I was under the impression that it was a common(or at least previously common) practice and not seen as evil
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Nothing in life is free anymore. Having worked with many interns, don't expect the "payment of experience to put on a resume" be enough to draw anyone to work at your company these days. Almost every internship I've seen these days has been of the paid type, and has actually paid very well for the respective industry.
 
Ksyder said:
You should show your interns this thread so they see what kind of person/company you guys seem to be.
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Yea really.

You want some college kids to do free work, and if you can't get that, then minimum wage, but you are going to try to get them for free, so you can look better to your boss.

You say they "aren't gonna be doing differential equations", so on top of no pay you want them fetching coffee and making copies, in effect giving them no real world experience except what a secretary might know?

Nice.
 
JamesV said:
Yea really.

You want some college kids to do free work, and if you can't get that, then minimum wage, but you are going to try to get them for free, so you can look better to your boss.

You say they "aren't gonna be doing differential equations", so on top of no pay you want them fetching coffee and making copies, in effect giving them no real world experience except what a secretary might know?

Nice.
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lol. no. Everyone is assuming slave labor.

Social media marketing and branding. Offices are actually in NYC, and I work from home, so the intern will also be working from their home
 
ghost recon88 said:
Nothing in life is free anymore.
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I think it's OP's attitude that just seems rude. College is obscenely expensive, and on top of that, they should spend their gas and time to work for you so you can look good for your boss.

It's ok to want to use interns, but it sounds like you want it to benefit yourself, and not them. CC them on that.
 
AustinInDallas said:
lol. no. Everyone is assuming slave labor.

Social media marketing and branding. Offices are actually in NYC, and I work from home, so the intern will also be working from their home
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I have a friend doing a marketing and branding internship. He makes 25+ an hour. Talent demands payment.

My engineering internships can make 40+ an hour.

Good luck getting non-dumbasses for free.
 
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If your philosophy is just to get cheap labor, I would pay them. If you're going to try and mentor/teach, and you're running a low margin operation, unpaid might be ok. Although if you can afford it, you should pay
 
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