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I thought they cracked down on that a few years ago since they were so badly abused. They have to meet strict educational criteria ie the business derives no immediate benefit from it.
Right. And there are actually some legal guidelines for unpaid internships, but most employers don't really follow them.
And unpaid internships although not totally new, weren't as common 20 years ago. They started becoming popular during the recession of 2007-2014.
Another problem is that some employers are using free interns for almost everything. Any and every kind of work, including a restaurant in my area that uses teenagers as "interns" to wait tables, they are paid nothing, and even have to buy their own work uniform. It's disgusting. My guess is these poor kids are so desperate to get some work experience, they'll do it.
That restaurant scam is nothing new, either. I once worked in a couple places in a resort town only to find out there was NO payday, NO paychecks at all. Only whatever tips you received. It's amazing the employees put up with it. I left right away.
And no, the DOL does not care at all. I reported them, but DOL was not interested.
The reason is because upper middle class and wealthy parents enable it by providing housing, transportation, food, and entertainment money to their little darlings while they "figure themselves out". It's actually disgusting how many pampered idiots work for free because their parents provide luxury living to their crotchfruit well into their 30's. Of course employers are going to take advantage of this, but then again they have to deal with those same privileged pampered brats as employees, but i guess if they don't have to pay them who cares? It's rampant in NYC.
When you're forced to commute over an hour to the outer boroughs, while some free working intern is living in prime Manhattan.. well things that make you go hmmmm..
I thought they cracked down on that a few years ago since they were so badly abused. They have to meet strict educational criteria ie the business derives no immediate benefit from it.
I thought so, too. I did a quick search and came upon at least one study that said unpaid interns have no better job or salary prospects than those who did not intern. A paid internship did improve both employment and starting salary prospects. So why did you want to do an unpaid internship? If you just want to work for free, there are plenty of volunteer organizations.
The water & sewer plants where I worked until I retired this year have been hiring paid summer workers for full-time positions the last few years. It gives them a chance to see what you are really like, not just how well you can tell people what they want to hear on a psychological test. So again, why did you want to do an unpaid internship?
I also have read that the crackdown on unpaid internships has resulted in companies shutting down these programs. If they were really scouting for talent, they would continue these programs as paid internships.
I have nothing against volunteer work (other than the fact that I can not earn Medicare credits with volunteer work), but I also believe in truth in advertising. If it is volunteer work, call it volunteer work, not an unpaid internship.
Ridiculous employer wish lists are the norm now. Years ago, a 4% unemployment rate was a sign to employers that they needed to raise wages or be more flexible. Now they whine that they can't find help.
Trust me I’m not new to working. Some of these jobs are just getting to the point of ridiculous and refuse to compromise with anyone. Of course then they complain no one wants to work for them.
Don't work for them. Companies like that are looking for the hungriest person out there to fill the role. If they're doing that to you, they're doing it to others as well. Do you really want to work at a company where the sole thing you have in common with your co-workers is that you were all desperate enough to give away your labor? How ethical are the medical choices going to be?
I love that places like Glassdoor are finally putting a dent in the whole...promise the world and never deliver companies that operate entirely on false pretenses with their employees. These companies haven't gone bust in the past because there's always poor but hopeful people. Hopefully now people will start to find these places out beforehand and quit feeding the monster.
I’ve been look around at different jobs in my field (medical assisting, nothing elite). So many employers in my area expect you to work an unpaid internship there, anywhere from 6 months to one year without paying you a cent! And if you’re “lucky” enough to get a job there after they pay a whole $8.15 an hour. Or you’re expected to work Saturdays for free ,oh, I’m sorry as a 10 hour “volunteer day”.
My husband works in a completely different field and he’s even being asked to work a extra 4 to 5 hours a week again unpaid. I’ve heard similar stories from friends and family, why is this suddenly seen as ok?
This is being done by many employers nowadays to "get their money's worth" out of their employees. The aim is to now leverage as much work as possible out of each employee using any and all tactics to that effect.
The gig economy is a radical extension of this concept and provides great advantages to employers. It institutionalizes this extreme view in utilizing workers to their maximum potential.
The gig economy which is slowly taking over is specifically aimed at significantly reducing labor costs by eliminating entitlements from workers such as vacations, paid health benefits, sick time, and other perks. Gig workers are encouraged to "take ownership" of these things by themselves by not taking these corporate handouts.
In the gig economy, workers have to strain themselves to the utmost in working the hardest and the longest in order to try to extend their contracts again and again. New workers can try to underbid their working competitors by asking to be paid less so they could grab the new gig contracts away from the current workers.
The gig economy definitely provides extraordinary advantages to the employer in their quest to get their money's worth out of their employees.
I’ve been look around at different jobs in my field (medical assisting, nothing elite). So many employers in my area expect you to work an unpaid internship there, anywhere from 6 months to one year without paying you a cent! And if you’re “lucky” enough to get a job there after they pay a whole $8.15 an hour. Or you’re expected to work Saturdays for free ,oh, I’m sorry as a 10 hour “volunteer day”.
My husband works in a completely different field and he’s even being asked to work a extra 4 to 5 hours a week again unpaid. I’ve heard similar stories from friends and family, why is this suddenly seen as ok?
MrsM and I've worked medical for over 50 years and have never heard of that nonsense
If true, it's up to you. If you want to take the job with all the crap, take it. If not, don't
You're choice
12-09-2017, 08:32 PM
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Sadly, the people who defend unpaid labor will also be the first ones to scream about what a lazy leech someone is because they can't support themselves on a full time job that doesn't actually pay anything.
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