Just in time for the summer season, the Department of Labor (DOL) has rolled out a new set of standards on the few occasions when it’s OK to offer unpaid internships.
According to the DOL, here are six occasions where a company can use unpaid employees:
1. The internship is similar to training that would be given in an educational environment – even though it includes operations of the employer’s facilities.
2. The internship experience is for the benefit of the intern.
3. The intern doesn’t displace regular employees – he or she works under their supervision.
4. The employer receives no immediate advantage from the intern.
5. The intern is not necessarily entitled to a job at the end of the internship.
6. Both the employer and the intern understand that the intern isn’t entitled to wages.
Note: These standards only apply to interns working for “for-profit” private sector companies.
