To Pay or Not to Pay the Interns…

That is the question still being debated today. Over the last few years the debate about paying interns has increasingly heated up, with the first story breaking in 2010 when two interns won the lawsuit they filed against 20^th Century Fox for not being paid a proper salary while working on the Black Swan film set. Since then, more and more interns have begun coming forward, demanding compensation for the long hours they have tirelessly put in.

Several weeks after a judge ruled in favor of the Black Swan interns, two other interns filed a lawsuit against their previous employer, publisher Conde Nast in the same court for violations of labor law. This lawsuit alleges that W magazine and the New Yorker violated New York and federal labor laws by forming unpaid internships like an actual job, rather than a learning opportunity, and seeks to recover wages for the two interns named in the lawsuit. Conde Nast “failed to pay members of the Intern Class minimum wages for all hours worked to which they are entitled under [New York labor law],” the lawsuit says. Over time the internship system has been truly challenged, spurring a movement that has caused more than 15 other lawsuits to be brought to court.

In addition to lawsuits, the Fair Pay campaign is the newest campaign to come from this movement. Its goal is to hire professional organizers to motivate interns in major cities like New York and Los Angeles and bring them together to fight for fairer treatment. The Intern Labor Rights, a group that stemmed from the Occupy Movement, is also joining forces with other like-minded coalitions abroad to form fairer internships.

As a college student, and soon to be starting my second internship this fall, I have to agree with this movement. Interns are an integral part of the operation of all different types of businesses, organizations, and companies, and we should be treated as such. We don’t need to be paid like a top executive, but a little more appreciation would go a long way, especially in our current economy.

Is this a legitimate debate? Or do you think that interns should be happy with the work and experience they are receiving? Let PRowl know!

This guest blog post was written by PRowl Staff Member Jenna Stern.

The Death of the Unpaid Intern

Last week, The Atlantic Wire posted an article that questioned if the days of unpaid internships are numbered. Two interns who worked on the movie Black Swan sued 20th Century Fox for not paying them a proper salary...and won. You can read more about the details of the lawsuit here.

While that’s an amazing outcome for the Black Swan interns, what does that mean for the rest of us? The new precedent that developed from this case states that employees should be covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) unless the internship meets six criteria that says it is okay to use young workers without pay. After reading over the FLSA’s “Test for Unpaid Interns,” it is quite clear that most unpaid “internships” do not meet this criteria. Most of these interns are performing the same jobs as employees, and should be compensated as such. 

So with this new precedent brought to light, why are there no summer intern riots in the streets? For one, this story just broke less than a week ago. After a quick Google search I found that this story has ran on The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, and The Huffington Post. However, the ruling on unpaid internships has yet to make it to major news networks such as CNN, CBS, or FOX. Only two networks have reported anything on the lawsuit: NBC and ABC. 

Fortunately, the story has begun to gain some traction over the weekend. In true grassroots fashion, blogs have been covering this new development in full force. Could that be because the unpaid interns are at the helm of these blogs? Regardless of who’s responsible for getting the information out, the important thing is that it starts a conversation. 

Another reason why people may not be so quick to protest is simply because they like their internship the way it is. Sometimes just the rush of doing work in your desired profession is enough. For some, the promise of gained experience and knowledge is fulfilling on its own. However, for those who aren’t as easily fulfilled, take the time to look at the FLSA as written by the U.S. Department of Labor. You may be surprised to discover that your summer internship may just be your summer job. 

The TRUTH About Unpaid Interns

Last week, PR Daily posted this article featuring 5 things not to expect from an unpaid intern. The article basically tells internship coordinators and PR pros who will work with these interns to brace themselves. It describes unpaid interns as slackers who won't be motivated to be great interns if they aren't being paid to do so.

Having completed two unpaid internships with a third in progress, I know a few things about being an unpaid intern. The PR Daily article definitely does not describe any successful intern I've ever met, paid or unpaid. While being paid to intern is great and a big help to many, it should not be your only criteria when selecting an internship, nor should it determine the type of intern you will be. I know plenty of students who have held multiple unpaid internships and walked away with a wealth of knowledge of their field. I also know people who have held multiple paid internships, and only walked away with a paycheck.

That being said, here are three things I believe you should actually expect from an unpaid intern:

1. They are passionate about their field: Knowing that twice a week I get to wake up and do what I'm most passionate about is the best feeling in the world. Unpaid interns do what they do because they love what they do. Doing the job for free shows that they refuse to put a numerical value on their passion.

2. They will give it their all: Despite what PR Daily says about unpaid interns giving their all, I believe that an unpaid intern will put everything they have into an internship. Many times, interns are upperclassman (juniors and seniors) who will be searching for long term employment in the near future. They cannot afford to risk a bad recommendation  an underdeveloped resume, or to lose industry connections. For these reasons, along with many others, unpaid interns will give their all to their internships!

3. They want to learn and grow: My favorite part about interning is getting a chance to observe the workplace environment. You learn the most from just observing how your superiors go about things and handle certain situations. Unpaid interns, as they aren't being paid, want to leave with a takeaway, and that takeaway is knowledge. The goal of every intern should be to know more by the end of their internship about the field than they did when they started.

Have you ever held or are you currently holding an unpaid internship? Do you think less is expected of you than a paid intern? What did you think of PR Daily's article? Share your thoughts!!