Should I Get Paid as an Intern?
- You are performing roughly or exactly the same tasks as a paid employee at the same company.
- You suspect that if you weren’t performing your tasks, the employer might hire a new employee or assign more hours of work to an existing employee.
- The employer is deriving economic benefit from your work.
- You are assigned to menial tasks with no obvious educational value, such as fetching coffee, tidying up the office space, or making photocopies.
- There is no vocational training being offered, or if there is, it is of dubious educational benefit.
The modern unpaid internship is fast replacing the entry-level position. However, it is a violation of federal and state laws to exploit someone for free labor. If the conditions of your unpaid internship match any of the above descriptions, you may be entitled to compensation. Many employers often abuse their unpaid interns in order to cut costs on labor, but this practice fosters many social ills, including rising unemployment and the devaluation of existing jobs.
If you think your job is misclassified as an unpaid internship, contact CounselOne today to schedule a free consultation. Even if your internship took place years ago, contact us. You may be entitled to compensation for lost wages, including possible overtime pay. We are experienced employment litigators who are committed to securing your just compensation for your work.
Even if you received a stipend for the internship, it may have well undercut the minimum wage. If you were performing employee duties as described above, you may be entitled to compensation.
Contact CounselOne today to schedule a free initial consultation.
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