Unpaid internships perpetuate inequality in America. It's time to take a stand and give all students equal access to opportunity. Sign our petition below to put an end to unpaid internships, and use the hashtag #PayTheInterns to join the conversation.
In January 2018, the Department of Labor issued a new set of guidelines to help companies navigate the legalities of unpaid internships. Simply put, the courts reinstated the "primary beneficiary test," in place of the "six-part test" to determine the legality of unpaid internships. Now, companies just need to prove that an intern "benefitted more" than the organization from the internship not to pay them.
Seriously? We've taken a step backward. This makes it easier now than ever for companies to avoid paying their interns.
Between housing, transportation, meals, and more, this number only increases depending on the city that you live in.
For comparison, 35% of students who didn’t have one at all land a job within six months of graduation. Internships are critical experiences for jumpstarting successful careers.
Only half of the college seniors who graduated in 2016 held paid internships. Many companies don't pay, and most students can't afford to intern.
That T stands for trillion! How can we expect students to take on unpaid internships if on average, they already have $37,000 in student debt?
As the go-to career platform for college students and recent graduates (and, as the creators of National Intern Day!), we know that this new ruling is detrimental for students seeking internships. Now, all employers need to do is prove that the intern benefited more than the company through the internship not to pay them.
Unpaid internships create barriers since most people cannot afford to work for free. Things must change, and we're working hard to grant everyone equal access to opportunity. Sign our petition if you agree.
Did you have an internship that changed the course of your career? Or, did you have to pass up the chance to intern because the opportunity you wanted was unpaid? We want to hear from you. Email us at paytheinterns@wayup.com and tell us your story.
Members of Congress want to hear from their constituents. Call your elected representative, and tell them why you feel that unpaid internships are unfair. We recommend using Facebook's Town Hall to find their contact information.