The majority of unpaid internships are illegal and they're creating a toxic work environment for students, recent graduates, and workers seeking a career change. The Dept of Labor created guidelines, all of which must be met in order for an unpaid internship to be legal, including that the position is for the benefit of the intern and the company must not derive any advantage from the intern. http://dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/whdfs71.htm
Unpaid internships are having a larger effect on the workforce as a whole. These employees aren't eligible for benefits, often forced to take a second job, or even pay for school credit (essentially, paying to work!) Plus, internships are eating into the availability and pay rate of entry level and junior level positions.
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