In today’s job market, many businesses turn to unpaid interns rather than paying employees to perform entry-level work and/or menial tasks.
Not only is this unfair to interns and other job seekers, it’s also illegal.
The Fair Labor Standards Act states that unpaid interns who perform work ordinarily done by paid employees, or who do any work that benefits the employer, are employees, and are entitled to at least minimum wage.
Despite existing law, unpaid internships continue to be advertised and filled by large corporations and small businesses alike, with no oversight, no regulation and no penalties.
We demand that the Obama administration and the Department of Labor crack down on illegal unpaid internships that dilute the job market and lower wages across the board for all workers.