The Obama administration is launching a campaign against unpaid internships, which it considers to be a violation of labor laws. Deputy administrator of the Labor Department?s wage and hour division Nancy Leppink stated that almost any situation where a person has an internship for a for-profit employer and doesn?t get paid in any way is against the law. There are legal situations where interns are paid through provided housing, but only recently has the government begun cracking down on the unpaid internships that have long been illegal. The administration, however, is missing one crucial aspect of unpaid internships ? for many people in the current financial situation, they?re the only jobs available.
Yes, people doing unpaid internships for companies are free labor for the corporation. However, it is a win-win situation for both sides. The companies get free workers, and the interns gain experience and connections in a field in which they hope to pursue a career. At companies, interns meet people who could help them advance their careers, learn more about the mechanics of doing their jobs and gain resume-boosting experience for when they apply for a paying job in the future.
Unpaid internships are not only necessary for the employees. For some companies, it?s their only option. Payroll and health care taxes recently slapped on larger companies as a ?moral imperative,? according to Obama, make it so these businesses don?t have money to spare for paid interns. Instead of turning to machine-driven factories or outsourcing to other countries, these employers pick an option that benefits the people of America more. If the administration forces companies to start paying their interns, a much greater change will likely occur ? companies will simply start firing their interns. Most corporations simply don?t have the money to hire expensive, untrained workers when there are so many cheaper options, such as mechanical labor or outsourced jobs.
The potential elimination of unpaid internships isn?t only bad for recent graduates, but also for those with lower experience and education, such as immigrants and minorities. Many immigrants who work for construction companies will be passed over in favor of more trained workers and an entire sector of the country will be without jobs. Having an internship could help train people for this inevitable future where only trained professionals will be chosen for the paid jobs.
Additionally, corporations are not tricking interns into working for them by pretending to offer wages. Interns know exactly what they are walking into when they apply for the position. If they are interested in taking the career, then why should the government stop them? Internship applicants are perfectly capable of making their own decisions, and if they believe it will further their careers to intern for a company without being paid, then all the more power to them.
The Obama administration is stifling the futures of young Americans by enforcing this law. This isn?t the time or economic climate to be keeping people from taking jobs, regardless of the wages (or lack of) they earn. If these jobs could get them references, experience and connections, then it may be worth it for them.