Are Unpaid Internships Ethical, Bad, Legal, or Worth it?

 

Is it really ethical to have any form of labor go unpaid? The issue of interns earning no money from the work they do has become a major talking point in the world today with some arguing that it is ethical and others unethical. This article provides all the answers that you need to gauge this ethical situation. 

Are unpaid Internships Ethical?

Unpaid internships are not as unethical as many people may deem. It is absolutely ethical for employers or companies to engage interns without pay as long as there are mutual benefits between them. However, when interns agree to work without any paycheck, they should also be rewarded with reasonable benefits.

Ethics is about what is good for a party and the other or society. In this case, interns working for free can be viewed as ethical or unethical depending on the circumstances.

Some people say that no one should labor for free. But employers also say that “interns are working to gain experience.” Critics say that the argument can be used in formal settings is a form of modern-day exploitation.

Someone would have been paid for that work and therefore letting someone else do it for free is unethical.

Also, interns going unpaid is an assumption that they all can afford a living. Some need to be paid to earn a living and letting them work for free is some kind of oppression.

Even if students or immigrants who work as interns do not ask for any kind of payment, the employer should not take advantage of this situation to decide not to pay them. 

There is a common ethical principle in the world today known as a fair exchange. It stipulates that when an individual provides mental or physical support in doing certain tasks or activities, they deserve to be paid in exchange.

It does not matter the setting this happens regardless of whether the intern is learning on the job or even if opportunities may arise in the future as a result of that internship. 

Are Unpaid Internships Legal?

Unpaid internships are legal because they do no not break any law, especially when implemented as per the educational or academic environment as part of learning. According to the law, it is legal to give opportunities to interns and not pay them for the services that they provide within the duration agreed upon.

According to the Department of Labor of the United States of America, interns working in the public sector or non-profit organizations and not getting paid are legal if they are volunteering without the expectation of getting any payment in return.

Also, under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) of 1938, any employer of any profit company must be paid for their work. However, interns are not classified as employees by the FLSA. 

Unpaid internships are legal if the intern is the primary beneficiary of an agreement that is determined by the following seven points:

1. The intern is aware that they will not be compensated for all work done.
2. The training that the intern receives is compared to training received at their educational institution. 
3. There is an understanding that the internship will not result to a permanent job after its completion.
4. If the internship is tied to an academic program that the intern is supposed to take that is supervised by the intern’s professor from which in collaboration with the employer institution the student is graded.
5. The internship is limited to a time during which the intern is receiving and gaining learning that is beneficial to them.
6. The internship is automatically accommodated in the intern’s academic program. Therefore, the institution is usually prepared to welcome students interns every year.
7. The intern’s work is a complement to the work of the permanent or existing employees and not a substitute while still receiving beneficial learning. 

Are Unpaid Internships Worth it?

Unpaid internships are worth it if they help interns learn and gain working experience while practicing the skills learned in school. An unpaid intern job is worth it if you are a student. This is because it is not feasible for companies to hire untrained individuals with no history of the actual working environment.

As a student, taking an unpaid internship familiarizes you with your area of specification in your professional.

This gives you a clear picture of what your profession entails and you can then decide whether that is what you want to do for the rest of your working life or not.

Also, you get to interact with professionals who can help you with tips you can use to maneuver your career path.

Additionally, you get skills in your profession and learn how to interact with employees in a workplace.

All these reasons  are relevant and more important than the little payment that you will get for a few months before going back to school and completing your course

However, internships for graduates should be paid. This is because you are hiring them based on qualifications and they are coming to do a job that will benefit the company.

Pros and cons of Paying Interns

Any internship is good for either the intern or the employer. But in all, it is good to focus on the success part. Read our tips on how to succeed in an internship to get the best out of it.

However, there are some times when either gain while the other does not. Let us explore the pros and cons of each.

Advantages of paid Internships

1. Attract the best candidates

Almost every student looking for an internship will apply at a company that pays interns. Through this move the company gets the chance to select the best students among hundreds of applicants.

Also, some students have learned their value and will only apply for internships at places where they can be paid. But it is good to know that internship is not for students only and anyone with education can be hired.

Therefore, not paying interns will not attract top-level students who will help the company move forward part from their learning and gaining experience in the job

2. They take internships seriously

Students may come in with a lot of morale and motivation to work but this easily fades out because there is no appreciation through payment.

Paying interns makes them treat the internship as a real job and work to the best of their abilities always. Also, the company can assign them projects without hesitation or fear that they will not be tackled properly

3. Can turn them into full-time employees

By paying interns and having them work to the best of their ability, it is very easy for a company to identify an intern who can be a proper addition to their company. Maybe the intern offers something that the company has been missing and can help steer it forward.

Disadvantages of Paying Interns

1. Less motivation to work hard

Not paying interns likely leads to poor work done within a short time after hiring them because there will be no motivation for them to work.

Payment, even if little can serve as an appreciation of the work that the interns are doing and encourage them to continue the same way. 

2. Limits diversity and opportunities

In the world we live in today, every effort deserves to be recognized. Even though there are rules existing that allow interns to go unpaid, it is time to reform them and value the work that others do regardless of their status.

Also, a company can miss the opportunity to hire a good intern that they can employ full-time if they do not provide any payment.