2. Deloitte Reaches Across Generations
The consulting firm’s growth strategies hinge on its ability to blend employees from four different eras into a cohesive workforce.
There are government rules that need to be followed. Here are some tips for both sides.
By Bridget Mintz Testa Comments 0 | Recommend 0
npaid summer internships can benefit businesses and students, but only if
all parties follow the rules.
Jay Zweig, partner and chairman of the employment group in the Phoenix office of
global law firm Bryan Cave, is an expert on the Department of Labor’s rules
governing unpaid internships.
Here are his tips on how businesses can avoid legal problems when engaging a
student for such positions:
Training received by the intern must be for his or her benefit.
Training must be general, not for the immediate advantage of the business, and
it may even slow normal operations.
Interns can’t be used to replace paid employees.
Interns must be closely supervised or mentored.
Interns can do real work as long as they are closely supervised, are learning
and aren’t necessarily creating a final product.
Both the intern and the business must agree that the internship will be unpaid.
Both parties must agree that no job is promised at the end of the internship.
High schools, technical schools and colleges can partner with businesses to set
up compliant unpaid internships in which the student receives course credit.
This lends credibility to the internship’s benefit for the student.
Decide beforehand if the business has the time and personnel to closely
supervise and mentor an unpaid intern.
When in doubt, businesses can avoid legal problems by paying interns at least
minimum wage.
Workforce Management Online, July 2008 -- Register Now!
Bridget Mintz Testa is a freelance writer based in Houston. E-mail editors@workforce.com to comment.
Reproductions and distribution of the above article are strictly prohibited. To order reprints and/or request permission to use the article in full or partial format, please contact our Reprint Sales Manager at (732) 723-0569.
Comments
Guidelines: Comments that include profanity or personal attacks or other inappropriate comments or material will be removed
from the site. We will take steps to block users who violate any of our posting standards, terms of use or privacy policies
or any other policies governing this site. You are fully responsible for the content you post.
= Member Only
npaid summer internships can benefit businesses and students, but only if
all parties follow the rules. 
