September 26, 2011
As the Pay Your Interns campaign continues to gather pace, those exploiting unpaid interns should be named and shamed to raise awareness, campaign leaders Graduate Fog has argued.
The campaign challenges large companies taking advantage of graduates' desperation to gain experience by hiring them as interns and not paying them properly. The current job market has limited opportunities for emerging students and young workers, and many feel their hunger to work is being abused by companies up and down the country.
According to Graduate Fog, rumours that unpaid internships lead to paid, permanent roles are simply a ‘myth’. The reality, it argues, is that internships are increasingly replacing these permanent positions.
Those companies flagged by unpaid interns under the campaign will soon receive an email from Graduate Fog asking them to clarify their policy on internships. Subsequently, those not paying their interns for the level of work being done will be asked to explain how their policies fit with national minimum wage legislation.
"Unpaid internships are the big issue for graduates entering the job market in 2011. A practice that appears to be harmless - helpful, even - has turned out to be extremely damaging,” said Tanya de Grunwald, founder of Graduate Fog.
“In turning a blind eye to this issue, the UK's politicians have effectively sanctioned the exploitation of tens of thousands of young people who can (just about) afford to work for nothing - while their less well off friends are left on the sidelines, unable to get their careers started."
For more on minimum wage legislation and its appliance to internships, contact our employment experts.
