Are Unpaid Interns Handy Helpers Or A Source Of Liability?

Summer is fast approaching and along with the dog days of pool time, family vacations, and outdoor activities, comes summer break for students. For many companies, this means an influx of potential interns anxious to learn the ins-and-outs of an industry and willing to do so without pay. As we have mentioned in past updates (see here and here), the Department of Labor has been stepping up enforcement efforts and closely scrutinizing the use of non-employee workers, such as independent contractors. However, many employers are not aware that this uptick in audits of employee misclassification extends to unpaid interns. In fact, the DOL has issued a fact sheet specifically addressing the use of unpaid interns.