Why don’t these magnanimous companies who are doing it benefit the student and with no benefit to the company just pay the intern $7.50/hr and not worry about the internship being declared out of compliance?
I think all internships beyond 2-4 weeks should be paid unless they are set up through the school and there is school supervision and credit given. Of course it is wonderful to be a white house intern or work at the red cross or follow Tom Brokaw around, but it’s a slippery slope. What if you aren’t following Tom Brokaw but Mike the Weatherman from a station in Wichita, and you are expected to do errands and fetch coffee and answer phones? If you weren’t there, who would do it? Just pay the kid.