Creating a Successful Student Internship Program

In June 2013, an administrative district court ruled in Glatt, et al v. Fox Searchlight Pictures Inc., that certain unpaid interns providing services on the motion picture Black Swan were actually "employees’ as per the federal and state wage laws, and so entitled to compensation. This ruling comes on the heels of comparable high-profile claims against firms like Conde Nast and the Hearst Corporation and as websites like unpaidinternslawsuit.com and internjustice.com.

These disputes have re-ignited the discussion over the utilization of internships as a part of a university’s curricular program. Defenders of educational internships purpose to certification encouragement, professional practice standards, and general academic benefits flowing from such efforts. Critics have questioned whether higher education institutions are condoning students' exploitation as free labor whereas colleges collect tuition greenbacks. The discussion over this issue continues whereas the Glatt call is on review before the Second Circuit and state governments have begun to weigh in by extending numerous employment laws to student interns. Thus, these recent developments have made clear that internships are not without some legal risk, and institutions of higher education need to understand and mitigate this risk if they hope to be able to provide opportunities to students.

In this webinar, we will explore the current debate over the use of internships as a curricular program and some of the reasons behind fostering internships for academic credit. Sacha will shed light on the legal issues companies face in accepting interns, and explain how institutions of higher education can respond by structuring internships to both minimize risk and enhance the overall student experience.

This program will provide answers to these important questions:

• Why does the Black Swan case have any impact on institutions of higher education?
• How has the debate surrounding the Black Swan case impacted internships, co-ops, and other forms of experiential education?
• What is the current state of the law regarding unpaid internships?
• Is an academic internship still an available option as an experiential opportunity for students?
• Can an institution promote unpaid internships through its campus office?
• What obstacles do companies face when considering an unpaid internship?
• What legal standards will be used to review unpaid internships?
• How can we limit the liability arising from unpaid internship programs?
• What guidance should be provided to companies who are seeking an unpaid intern?
• How do these developments impact clinical rotations or other internships required for accreditation?
• What impact do these developments have on government or non-profit internships?
• What are the best practices for preparing a compliant internship program?

Agenda:

• Learn about the framework of internships and explore the current debate over these opportunities.
• Learn about the various legal analyses applied to unpaid internships in different jurisdictions.
• Gain an understanding of the current state of the law, including a review of pending and newly enacted legislation and decisions, applicable to unpaid internships.
• Gain insight into the legal issues employers face in accepting interns.
• Explore the strategies for framing an institution of higher education's response
• DOL’s Six-Factor Test
• Best Practices for Unpaid Internships

Who will Benefit:

• Administrators of educational institutions
• Student affairs professionals
• Risk management officers for educational institutions
• Attorneys representing educational institutions
• EEO coordinators and educational institution compliance managers
• Academic Advisors
• HR Professionals
• Directors and managers of career services offices

Ask a question at the Q & A session following the live event and get advice pertaining to your situation, straight from our expert speaker.