Ethics of Unpaid Internships

Considering of ethics, the phenomenon of not paying interns with salary has become an issue. According to the Economist Newspaper, companies that “fail to pay are in growing danger of being taken to court.”¹ With the increasing awareness of personal right, the former unpaid interns now demand the companies pay their intern salary back. Nevertheless, in my own perspective, I tend to disagree with defining unpaid internships as illegal.

When an intern gets an internship offer from the company, it is clearly stated on the offer that the internship is unpaid. The offer will not go into effect unless the intern consents. Based on Milton Friedman’s concept —- companies that “engage in open and free competition without deception or fraud”² are defined as being social responsible, because the interns know they will not be paid in advance, and the companies do not force them to accept the offer, the unpaid internships should not be deemed as illegal.

Additionally, as the internships provide interns with experience and further development of their studies, the essence of internships is rather like practical lectures. Internships will shape intern’s future, and help them identify their values. However, during this process, the interns are far less effective than the regular employees, and they may even make huge mistakes that can affect the company negatively. It is not exaggerated to say that the interns are lucky for not having to pay the internships. As a result, it is not an ethical action for the interns who previously gained experience from the firms to take their “teachers” to the court.

Endnotes:

1. T.W. “Are Unpaid Internships Illegal?” The Economist. The Economist Newspaper, 9 Sept. 2014. Web. 10 Sept. 2014. <http://www.economist.com/blogs/economist-explains/2014/09/economist-explains-7>.

2. Zimmerli, Walther Ch. “The Social Responsibility of Business Is to Increase Its Profits.”Corporate Ethics and Corporate Governance. Berlin: Springer, 2007. Print.

Picture reference:  

Retrieved from <http://www.pikaland.com/2013/01/07/i-work-for-free-sometimes/>.

Article Reference:

T.W. “Are Unpaid Internships Illegal?” The Economist. The Economist Newspaper, 9 Sept. 2014. Web. 10 Sept. 2014. <http://www.economist.com/blogs/economist-explains/2014/09/economist-explains-7>.

Zimmerli, Walther Ch. “The Social Responsibility of Business Is to Increase Its Profits.”Corporate Ethics and Corporate Governance. Berlin: Springer, 2007. Print.

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Definition of “Internships”: <http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/internship>.