Obama Eyes Interns

[Dont Taz Me Bro]

The Obama administration's top law enforcement officer at the Labor Department, M. Patricia Smith, is targeting companies that give young people unpaid internships. She claims that internships are rife with abusive practices and that serious violations of labor law are widespread. Arguing that interns should get paid at least minimum wage, Ms. Smith and the White House risk destroying a valuable steppingstone that gives many young Americans training they need to get jobs they want in the future.

The Washington Times

These internships provide valuable on the job experience which companies consider far more desirable than someone straight out of college with no experience and just a piece of paper saying they took so many classes. The market is saturated with college graduates today because our education system pushes everyone to go, so much to the point that it hardly mean much anymore. Just because these interns may not get paid in dollars, doesn't mean they aren't getting paid in other ways. This administration has a very myopic view on what education is. I learned more actually in my career doing my job than I ever did in school.

If the Federal government goes through with this the bottom line is a lot of these internships will simply dry up and disappear and it will be that much more difficult for a young adult out of school to get a job. Nobody is forced into an unpaid internship. It is a private agreement made between the intern and employer and the intern can leave when ever he wants.

This is just more proof how anti-business this administration is and that the government has gotten too damn big. These people just can't stay the fuck out of other people's business. Why do we need a Labor Secretary anyway? Sounds like another useless cabinet position that can be scrapped.

 

[CMike]

I agree. Internships are important for people to learn the trade.

 

[rightwinger]

Internships are a win-win situation for the employer and the employee. The intern gets valuable experience and the employer gets free labor. In a typical intern situation the employer is also providing one on one training.

I look at it as an agreement between consenting adults. Leave it alone