Lane Powell Shareholder Paul Ostroff was quoted in a February 2015 Oregon Business magazine article titled “Labor Pains: Thinking About Starting an Internship Program? Be Careful. Navigating Unpaid Internships Can Be Tricky.” The article discussed the legal complexities surrounding unpaid internship programs, as well as the potential liability companies may face if they do not follow the U.S. Department of Labor’s guidelines.
Companies that offer unpaid internships must take care that the interns remain interns and don’t morph into unpaid employees, which could open up legal ramifications. “There is a six-part test to see if you have an employee or an unpaid intern,” reports Paul Ostroff, an attorney with Lane Powell PC, referring to U.S. Department of Labor guidelines. “We recommend that our clients have a written internship agreement with every individual who qualifies as an intern.”