EU Plans To Get Rid Of Unpaid Internships So That People Will Be Valued For The Work They Do
Does it ever seem that companies’ requirements for new hires are more unrealistic than ever? You’ve probably seen the memes mocking potential employers who are requesting 10 years of experience from someone who came straight out of high school or college. You need the experience to get the job, but you need a job to get experience—a true Catch-22 scenario in real life. For this (ridiculous) reason, many young people are doing unpaid internships to gain experience and skills. But it seems awfully unfair to put in a workload for no compensation at all, doesn’t it? Luckily, some lawmakers in the European Parliament agree. Recently, they have been calling to ban unpaid internships across the states of the European Union.
More info: Euractiv
EU lawmakers are calling for a ban on unpaid internships
Image credits: adpowers (not the actual photo)
Some EU lawmakers called upon the European Commission and member states last week to increase their support for working young people. Across the EU, youth unemployment is on the rise, which was further worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic. In a new resolution with 574 votes to 77 and 43 abstentions, the lawmakers are urging the member states to ensure that people who enroll for the Youth Guarantee schemes are offered “good-quality, varied, and tailored job, training, apprenticeship, or internship offers, including fair remuneration.”
The resolution indicates unpaid internships as “a form of exploitation of young people’s work and a violation of their rights.”
According to them, it’s “a form of exploitation of young people’s work”
Image credits: ugacommunications (not the actual photo)
Last week, European Parliament President David Sassoli told the media: “This battle against unpaid internships has been going on for a long time. For too long, we have got used to unpaid traineeships, but this has got to change.”
“The European Parliament is now leading by example, and unpaid internships are illegal in the House. What we want now is for this to be replicated across the EU so that, once and for all, we rid ourselves of the problem of unpaid interns,” added MEP Brando Benifei.
“It’s crucial that the EU learns from past mistakes by offering young people quality jobs”
Image credits: eurostat
“With the youth unemployment rate at 17.6% in the EU in August 2020, EU lawmakers also called for more funds to strengthen the Youth Guarantee scheme for 2021-2027 in their resolution,” Euractiv informs.
Commenting on the resolution, the European Youth Forum (EYF) said that they’re hoping to make unpaid internships “a thing of the past.”
“For too long, we have got used to unpaid traineeships, but this has got to change”
“With youth unemployment rising more sharply now than after the financial crash, it’s crucial that the EU learns from past mistakes by offering young people quality jobs and real legal protection from exploitation,” said Ludovic Voet, confederal secretary of ETUC [European Trade Union Confederation].
Here’s what people online thought about the idea
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It's not just modern slavery, but also maintains the class status quo. Unpaid internships are another barrier for lower socioeconomic young people from entering the workforce. Children who come from wealthy families can afford to work for free while their parents support them. This experience enables them to break into the upper echelons of their chosen field faster. Meanwhile, those who need to work to support themselves are missing out on opportunities and not developing experience in their field because they need to have a paying job. Removing unpaid internships evens the playing field just that little bit more.
I never thought about this aspect of an unpaid internship. Well said and thank you for bringing this up.
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I don't know how anyone can disagree with this. It should be illegal everywhere.
Generally I agree, but there should be exceptions. All the internships I ever did were unpaid, but most of the time I did not do any real work and other people had to stop their regular work to show me around. If you wanted money for that, nobody would take interns like that.
Load More Replies...
It is about time. Unpaid internships are wrong. The fact that people still work for free in this day and age for "experience is laughable. I hope the US does this too, but I won't hold my breath. Paying workers is not something my country likes to do, because it means less money for the rich, and we can't have that.
Unpaid internships are worse than only being a form of exploitation of young people in the workplace. It is, in the final analysis, a system put in place to ensure that the offspring of the established elite are the ones who in the end will get hired because they are the only ones with parents rich enough to pay for all their living expenses when their children are working full time with no pay. This is usually at firms in big cities with a very high cost of living. You can look at it this way, that this is how the European elite makes up for the free and egalitarian university educations available to young Europeans of all social strata. I remember reading about a young Englishman who finally landed an internship at a Swizz bank, but was let go when they found out that he was living in a tent in some kind soul's garden!
I was thinking exactly this. Only the wealthy can afford internships
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I remember when that was done in Brazil (mid 2008). The bad thing is that in my area it was the best way to gain experience and be part of some amazing projects (Biology). But I understand that for other areas interns were being exploited, thus it had to end. Anyways good for EU for wanting to catch up on this subject!
In Canada its called Practicums and you do it while going to University; you get on the job training and they get free labor
We also have them in Lithuania (EU), but the university only requires 1 month full time or 2 months part time of work. So this isn't too much. And even if unpaid, students can manage quite well. However, when I studied in the Netherlands, my university required me to do 3 months of full time internship, and than was unpaid so I was really happy my parents could help me out with living expenses.
Load More Replies...
Human rights policies like this is one of the main reasons the UK left the EU — they cost rich people money.
I think the only unpaid internships we have is when school kids (16-18) need job orientation for a few days. They don't have expenses (usually) plus as a company you invest more in them than you get back. (we give them a backpack full of fun stuff though). Anything longer than a week or for kids over 18 gets paid. Not much, I think they get like 1000 a month, but that should cover rent and food.
It is about time. Unpaid internships are wrong. The fact that they still exist in this day and age is laughable. People working for "experience" and not getting paid is just laughable. I hope the US follows suit, but I won't hold my breath. My country doesn't like to pay it's workers because that would mean less money for the rich.
I haven't seen an unpaid internship in EU and I have observations from several countries.
I think it depends on the type of internship. A true internship, where the mentor is taking time out of his day to teach the intern the trade with no expectation that the intern will stay with the office, shouldn't be paid because the mentor is not receiving any benefit and is actually conferring the benefit. Most internships though aren't true internships. The 'intern' is doing actual work for the employer and the employer is benefiting. Those should absolutely be paid.
In Canada, students get paid fairly (over minimum wage) . They may get summer jobs replacing workers who take vacation time or they may be on a 3 months in school, 3 months at work schedule until they graduate.
I am not sure about this one. My son just did a two-month internship for a European television company. He was fed, but that was it. Most of the time he just stood there or was a gofer. If they had to pay him, it would not have happened. But he is a student doing a course. He was well treated and made connections. So the law has to be specific and apply to already qualified people. This will be difficult to regulate and would close many opportunities.
Great idea. Though think that some smart ass companies will rename it as "volunteer work" or whatever (specially political circles). As well since from now on companies will have to pay, they will rather want to hire experienced people. Either way situation will be much better with this change. Because now... student - work for free and be happy you have received such a "great opportunity". Starting professional - work for minimum wage "...for starters, till you'll gain some experience" (read: for many years till you quit and find something better).
After young NGOs have been fighting for this for years, the European Parliament has joined the quest. Which is great. But it's not just their random idea
"After young NGOs have been fighting for this for years," yet any number of NGOs were also using unpaid interns....
Load More Replies... It's not just modern slavery, but also maintains the class status quo. Unpaid internships are another barrier for lower socioeconomic young people from entering the workforce. Children who come from wealthy families can afford to work for free while their parents support them. This experience enables them to break into the upper echelons of their chosen field faster. Meanwhile, those who need to work to support themselves are missing out on opportunities and not developing experience in their field because they need to have a paying job. Removing unpaid internships evens the playing field just that little bit more.
I never thought about this aspect of an unpaid internship. Well said and thank you for bringing this up.
Load More Replies... I don't know how anyone can disagree with this. It should be illegal everywhere.
Generally I agree, but there should be exceptions. All the internships I ever did were unpaid, but most of the time I did not do any real work and other people had to stop their regular work to show me around. If you wanted money for that, nobody would take interns like that.
Load More Replies... It is about time. Unpaid internships are wrong. The fact that people still work for free in this day and age for "experience is laughable. I hope the US does this too, but I won't hold my breath. Paying workers is not something my country likes to do, because it means less money for the rich, and we can't have that.
Unpaid internships are worse than only being a form of exploitation of young people in the workplace. It is, in the final analysis, a system put in place to ensure that the offspring of the established elite are the ones who in the end will get hired because they are the only ones with parents rich enough to pay for all their living expenses when their children are working full time with no pay. This is usually at firms in big cities with a very high cost of living. You can look at it this way, that this is how the European elite makes up for the free and egalitarian university educations available to young Europeans of all social strata. I remember reading about a young Englishman who finally landed an internship at a Swizz bank, but was let go when they found out that he was living in a tent in some kind soul's garden!
I was thinking exactly this. Only the wealthy can afford internships
Load More Replies... I remember when that was done in Brazil (mid 2008). The bad thing is that in my area it was the best way to gain experience and be part of some amazing projects (Biology). But I understand that for other areas interns were being exploited, thus it had to end. Anyways good for EU for wanting to catch up on this subject!
In Canada its called Practicums and you do it while going to University; you get on the job training and they get free labor
We also have them in Lithuania (EU), but the university only requires 1 month full time or 2 months part time of work. So this isn't too much. And even if unpaid, students can manage quite well. However, when I studied in the Netherlands, my university required me to do 3 months of full time internship, and than was unpaid so I was really happy my parents could help me out with living expenses.
Load More Replies... Human rights policies like this is one of the main reasons the UK left the EU — they cost rich people money.
I think the only unpaid internships we have is when school kids (16-18) need job orientation for a few days. They don't have expenses (usually) plus as a company you invest more in them than you get back. (we give them a backpack full of fun stuff though). Anything longer than a week or for kids over 18 gets paid. Not much, I think they get like 1000 a month, but that should cover rent and food.
It is about time. Unpaid internships are wrong. The fact that they still exist in this day and age is laughable. People working for "experience" and not getting paid is just laughable. I hope the US follows suit, but I won't hold my breath. My country doesn't like to pay it's workers because that would mean less money for the rich.
I haven't seen an unpaid internship in EU and I have observations from several countries.
I think it depends on the type of internship. A true internship, where the mentor is taking time out of his day to teach the intern the trade with no expectation that the intern will stay with the office, shouldn't be paid because the mentor is not receiving any benefit and is actually conferring the benefit. Most internships though aren't true internships. The 'intern' is doing actual work for the employer and the employer is benefiting. Those should absolutely be paid.
In Canada, students get paid fairly (over minimum wage) . They may get summer jobs replacing workers who take vacation time or they may be on a 3 months in school, 3 months at work schedule until they graduate.
I am not sure about this one. My son just did a two-month internship for a European television company. He was fed, but that was it. Most of the time he just stood there or was a gofer. If they had to pay him, it would not have happened. But he is a student doing a course. He was well treated and made connections. So the law has to be specific and apply to already qualified people. This will be difficult to regulate and would close many opportunities.
Great idea. Though think that some smart ass companies will rename it as "volunteer work" or whatever (specially political circles). As well since from now on companies will have to pay, they will rather want to hire experienced people. Either way situation will be much better with this change. Because now... student - work for free and be happy you have received such a "great opportunity". Starting professional - work for minimum wage "...for starters, till you'll gain some experience" (read: for many years till you quit and find something better).
After young NGOs have been fighting for this for years, the European Parliament has joined the quest. Which is great. But it's not just their random idea
"After young NGOs have been fighting for this for years," yet any number of NGOs were also using unpaid interns....
Load More Replies...
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