A recent article in the New York Times explored the trend of for-profit businesses hiring interns and not paying them. However, many state governments are cracking down on such practices, particularly when students are required to do manual labor such as cleaning and answering phones and emails.

According to the article, Stanford has seen a dramatic increase in unpaid internships on their job board since the recent recession. It seems that some businesses are looking to cash in on the desperate students, laying off key employees—such as the janitor.

However, doing such is highly illegal. One of the stipulations for offering unpaid internships is that business not lay off other employees. Many violations go unchecked, the article says, because students are afraid of causing trouble, rendering themselves unmarketable in the tough job market.

Students, desperate for experience, not only agree to unpaid internships, they heavily compete for them, not caring what type of work they might be doing so long as they are given that coveted professional reference. And often students are not doing work that has anything to do with their profession; therefore, the student gains little or no experience. Perhaps such experience is so hyped up that employers actually think that one day of relevant work and 3 months or manual labor equals relevant experience.

The whole idea seems more like the “good ole boy” system since many internships offer minimal experience in one’s craft, yet seem to be the gateway to the white collar work force. Working without pay for the sake of being a professional, under this supposed “good ole boy” system, shows employers that a student adheres to this code of conduct; this working without pay.

It certainly is a wonder why professional businesses are unable to pay a student a minimum wage; even McDonald’s does that, no matter how minimal such pay may be.

The Unpaid Intern–Legal or Not

“Waiting Out Eternity” is about a ghost who is trapped on a post-apocalyptic Earth and is unable to reason nor experience (for the most part) anything new. He is then visited by a questionable advocate who offers to take him to Heaven, and the protagonist must find a way to trust his new friend or perish when the Earth is destroyed by an astroid.

If you’re so inclined, you can read this story by clicking the link to Aurora Wolf below.

Aurora Wolf

The story has been in the works for around a year. I first submitted it to an English 501 creative writing course where it was heavily criticized as not being up-to-date. I revamped the story a bit, and after getting positive feedback from editors of various publications including the Missouri Review, I was able to get a small online press to pick it up in two parts.

The story is about a mentally challenged high school student who is unaware of his disability until the school fails to get federal funding due to low assessment scores. The administration then makes the decision to tell the student about his disability against the boy’s father’s will.

Please visit Piker Press to view the story, and I hope you enjoy it. Thanks to everyone who has given feedback on this story.

Steven

Every Wednesday you can catch Stolen Windows at Open Mic at Waxy’s on the Landing, and some of the best entertainment you can find in Branson on a Wednesday night comes from the random local musicians who show up religiously. Drink specials include pitchers of domestic beer for a eight dollars. In comparson, Bar Louis charges 6.05 for a domestic draft 22 oz beer on Wednesdays, and there’s no live entertainment.

If you’re looking for something to do right now, come down to the Branson Landing and check out the live music scene. Right now I’m watching an outdoor concert on Lake Taneycomo.Playing southern rock is the Mark Chapman Band. Chapman and his brother are from Pierce City, MO. The other band members are from Springfield. The band played “Last Dance With Mary Jane” by Tom Petty and other southern rock covers. In addition they played several original songs.