Unpaid Internships: Legal or Not?

Clearing out the links this week, I found this interesting article from the Village Voice talking about unpaid internships and whether they flout the law? Students like it because it gives them valuable experiences, universities feel that they are a huge part of the academic curriculum, and businesses really like it because they get free labor. But the U.S. Department of Labor warned that it may not be so kosher:

[Some internships] could actually violate state- and federal-labor laws. The Department of Labor guidelines stress that "the internship experience is for the benefit of the intern," and for-profit employers are supposed to derive "no immediate advantage from the activities" of the unpaid interns. Indeed, business operations "may actually be impeded" in order to train the intern, who should "not displace regular employees."

It's a three-page article and certainly one to check out. Although some internships are beneficial for everyone involved, many employers who are trying to take advantage of free labor instead of hiring more workers may get a knock on their door soon. Make sure that your internship program is a fair one within the confines of the guidelines by reading through this article and consulting your local regulations.

Astronology - Does Office Etiquette Exist?

Astronology Volume XII Issue 21 January 24, 2012 Dear Andrew, Astron Solutions provides high-quality, low-cost, innovative human resources consulting services to organizations like yours. Call us for advice, innovative program design, and user-friendly Web/PC based software.   The Astron Road Show There's one stop on the Astron Road Show this week.  On Tuesday, January 24th National Director Jennifer Loftus will present to the Greater New York chapter of the National Association of African Americans in Human Resources (NAAAHR-GNY) on HR Certification - Demystifying the Process and Understanding the Benefits.  Click here to learn more about the event or to register.....more    Does Office Etiquette Exist? Does the treatment you receive from your co-workers affect your productivity?  According to one Forbes article, 48% of poorly treated employees have at one time intentionally decreased their productivity due to ill treatment.  Additionally, 12% confirmed that rude behavior caused them to quit their jobs.  This unintended turnover can result in an estimated loss of $50,000 per worker.  Who would have thought that office etiquette could be such a large factor in organizational productivity!  Given the potential bottom line impact of office etiquette, what can organizations do to successfully manage interpersonal relations?....more      Have a Question? If you have a topic you would like addressed in Astronology, or some feedback on a past article, don't hesitate to tell us!  Simply reply to this e-mail.  See your question answered, or comments addressed, in an upcoming issue of Astronology. Looking for a top-notch presenter for your human resource organization's meeting?  Both Jennifer Loftus and Michael Maciekowich present highly-rated sessions on a variety of compensation and employee retention issues.  For more information, send an e-mail to info@astronsolutions.com.   The Fine Print We hold your e-mail address in trust.  Astron Solutions promises never to share or rent your personal information.  We also promise never to send you frivolous e-mails and will allow you to leave our list, at your option, at any time. To remove yourself from this list, please follow your personalized subscriber link at the bottom of your Astronology alert e-mail. Copyright 2012, Astron Solutions, LLC ISSN Number 1549-0467 Quick Links Client List Meet the Astron Team Contact Us   World of HR Blog Bringing you Human Resource news from around the globe...compliments of Astron Solutions. More

 

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo May Be Worth Hiring

Once in a while an article appears online that is so captivating, that multiple people send it to me to post on the blog. I believe that this article from Inc. set a new record for the amount of times that I received the same article to post on the blog. So it's about time I posted it.

The article is talking about the movie/book "The Girl with a Dragon Tattoo" and the lead character Lisbeth Salander who is a bright and creative girl but covered with tattoos and piercings. The point of the article is that we shouldn't judge a book by its cover--that we shouldn't dismiss someone from being qualified for a job just because of their body art. In fact, the author argues the opposite, that we should think of them for certain roles:

People with body art are generally not only creative, but also bold, and often decisive.  They are passionate, capable of thinking outside the box, and are often more open to the ideas of others than the general population. Those characteristics translate well to many professions—sales, marketing, advertising, public relations, and art direction, to name but a few.

This isn't to say that the only people you should hire are the ones with visible markings, but it is to say that sometimes you need to get past initial stereotypes and figure out if what you see in a person on the outside will make them a good employee for your organization. And in the race to get the best employees for your organization, maybe it's best that you don't dismiss an employee just because they may have a dragon tattoo on their body.