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Both California and federal law protects all employees — paid and unpaid.  This means that if you are an intern, working for free, you still have certain rights according to the state of California and the federal government.  That being said, a young woman who was working as an unpaid intern for Harper’s Bazaar has filed suit against the company for violations of federal and state wage and hour laws. The woman claims that she is entitled to back wages and overtime compensation under the Fair Labor Standards Act.  If you are an intern and you believe your employer owes you wages, contact an experienced Southern California employment lawyer today.

The issue of interns working for free has been around for ages and many California employers try to get away with having inexperienced college students work for free.  So how do you know if your California employer owes you wages? The Wage and Hour Division of the U.S. Department of Labor states that if you, the unpaid intern, is doing the work that would otherwise be done by a paid employee you might be entitled to compensation. Additionally, if your employer would have had to hire additional employees or add hours to current employees to complete the work, then you might be entitled to compensation for the hours and overtime worked.

In California and across the country, the practice of classifying employees as ‘interns’ to avoid paying wages runs afoul of federal and state wage and hour laws.  Talk to a knowledgeable Southern California employment attorney if you believe your employer has not been paying you the wages you deserve.