Abuses of the FLSA rules are common. Companies claim interns are getting valuable training, yet are assigned unskilled tasks such as shipping, shredding, photocopying, filing, answering e-mail, and for one health-conscious employer, wiping door knobs to prevent swine flu. Employers get away with it because interns rarely complain, knowing it will hurt recommendations and chances for a full-time job. Abuses have drawn the interest of officials in Oregon, California, and New York, who have begun to investigate and fine employers for labor law violations.
Don’t get too discouraged. Many great companies do pay interns. In fact, of BusinessWeek’s list of 50 Best Internships, all but two are paid, with the top employers in accounting and finance offering wages as high as $28 an hour.