Hiring Interns

As a small business owner, you might be experiencing growth spurts that require additional help. One of the first options that many think about are interns.

An intern is a student or trainee who works, sometimes without pay, at a trade or occupation in order to gain work experience.

While hiring an intern can be a great way to get some help that you really need, there are few things that you need to keep in mind:

1. If you pay an intern an hourly rate, they must be paid at least the hourly minimum wage.  Also, you should note that once they are paid hourly, the intern might be considered an employee.
2. Attaining interns from educational institutions for student that require educational credit are the best options for hiring unpaid interns
3. Every intern should sign an intern agreement
4. The recommended duration for an internship is 3 to 6mthsThe internship should meet six factors:

• The internship is similar to training which would be given in an educational environment.
• The experience is for the benefit of the intern
• The intern does not displace regular employees but works under close supervision of existing staff.
• The employer providing the training derives no immediate advantage from the activities of the intern and on occasion its operations may actually be impeded.
• There is no guarantee of a job at the conclusion of the internship.
• Both parties understand that the intern is not entitled to wages for the internship.