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Interns - Entitled to the national minimum wage (NMW)?

Like volunteers, interns will be entitled to be paid the NMW if they are workers and no specific exemption from the NMW applies to them.

Whether an intern is a “worker” does not depend on what job title they are given: calling a person an "unpaid intern" or "volunteer" does not prevent them from qualifying for the NMW if they are in reality a worker. However, "work shadowing", which does not involve any work being performed, will not qualify for the NMW.

It is therefore vital that organisations consider the type of activities they want these staff to do when designing work experience placements as the tasks you ask these staff to perform will clarify if an intern may or may not be entitled to the NMW.

Posted on 11/04/2015 by Ortolan

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