trial time -- work for free for over three months???

[GlennMD]

Jurisdiction

Maryland

my son was 'hired' by a marine service company. They told him since you do not know nothing about boats, engines, detailing, etc. we will be teaching him without pay. My son was working as a slave for few weeks for free and when he asked about money they told him that he is not good enough and knows nothing. He worked for more and more weeks overtime during the busiest weeks of boat season -- up to 14 hours. After three months! and excellent work (with satisfied customers who are willing to testify) the owner still has not given him even a penny and still repeat that my son needs to learn a lot. This is sort of slavery for promises of the job. A week or two seem reasonable but tree months? And what's exceptionally annoying, the owner/employer acts like a guru or something. He is saying that after few more months of free work my son will get experience and most importantly wisdom. Is three month servitude for nothing legal in Maryland?

 

[cbg]

No, this is not legal in Maryland or any other state in the US. The law requires that he be paid and he cannot agree to allow them to break the law by working for free. He needs to file a wage claim with the state of Maryland DOL.

 

[Michael Wechsler]

No, this is not legal in Maryland or any other state in the US. The law requires that he be paid and he cannot agree to allow them to break the law by working for free. He needs to file a wage claim with the state of Maryland DOL.

I know of many unpaid internships but apparently there is an even finer line drawn by the US Department of Labor in Fact Sheet #71: Internship Programs Under The Fair Labor Standards Act. When I skimmed and reviewed on my phone didn't realize the full extent of the work and how this completely differs from an internship.

 

[cbg]

Yes, there are a lot of requirements for an unpaid internship including that he must be getting school credit for it and that it cannot be work that benefits the employer.