They make less than a server and do all the servers work for them. It’s not equal pay. And can’t live off 2.83 an hour.

We, as progressives, believe in workers rights. Yet all too often, non profit organizations, political campaigns, for profit companies, and political organizations post jobs that either are unpaid internships or that pay workers as independent contractors instead of employees -- which means the worker is responsible for 100% of the taxes on their compensation and 100% responsible for benefits they would have otherwise received as an employee. Research from Pay Our Interns show that unpaid internships effectively block the point of entry for college students who cannot afford to work for free to gain experience and that people of color and low-income families are significantly underrepresented. And, once the Democratic National Committee started paying their interns, the share of people of color in the program leapt from 18% to 42%. And from my personal experience, I can tell you that in my twenties, I was paid for a number of years as an independent contractor instead of an employee. When I was hired for these positions, I figured I would hired as I had been previously - as an employee. And wow was I shocked when tax day came and I owed 30% of my earnings plus penalties for not filing quarterly estimated taxes. I didn't know taxes were not being withheld -- and I actually had to set up an installment agreement with the IRS. And of course, I didn't have health insurance during those years or any type of benefits. These practices are unfair to workers across the United States. We can't stop employers from being greedy (oh how we've tried!) -- but we can get these progressive job boards to stop posting unpaid internships and to only post jobs which are paid as employees (W2, not 1099), which will cut of the pipeline of applicants to employers who aren't willing to pay their fair share. By cutting off their supply of applicants, I believe we can force non profit organizations and for profit companies to do the right thing, pay their interns a living wage, and to pay their fair share of taxes and benefits.

Young, amibtious professionals should not have to live in a tent in order to afford an unpaid internship. By failing to pay its interns, the United Nations are violating Article 23 of its very own Universal Declaration of Human Rights: “(2) Everyone, without any discrimination, has the right to equal pay for equal work. (3) Everyone who works has the right to just and favourable remuneration ensuring for himself and his family an existence worthy of human dignity, and supplemented, if necessary, by other means of social protection.” Connections and experience can't pay the bills. Sign this petition to stop the classist practice of allowing unpaid internships at the United Nations.

Every single time you see a posting for an unpaid internship, you’re seeing a posting that’s only open to people who can afford to work for free. These unpaid and unregulated positions drive down wages across the whole economy, and prevent anyone without economic privilege from getting ahead. — Mikey Franklin The Democratic Party can't fight for a living wage on one hand and expect people to work for free on the other. Enough is enough.

Today, Lean In's Editor-at-Large posted an ad for UNPAID internship with Lean In in New York City. Lean In says it's about "encouraging women to pursue their ambitions," but what about the women who can't afford to live in New York City and work for free? It's hard to "Lean In" when you're being priced out. And for the many young women who don't have wealthy families who can subsidize unpaid internship opportunities like these, this represents yet another barrier to the kinds of learning and networking opportunities that could help them build successful careers. Sign this petition to tell Lean In to PAY THEIR INTERNS!

*************UPDATE***************** In response to this petition, NYU has responded! After negotiating with NYU officials as a result of the petition, NYU has heightened its protections against illegal unpaid internships on its career site (all changes effective as of January 2014). Employers must now verify that their internship positions comply with the US Department of Labor guidelines before posting, among several other measures. (Read more here: http://college.usatoday.com/2014/02/20/nyus-new-internship-oversight-raises-questions-about-unpaid-internships/) Thank you for putting your signature on this petition and creating the first successful student-led movement against the university's involvement in contributing to illegal unpaid internships. More progress is on the way! To get involved in future campaigns on this issue, email [email protected]. **************************************** Unpaid internships are illegal* and unfair; many violate federal and state labor laws. They deny people the pay they earn, the rights they are entitled to, and the opportunities they deserve. By posting illegal unpaid internships, the Wasserman Center is perpetuating issues in the following categories: --Economic: unpaid internships displace employees, take away jobs, and devalue work (unpaid interns at the average company receive only a 1% advantage in getting a job at that company than an applicant who has never worked there) --Legal: unpaid interns are not protected under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, and therefore have no standing in court against discrimination or sexual harassment --Class: only those who can afford unpaid internships can have them --Race: minority groups are almost systematically at a disadvantage with lower economic support and face discrimination without legal protection --LGBTQ: face discrimination without legal protection --Gender: 77% of unpaid internships are held by women while more paid positions are awarded to men, which widens the gender income gap (women make $0.78 for every dollar a man makes) --Human Rights: if workers are treated as employees, they should be compensated fairly for their work. NYU’s Wasserman Career Center would never post positions that were not open to women, or LGBT people, or people of color. They should not post positions that are not open to people who cannot afford to work for free. Join us in our fight against illegal labor exploitation. Sign this petition to stop NYU’s Wasserman Career Center from posting ads for illegal unpaid internships. *Unpaid internships are illegal if the internship is FOR-PROFIT and does not follow the six criteria outlined by the Wage and Hour Division of the U.S. Department of Labor. Therefore, this campaign specifically targets unpaid internships in the for-profit sector that violate these provisions. The following six criteria must be applied when making this determination: 1.The internship, even though it includes actual operation of the facilities of the employer, is similar to training which would be given in an educational environment; 2.The internship experience is for the benefit of the intern; 3.The intern does not displace regular employees, but works under close supervision of existing staff; 4. The employer that provides the training derives no immediate advantage from the activities of the intern; and on occasion its operations may actually be impeded; 5.The intern is not necessarily entitled to a job at the conclusion of the internship; and 6.The employer and the intern understand that the intern is not entitled to wages for the time spent in the internship.