LIVING WAGE BASIS FOR INTERNS
Within the US, organizations with formal, documented internship programs may use the 1 adult/0 children family unit in the MIT Living Wage Calculator as the basis for determining a compliant living wage commitment for interns only, for Levels 2 through 4. However, in areas where the minimum wage exceeds the wage resulting from the 1 adult/0 children MIT family unit, the organization must instead pay the intern at least the minimum wage.
Outside the US, organizations with formal, documented internship programs may use the level 2 living wage formula for interns only, for Levels 2 through 4.
Individuals may be classified as interns when they are either students actively pursuing a certificate or degree, or recent graduates within one year of graduation, who are employed through an internship program that meets all of the following minimum criteria:
- Program formally assigns a mentor/manager to each intern who institutes regularly scheduled meetings with the intern to check-in on workload, performance, and work- or profession-related questions;
- Program includes additional professional development opportunities, such as participation in organization-hosted lunch-and-learns and formal training events;
- Program includes job shadowing opportunities, such as attendance at client meetings and cross-department interactions; and
- Program includes resume-building and interview skill-building opportunities, such as mock interviews and job search guidance.
Interns may be excluded from the Living Wage metrics when the intern program meets all of the criteria identified for either of the following program types in which compensation is made by a third party:
- Third-Party Organized
An internship in which the scope, hours, and/or assigned individual are determined by the third party; the third party directly pays the assigned intern; and the third-party internship organization and the hiring Just organization have a contract in place stipulating the terms of the internship program agreement. - Educational Credit
A high school, vocational school, college, or university internship program in which the intern receives educational credit for completion of the internship; the educational institution and the hiring Just organization have a contract in place stipulating the terms of the internship program agreement; and the allotted number of hours (or maximum end of the range of hours) required to achieve education credit is not exceeded as unpaid.
Use of this exception requires submission of documentation demonstrating the Intern program meets all criteria identified for the applicable pathway, in addition to applicable wage calculations.
