2.As we head from spring into summer,many college students are planning their vacations while those looking to get their first taste of the working world are likely hunting for internships(實習(xí)).
It is estimated that U.S.companies hire about 1.5 million interns each year,half of them on an unpaid basis.Working for free might not be a big deal for some who are just grateful to have their foot in the door,but a class-action lawsuit(訴訟)led by interns who worked on the set of the 2010 film,Black Swan,could change that way of thinking and have far-reaching implications.The plaintiffs(原告) want back pay for their work and seek to prevent the film's producer,F(xiàn)ox Searchlight,from using unpaid interns in the future.
However the lawsuit goes,it could say a lot about how companies should value the work of interns and whether interns have a right to a paycheck like employees.It's perfectly reasonable for interns to be paid.Salaries for living expenses are only fair,especially for young people from low-income households,who may not otherwise be able to afford an unpaid internship.Paying interns also helps employers draw better talent,such as at Google (GOOG),which actively recruits interns and pays them handsomely for working on substantive projects.
Nevertheless,it would be wrong to elevate the fight over intern pay to the level of seriousness accorded to the ongoing debate over raising the federal minimum wage.For the most part,internships are training wheels,and the rules applied to them shouldn't be the same as a regular job.The decision to pay interns should really be at the discretion of employers-not a matter of law.
This is simply because there are many benefits to internships,regardless of whether it's paid or not; and at times,interns get a lot more out of the internship than the companies they intern for.The biggest benefit is pure work experience.Interns often gain valuable insight into industries and careers that they're looking to pursue in the future.
Internships also teach work ethic,which young people don't necessarily pick up in school.Lessons such as humility,the acceptance that no task is beneath one's dignity,and recognition of the chain of command,are all important to learn before a young person is ready to enter a competitie workforce.
Another thing to consider:A simple tenet of the business world is that the more you get paid,the less runway you have to"learn"your job.Interns,especially unpaid ones,are rarely held to the same rigorous standards during the interview process or in the workplace as actual employees are.The expectations of interns in general are lower,and tolerance for mistakes is higher.That's to the benefit of young people,who need time,training,and patience to reach the level of skill that businesses require.
The danger with filing lawsuits to squash unpaid internships is that many companies,either due to budgetary constraints or simply as a philosophy,may curtail or even kill their internship programs in response.
And while businesses would certainly be worse off without interns,the reverse holds true as well.Without these programs,many young men and women would lose the chance to learn important lessons about work and life that could prepare them for the next step in their development.It is an essential part of our social contract that should be maintained
Should all interns get paid? |
Problem | Some interns who worked for Black Swan landed the film's producer in lawsuit to claim their pay and (71)sought to stop him using unpaid inters in the future. |
Advantage | Paying interns makes it (72)easy/easier for employers to find better talent. |
(73)disadvantage | Those from low-income households have (74)difficulty/trouble/problemsin covering their living expenses,unable to serve as interns. |
The author's (75)opinions/views/viewpoints | ●Interns can obtain work (76)experience. ●Young people can learn work ethic,as well as humility,the acceptance of the (77)same work dignity,and recognition of the chain of command. ●Interns are not expected to work at the same level required by the workplace.Their mistakes can be tolerated,thus (78)benefiting them. ●Whether interns are paid should be (79)decided/determined by the employers,not a matter of law. ●Many companies may (80)kill their internship programs due to the shortage of funds.Young people would lose the chance to learn about work and life. |