[game_edu] Internship question

[Charles Rich]

Technically, unpaid internships are illegal unless they are entirely
for training and educational purposes.     In other words, if the
student does anything that contributes to the business of the company,
they must be paid.   A lot of companies are still walking in the gray
area on this one.  However, adding a non-competition clause like this
is beyond the pale.  I would recommend reporting the company
(confidentially, of course) to the attorney general's office in your
state.

-CR

On Tue, Jan 27, 2015 at 4:05 PM, Ben Chang <changb3 at rpi.edu> wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> I have a student who's been offered an unpaid internship.  The contract has
> as non-compete that would bar him from doing game dev work in a related
> field for one year after completion.  Is this normal for unpaid internship?
> It seems disadvantageous.   The only value he receives from performing the
> work is experience to use towards future employment, but he would be
> prevented from seeking employment doing the thing he'd gotten experience
> doing.
>
> thanks,
>
> --Ben Chang
>
> --
> Benjamin Chang
> Associate Professor, Department of the Arts
> Director, Games and Simulation Arts and Sciences
> Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
> 110 8th Street, Troy, NY 12180
> changb3 at rpi.edu
> 518.276.2366
>
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-- 
Dr. Charles Rich, Professor, Computer Science Department
Interactive Media and Game Development Program
Robotics Engineering Program
Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Fuller Laboratories B25b
100 Institute Road, Worcester, MA 01609-2280

Email: rich at wpi.edu   Phone: 508-831-5945   Fax: 508-831-5776
Home: http://www.cs.wpi.edu/~rich