As the end of the school year approaches, students across Florida will soon be considering internship opportunities this summer. Internships provide students with opportunities to gain exposure to various professions and learn hands-on skills. They also provide businesses and other organizations with a motivated and focused workforce to complement their operations. The decision to bring interns on board, and how to properly integrate them, should not be taken lightly.

To Pay or Not to Pay

The threshold question to consider when entertaining the use of interns in your organization is what their employment status will be under the law. This is a critical consideration because it will dictate whether, and to what extent, your organization will need to compensate the interns and what, if any, legal exposure your organization might have under a myriad of employment laws, including the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).