Long gone are the days where you could walk into a business, ask to see the hiring manager and start working the next day. Instead, many companies are now sifting through a batch of resumes before deciding on a select few to become unpaid interns who will work their way towards a paid position. While this isn’t ideal for many workers entering the labor pool, these unpaid interns just secured a favorable ruling at Minnesota’s highest court.
The Minnesota Supreme Court recently ruled in favor of unpaid interns during a contentious employment discrimination case. The case in question was that of Meagan Abel v. Abbott Northwestern Hospital and St. Mary’s University Minnesota. In that case, Abel claimed that both Abbott Northwestern and St. Mary’s University did not act on a harassment claim she made stemming from incidents that occurred during her unpaid practicum.
One factor that the case centered around was Abel’s claim that the hospital and the university violated her rights by failing to act on her harassment claim. The Minnesota Supreme Court ruled in her favor by saying that compensation is not required for an individual to be considered an employee under the state’s Human Rights Act. In other words, even though she was an unpaid intern, she still had the same rights and protections as any other paid employee at the hospital.
“For the first time in Minnesota history, the highest court in the state ruled Minnesota’s civil rights law protects unpaid interns,” said Minnesota Department of Human Rights Commissioner Rebecca Lucero. “The Court correctly recognized that all Minnesota workers, including interns, are entitled to the protections of the Minnesota Human Rights Act.
Unpaid Intern Rights
We’re glad that Abel received justice for the discrimination and harassment she faced, and now the precedent has been set. Unpaid interns have been given protections similar to those of standard employees, and they need to know that they can move forward with a lawsuit without fear. It can be difficult to speak up in a workplace setting, especially if you’re the low man on the totem pole, but know that your rights matter just as much as anyone else.
So if you are being unfairly targeted by your employer, you’re being sexually harassed, you’re not getting paid correctly for work you’ve performed or your employer has threatened to terminate you if you report your work injury, know that the laws are on your side. And if you’re wondering where to turn, look no further than the experienced employment and injury lawyers at Hey Workers. We’ve helped employees get many of the benefits that are guaranteed to them under the constitution and state law, and we can do the same for you.
Don’t let your employer bully or harass you simply because you’re working as an unpaid intern. If they are in violation of the law, they need to be held accountable. Even if you’re unsure if you even have a claim, reach out to our firm and set up a consultation with our team. We can walk you through the basics of your claim and see if you have grounds to move forward with a case. If that sounds like something you’d be interested in, give our firm a call today at (844) 439-9675.
