Federal And New York Minimum Wage Laws - 1586 Words

A Federal District Court judge in Manhattan ruled in June of 2013, that Fox Searchlight Pictures had violated federal and New York minimum wage laws by not paying production interns, it was a case that could radically affect the long-held practice of businesses to rely heavily on unpaid internships. The judge had decided that Fox Searchlight should have paid two interns on the movie â€Å"Black Swan,† because they were essentially regular employees. The interns were made to do basic chores usually done by paid employees. The interns were made to take lunch orders, answer phones, track purchase orders, and take out the trash. The judge noted that these internships did not provide an educational value and that the studio received the benefits of the work (Greenhouse). The â€Å"Black Swan† case epitomizes the recent trend in case of unpaid interns. Interns are used as â€Å"free labor† and being treated unfairly. The â€Å"Black Swan† case was the first in a series of lawsuits filed by unpaid interns. Internship is a period of work experience offered by an employer to give people (usually college students and graduates) exposure to the working environment. It gives them an opportunity to get first-hand experience. The growing need for practical learning led to the emergence of internship. It helps to bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and hands-on experience. Internships in any form- paid, unpaid or co-operative learning has now become a standard practice for college students. It hasShow MoreRelatedThe Minimum Wage Policy During The United States1714 Words   |  7 PagesNews stories abound with demands from workers, organizations, and lawmakers to increase the federal minimum wage. Headlines throughout the country highlight recent minimum wage policy changes in major cities such as Los Angeles and Seattle. Last month, Governor Andrew Cuomo of New York announced an approved minimum wage increase to $15 an hour for all fast food workers in the state (McGeehan). Even the website for the White House has a separate page, â€Å"Raise the Wage,† advocating for Congress to increaseRead MoreShould The Minimum Wage Be Paid?993 Words   |  4 PagesMany case in USA suffering from the very low hourly payment according to Talk poverty: As wages go down, the percentage of workers relying on public assistance gets higher: 60 percent of workers earning less than $7.42—only slightly higher than the $7.25 federal minimum wage—receive some form of means-tested public assistance. Overall, 70 percent of the benefits in programs meant to aid non-elderly low-income households—programs like food stamps, Medicaid, and the Earned Income Tax Credits—go toRead MoreMinimum Wage : Low Skilled And Young Workers1553 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction Minimum wage, a program created to help the poor, has every contrary effect to its well intentions. Throughout the history, people who hurt the most during minimum wage hikes are the low-skilled and young workers. Drastically raising minimum wage is meaningless as high inflation usually comes alongside with wage increases. Past economic statistics have shown that the rate of increase in inflation usually outpaced the rate of increase in minimum wage. Thus, the real value wage workers receiveRead MoreEconomic Outcomes Of Raising The Federal Minimum Wage1489 Words   |  6 Pagespercent of all wage and salary workers. Among those paid by the hour, 1.3 million earned exactly the prevailing federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour. About 1.7 million had wages below the federal minimum. Together, these 3.0 million workers with wages at or below the federal minimum made up 3.9 percent of all hourly paid workers†(Ratio of Minimum Wage). The Federal minimum wage drives debate am ong people today, and with many wanting the federal government to raise the minimum wage to fifteen dollarsRead MoreThe Minimum Wage War1167 Words   |  5 Pages121 bills. Among these bills was a landmark law in the United States’ social and economic development—Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (FLSA) or otherwise known as the Wages and Hours Bill. This new law created a maximum forty-four hour workweek, guaranteed â€Å"time-and-a-half† for overtime hours in certain jobs, banned oppressive child labor, and established the nation’s first minimum wage. By definition, a minimum wage is the lowest wage permitted by law or by a special agreement (such as one withRead MoreState and Federal Systems of Government Essay1705 Words   |  7 PagesState and Federal Systems of Government MGT434 May 29, 2006 State and Federal Systems of Government Labor and employment laws define US workers rights and protect s employees from employers retaliation for exercising our rights under the laws or reporting violations to the proper authorities. As Bennett and Hartman explain, these laws Â…seek to make the power relationship between employer and employee one that is fair and equitable (Employment Law for Business, pg. 88). Employers haveRead MoreEffects of Increasing Minimum Wage Essay988 Words   |  4 PagesThe idea of having a federal minimum wage is a good one. The idea is to protect low and unskilled workers from discrimination and allow all workers to earn a living wage. The recent debate on the floor, though, is whether or not to raise the minimum wage from the current $7.25 per hour up to $10.10 per hour. President Barack Obama made this proposal during his annual State of the Union Address on January 28, and following this there were many hot debates about it. The debates focused not only onRead MoreShould Minimum Wage B e Raised?1062 Words   |  5 Pagesever pressing question regarding Minimum wage. Not many subjects can ignite a controversy as quickly as that of whether or not minimum wage should be raised, or by how much should it be raised or if it should remain the same. What is minimum wage? By definition, minimum wage is the minimum hourly wage an employer can pay an employee for work. (â€Å"MinimumWage.com†) America’s minimum wage was first introduced by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1938. That minimum wage was introduced as part of the FairRead More The Minimum Wage Should Be Eliminated Essay700 Words   |  3 PagesThe minimum wage is something that F.D.R. put in place a long time ago during the Great Depression. I dont think it worked then. It didnt solve any problems then and it hasnt solved any problems in 50 years. -- John Raese In the United States, the federal government maintains a national minimum wage to protect the purchasing power of ordinary workers. It seems good that the government protects your purchasing power by adjusting the minimum wage with respect to the inflation rate. ItsRead MoreEssay on The Role and Function of Law758 Words   |  4 PagesThe Role and Function of Law Law plays of significant role in the operation of a successful business and society. One of the characteristics of law is that is â€Å"creates duties, obligations, and rights that reflect accepted views of a given society† (Melvin, 2011, pg. 4). Law also helps businesses resolve disputes that have to do with the rights of the business and citizens (Melvin, 2011, pg. 4). Obtaining an understanding of the legal system can help businesses gain a competitive edge, as well