1. Spokane Human Resources Professionals!
The SpokaneINSHRMteam has designed an internship programto assistin the
process of hiring an intern and providing an educational experience for interns.
Our goal is to create a programthat will make this process easy, practical, legal
and mostof all simple. We are pleased you are interested in contributing your
knowledgeand experience towards creating more educated, smarter and
stronger, futureH.R. employees in our community. The most important thing
every intern is looking for is to gain relevant, educational, and practical insight to
the structureand operations of the H.R. world. We know that the best place
wherethis experience can be gained is in an actual H.R. department. Following is
a summary of the Internship ProgramProcess to hirean intern. We thank you for
your time and contribution to the H.R. community and futureH.R. leaders.
Table of Contents
Unpaid Internships: What Employers Need to Know About the Fair Labor Standards Act? ........ 3
Request for Internship Form: .......................................................................................................... 4
Internship Agreement:..................................................................................................................... 5
Responsibilities:.............................................................................................................................. 6
*Note: Thematerials andforms containedin this document arethe work product of INSHRM andprovidedstrictly for educational and
illustrative purposes. INSHRM makes noexpress or impliedwarranties in regardtothe use of the materials and/orforms containedherein. The
views, conclusions andinterpretations of thelawcontainedin this document are not intendedto serve as legal advice, but merely provide an
overviewof federal laws andrecommendedprocedure relatedinternshipprograms. Individual employers andinterns are encouragedtoseek legal
counsel prior toestablishingor participatingin an internshipprogram.
2. Internship Program Process:
The intentisto provide youwiththe procedurestocreate an internshipopportunity,findthe individual
mostqualified,andensure thatthe studentandH.R. Professional will achievetheirdesiredoutcomes.
1. DETERMINE OPPORTUNITY:
Reviewthe 6DOL Requirements toensure educationexperience isavailable.
Reviewstate andlocal lawsrelatingtolaborandemployment.
Determine budget–if moneyfor a paidinternshipisnotavailable,thenensure experiences
meetDOL legal requirementsforanunpaidinternship.
H.R. Manager determinesdepartmentneeds,activities,andduties
See page 6 forlistof responsibilities
2. RECRUITING/HIRING:
H.R. Manager completes RequestforInternshipForm andsubmitstodesiredcollege advisor
See table beloworINSHRMCollege RelationsPage underEducationTabfor College Advisor
Contact (http://www.inshrm.org/index.php/education/college-relations).
COLLEGE NAME PHONE
NUMBER
EMAIL FAX
Eastern Romeal Watson 509.359.4637 rjwatson@ewu.edu 509-359-6940
University of Idaho Dr. Dan Eveleth 208-885-4396 eveleth@uidaho.edu 208-885-2816
Washington State CindyEmpey 509-335-6000 empey@wsu.edu 509-358-7538
Gonzaga ChrisRyman 509-313-4092, ryman@gonzaga.edu 509-313-6287
Whitworth SandyNowack 509-777-4541 snowack@whitworth.edu 509-777-3731
College RelationsAdvisorwill review the RequestforInternshipFormandwill acceptor
denyinternrequestsbasedonthe content.
College Advisorwill instructH.R.Managerto posttheirinternopportunityoncollege
website (seethe table below).
College WEBSITE
Eastern https://ewu-csm.symplicity.com/employers/
University of Idaho https://uidaho-csm.symplicity.com/employers/
Washington State https://wsu-csm.symplicity.com/employers/
Gonzaga https://gonzaga-csm.symplicity.com/employers/
Whitworth https://whitworth-csm.symplicity.com/employers/index.php?signin_tab=0&js_disabled=0
H.R. Manager receivesapplicationsfromcollegeadvisororviaonline process.
H.R. Manager will interviewpotential interncandidatesandselectscandidate.
3. COMPLETE PAPERWORKANDINTERNSHIPBEGINS!
H.R. Manager and interncomplete college specificpaperwork.
Reviewdutiesandsign InternshipAgreement.
Have a great experience!
3. Unpaid Internships:What Employers Need to Know About the
Fair Labor Standards Act?
The Fair Labor Standards Act
Under the federal FairLaborStandardsAct (FLSA),non-exemptindividualswhoare ‘sufferedor
permitted’toworkmustbe compensatedforthe servicestheyperformforanemployer.Internswho
qualifyasemployeestypicallymustbe paidat leastthe federal minimumwage,aswell asovertime
compensationata rate of not lessthanone and one-half timesthe regularrate of payafter40 hoursof
workin a workweek.
There are some circumstancesunderwhichindividualswhoparticipate infor-profitprivate sector
internshipsortrainingprogramsmaydoso withoutcompensation.Thismayapplytointernswho
receive trainingfortheirown educational benefitif the trainingmeetscertaincriteria.The
determinationof whetheraninternshiportrainingprogrammeetsthisexclusiondependsuponall of
the facts and circumstancesof eachprogram.In orderto ensure thatyou can provide anunpaid,
relevant,educational andpractical learningexperience forthe intern(s),please make sure youcanfulfill
all six of the followingU.S.Departmentof Labor(DOL) guidelines:
1. The internship,eventhoughitincludesactual operationof the facilities of the employer,is
similartotrainingwhichwouldbe giveninaneducational environment;
2. The internshipexperienceisforthe benefitof the intern;
3. The interndoesnotdisplace regularemployees,butworksunderclose supervisionof existing
staff;
4. The employerthatprovidesthe trainingderivesnoimmediate advantagefromthe activitiesof
the intern,andon occasionitsoperationsmayactuallybe impeded;
5. The internisnot necessarilyentitledtoajobat the conclusionof the internship;and
6. The employerandthe internunderstandthatthe internisnotentitledtowagesforthe time
spentinthe internship.
If all of the factors listedabove are met,anemploymentrelationshiplikelydoesnotexistunderfederal
law,and the FLSA'sminimumwage andovertime provisionsdonotapplyto the intern.Thisexclusion
fromthe definitionof employmentisquite narrow because the FLSA'sdefinitionof 'employ'isvery
broad.See http://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/whdfs71.pdf:
State Law
It isimportantto note that compliance withfederal employmentlaw maydifferfromstate andlocal
law.Employersshouldconsulttheirindividual state andlocal regulationstoensure the program
complieswithall governinglaws. Consultalegal advisorprior toinitiationof the program.
For more informationregardingunpaidinternshipprogramssee:
WashingtonState Departmentof Laborand Industries
http://www.lni.wa.gov/WorkplaceRights/Wages/PayReq/Internships/default.asp
http://www.lni.wa.gov/WorkplaceRights/files/UnpaidInternshipsFactSheet.pdf
The National Associationof CollegesandEmployers
http://www.naceweb.org/connections/advocacy/internship_position_paper/
IdahoDepartmentof Labor InternInformationSheet
http://labor.idaho.gov/publications/internshipbrochure.pdf
4. Request for Internship Form:
Name:____________________________________ Title:__________________________________
Phone:___________________________________ Email:_________________________________
Company:_________________________________ Address:_______________________________
Write a brief organizationdescriptionof yourcompany:
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
COMPANYREQUIREMENTS (checkall that apply):
__ CompanyApplication
__ BackgroundCheck
__ Reference Check
__ Drug Test
WORK SCHEDULE:
_____ Lengthof Internship(i.e.10weeks): Start Date: __________ End Date: _________
X _____ # Hours perWeek Days (circle) M T W TH F S S
= ______Total Hours (exp.160 hours)
COMPENSATON:
Paid:____ If paid,$ amountto be offered:$_________ /hour or stipend$__________
Unpaid:___If unpaid,Initial HERE:_______ if youmeetthe DOL requirementsforunpaidinternships.
PreferencesinCollege Level:
Freshman___ Sophomore ___ Junior___ Senior___ Masters Level ___
Attach Listof Duties(onBack)
Suggestions of Professional Development Activities for the benefit of the intern
Lunch with companyexecutives/INSHRMmonthlyH.R.luncheon.
Participate incommunityorcompanyevent,organizedbyyourcompany.
Have the internpresentadisplayorproject,he/she completedwhile working,tothe committee
manager,president,orCEOto showcase whatwaslearned.
Have the interngive apresentationtothe managersand/orH.R.departmentwiththe following
questionscovered. Whatwasthemostvaluablething you learned during the program? Whatis
the valueto the organization of theprojectsyou worked on orwhatdo you feel yourcontribution
wasto the organization?Howwillyou apply the experienceyou gained in the real world?
5. Internship Agreement:
I, as the intern’smentor___________________________________ (write yourname) acceptthe
followingresponsibilities:
1. Readand reviewthe TestforUnpaidInternsand will provide activities,duties,andprofessional
developmentactivitieswhichcontribute togainingskillsandknowledge whichcanbe
transferable tootherH.R.employmentopportunitiesandcontribute tothe internslearningand
understandingof the H.R.function.
2. Provide experienceswhichare anextensionof the classroom:alearningexperience that
providesforapplyingthe knowledge gainedinthe classroom. Itmustnot be simplytoadvance
the operationsof the employerorbe the workthat a regularemployeewouldroutinely
perform.
3. Provide supervision,directionandfeedbackutilizingmyexpertise,education,andprofessional
backgroundinthe fieldof H.R. Communicate andworkcloselywiththe internandtimely
answerquestionsandconcerns.
4. Provide resources,equipment,andfacilitieswhichsupportthe internslearningobjectives and
duties.
5. Be clearaboutexpectationsof duties,assignments,activitiesanddeadlinesIwantthe internto
complete.
6. Complete the contractthroughthe agreeduponenddate (unlessthere isamutual agreement
to endthe internshipearlybetweenthe intern,mentorandthe interns’advisorora party to this
agreementsubstantiallybreachesthe termsorconditionscontainedherein). The internmust
be hiredforat least10 weeksunlessotherwiseagreed.
7. Ensure compliance withfederal andstate workplace standardsandregulations.
8. Complete documentationrequiredbythe collegeinternshipguidelines.
I, as the intern___________________________________ (write yourname) willacceptthe following
responsibilities:
1. Followall companypoliciesandprocedures.
2. Committo doingmybestand providingqualityworktomydepartment.
3. Keepinformationconfidential.
4. Have a mindsetto learnas muchas possibleandputmy besteffortintoeverythingIdo.
5. Come to workon time andwill notwithdraw fromthe contract until the scheduledenddate.
6. Define learningobjectivesrelatedtothe goalsof the academiccoursework.
7. Askfrequentquestionsandengage inconversationwithmymentorregardingcurrentcompany
activities.
8. Complete all paperworkrequiredforobtainingcollege credits.
9. Learn a lotand do a great job!
I agree to the provisionslaidoutinthisagreement.
Mentor Signature: ___________________________ Date: _______________
Intern Signature: ___________________________ Date: _______________
