I am finishing my master's degree in Epidemiology and the last job I had was not covering statistical analysis. There was some work I did on the side for a project, but that was about it. It was a contract that I was unable to renew due to tech hiring freezes in their area. So, I have been applying to fellowships and early career jobs hoping to find something relevant. In the meantime, I am finishing up my one last class, which is just a paper, and I have a few hours each day to work on something. When I got a call for an unpaid internship for a start-up, I was told it was very flexible, I thought it would be nice to try out. I have never interned before, and I thought some experience could help with prospects or just having more confidence in interviews and the work. The wording and attitude was revolving around flexibility, a few hours a day, and so I thought, let's see how it goes.
First, I stated I would work 4 hours a day, with the exception of days I meet with my school advisor and work on my research paper. I was working directly under the CEO. He started scheduling meetings way off from when I would work. I would say 9AM – 1PM, and he would schedule a meeting at 5PM. So I changed my schedule to 1PM-5PM and he would schedule meetings at 6PM or 7PM. Not a huge deal, but it did make me have to be available by the computer longer. I also quickly realized quickly I wasn't spending enough time on schoolwork or job hunting going over everything, hoped that was temporary. I even worked on that first Saturday, to make up for the school day I missed, to have something done by Monday for a meeting, but every time I mentioned I wasn't sure about getting something done by his meeting, he would say he didn't need it for the meeting, just to work on it. It was kind of bizarre, like he was making fake deadlines. He did this the following week as well, “can you have it done by my meeting Monday afternoon” and then “oh it's okay, keep working on it, I don't need it for my meeting.”
Second, he showed me his company PowerPoint that he uses in meetings to explain his company etc. I thought it was an onboarding thing, but he started asking me to find images for the PowerPoint to make it look nice etc. After the end of the first week, I realized I was spending hours just working on a PowerPoint, for free, learning nothing related to my studies. He kept mentioning that he would find something related for me. In the meantime, he wanted me to simplify his PowerPoint deck. Not at all the job description or what I expected. Week 2, I asked him if there was anything related to statistics I could work on, and he gave kind of maybe. Then continued the PowerPoint goals. By the end of the second week, I had enough. I didn't want to spend any more of my free time working for free and not gaining experience.
Third, I decided to sign up for Rover and UberEATS and do some gig work to pay for food and a few things while I look for work. I emailed the guy and told him that I am needing time for gig work that isn't going to balance well with school and the timing is off, I can't really put in the hours he needs for his 'deliverables'. He then called me and told me that he wished I had said something sooner because he put together analysis work for me that I 'might' be able to do. He said I signed a contract for 14 weeks and that if I resign I need to give 3 weeks' notice and COMPLETE deliverables. I was really concerned and said I would look at the PowerPoint deck, but the simplification he wanted me to do with image and design would probably not be done in time for anything he needed, because I wouldn't be able to put in the hours. He asked if I could finish it in two days. I said I couldn't because I will be working, and I also was never told it had to be done in two days? It was all really unspoken and random and confusing as to what he needed, when, and why. I nervously stated I will do what I can between school and gig work and send it over and look at the data file he plans to send.
Fourth, that night he emailed me at 11:30 PM stating again how I have a contract and have to give three weeks' notice AND finish 'deliverables' and that I have to hand in the revised power point deck in two days (on a Thursday) and then finish the analysis project the following Wednesday! I thought this was crossing the line. I mean the three weeks thing was really bothering me. Most companies say 2 weeks and that's because you need to onboard and transfer the work you were trained on, but there was virtually NO onboarding! Then stating I HAVE to finish these deliverables and giving a ridiculous deadline! And the project I hadn't looked at that he emailed me with like 5-8 links and downloads of, there, he asked to get it done in 4 days (6 if you include me working weekends)! part time! I almost wanted to laugh, crazy. But it made me really nervous because he kept mentioning the contract and I couldn't fall asleep that night; he shouldn't have sent that at 11 at night on top of everything. My opinion on the personal email timing. Since that crossed the line for me, I started researching and learned a lot about unpaid internships and how this is actually not one. So, I just emailed him a big no thanks, good luck, this does not help with schoolwork, etc.
Fifth, In the midst of all this I read the contract in detail. When I first skimmed it, it seemed to just be an agreement that I won't get paid. As I read it through its wording of 'we discourage … looking for reasons to quit early. we report to the school,” I decided to contact my school liaison for handshake asking about the situation and if I am okay to quit. After telling her the story and showing her the contract, she stated, “it is never ideal to quit an internship,” and that after reviewing the information there is nothing binding in the contract and that the internship does not comply with FAIR LABOR STANDARDS ACT and is displacing a paid position. I don't know why this upset the most, because she started with it is NEVER ideal to quit an internship. How is that so? Is it not ideal to leave in multiple circumstances, not complying with fair labor standards being one of them??
Anyway, I wanted to share here because I thought of you guys right away. I have not continued that free work on the PowerPoint deck and am doing UberEATS while hoping to do well on two upcoming interviews for paid jobs.
TL;DR I worked for two weeks at an unpaid internship that wasn't following FLSA and when I tried to leave so I can work for money, he tried to get me to stay 3 weeks to finish bogus unrelated work because of my 'contract'. A school and work advisor told me it's not a binding contract and that the unpaid internship doesn't comply with FLSA even though “it's never ideal to quit an internship.”