Doesn't it seem like only a couple of months have passed since publishing giant Condé Nast received a lawsuit for paying interns less than a dollar per hour? Well, that's because it was only just a couple of months ago. But even after the company's June proceedings, it appears that Condé Nast has stopped paying interns anything at all. Of course, they're receiving a hefty amount of experience, which we hear is kind of like Bitcoin — in that you'll never see it, but it's real and totally functional.
According to Gawker, several recent interns told the Who Pays Interns Tumblr that their employer had stopped paying them altogether. Previously, interns received a $550 stipend per semester, which over a 12-week session breaks down to $45 per week.
AdvertisementADVERTISEMENT
A quote from the Tumblr (calling out Vogue, GQ, and The New Yorker specifically) says, "A few months ago, we reported that Condé Nast paid its interns a $550 stipend. But a former intern tells us that’s no longer the case. She asked for the stipend she was owed after working there this Spring, only to be informed that the company had discontinued the stipends earlier this year. Eight current and former interns at other Condé magazines tell us that they are also not receiving stipends." The post also links to advertisements for unpaid internship listings at Condé.
Though no one can place a value on the experience one would gain working under such impressive mastheads, is experience alone enough to compensate someone? Are unpaid interns overreacting? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
(Gawker)
Photo: Via Gawker.