Volunteers, Interns, and Wage Laws in California: Where the Line Really Is (and How to Stay on the Right Side of It)
California employers—particularly nonprofits, arts organizations, and mission-driven institutions—frequently ask whether they can lawfully use volunteers or unpaid interns. Students want experience. Community members want to contribute. Organizations want to expand their impact. Yet fear of wage-and-hour liability often leads employers to adopt a blanket rule: we don’t do unpaid internships or volunteers. In reality, California…
