With the inflation of young adults completing their undergrad, graduate, and Ph.D. degrees, the custom of working for free for long periods of time for big companies until they decide to hire you or let you go has become customary.

 

Hopeful students often complete their degrees with millions of dollars in debt and still have to claw their way into the workforce. They compete with each other for few positions and are often treated very badly, as they are the “lowest” on the totem.

 

Another concern that has been raised with these endless internships is the advantage that wealthy students have in this scenario. After all, who can allow themselves to work for free for so long, unless a patron is paying their room and board? Even if the poorer counterpart is able to juggle a job or two while interning, is he or she able to be there for the internship in the same capacity as someone who doesn’t have to do so many other things to survive in the world while interning?

 

Is this social construct creating a bigger gap between the rich and poor? Has it always? Is education only an illusion of equality in a society, if one cannot fairly compete in the workforce once they’ve completed their studies? Is it right for companies that make millions of dollars to hire free labor?

 

Etto Hensley apparently thought it wasn’t, as he declared that his company would not have any unpaid labor in his organization of any kind going forward. Etto released the following statement;

 

“My time in captivity has changed my views on free labor. Working a year for free and being completely dependent on someone else for my livelihood has made me realize that it is immoral to exploit someone’s weak position in society to further my own wealth and endeavors.”

 

Etto is also encouraging other conglomerates to follow his lead and to pay all of their workforce, and treat them with dignity. The paper has decided to follow his lead, and will no longer have any unpaid labor on its staff.