Help the community and expand your practice! Find out how.
Already registered? Login here.
Question Details: Recently in the US and the UK there has been a lot of press about internships, especially unpaid ones. What does NZ labour law have to say about internships? I haven't been able to find much solid information, I would really appreciate it if you could point me in the direction of some.
Filed under Employment Law | 5462 View(s)
Community Law Wellington & Hutt Valley
Yes, voluntary internships are legal in New Zealand. The term "intern" is not often used in New Zealand and is not found in our laws. The Employment Relations Act 2000 governs employment relationships and it states that a volunteer is not an employee (and would therefore not fall under the rights and obligations provided for in our laws).
Other laws still apply to a volunteer however such as the Human Rights Act (freedom from discrimination etc), and health and safety laws.
If someone is paid a small amount to "intern" then they may be an employee, but this depends on the facts of the situation.
For further information on employment law please see www.ers.govt.nz and chapters 12 -14 of the Community Law Manual www.communitylaw.org.nz.
Answered 5 Mar 2013. The IMPORTANT NOTICE below is part of this answer.
IMPORTANT NOTICE:
The answer provided above is intended for general informational purposes only and cannot be
considered a substitute for face-to-face legal advice. It should not be relied upon as the sole
basis for taking action in relation to a legal issue. Laws change frequently, and small
variations in the facts, or a fact not provided in the question, can often change a legal
outcome or a lawyer’s conclusion. No liability whatsoever is accepted by the authors or
publishers of the answer, for loss, damage or inconvenience arising in any way from the use of
this site. While each answer has been published by a lawyer with a practising certificate, that
person may not necessarily have experience in the particular area of law involved.
For more information about this website, please review our
Terms of Use.