Legal Summary of Internship Six-Prong Test (As required by the State of Washington)
The following six criteria must be met in order for the position to be determined as an internship:
- The internship, even though it includes actual operation of the facilities of the employer, is similar to training which would be given in an educational environment.
- The internship experience is for the benefit of the intern.
- The intern does not displace regular employees but works under close supervision of existing staff.
- The employer that provides the training derives no immediate advantage from the activities of the intern and on occasion, its operations may actually be impeded.
- The intern is not necessarily entitled to a job at the conclusion of the internship.
- The employer and the intern understand that the intern is not entitled to wages for the time spent in the internship.
Source: https://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/whdfs71.htm