Teach-In:

Student Labor Rights

Are practicum programs in compliance with
Federal labor standards?

 Introduction to SWSU
UW School of Social Work Practicum Program
Department of Labor Standards for Unpaid
Internships
Administrative Response from SSW & CSWE
Student Testimony
Where do we go from here?

What Well Cover

 Jooree Ahn
2nd Year MSW, 1st Year MPH

Ali Ojanen-Goldsmith
Recent MSW grad, 2nd Year MPH

Who are we?

 Growing student grassroots movement

Formed in response to students concerns
Issues: broader practicum reform, student labor rights
Active, ongoing dialogue with SSW Administration

Who is SWSU?

1) Legality of unrecognized practicum labor

2) Exploitation of practicum students
3) Safety and protection of students
4) Student burden in practicum participation
(financial, emotional, social)

Major Concerns

 Student role at practicum site

Cost of practicum credits
Workplace protections
Student grievance process

Practicum Program:
What You Should Know

Worker?
Submit resume and undergo Perform regular duties of
formal interview process
practicum site
Comply with all site policies Mandated hours and
and procedures
attendance; typically 9-5
Financial gain for agencies

Student?
Sites are assigned
Required academic credit

Practicum Instructor
Learning Contract

What Are Our Roles?

 1,040 hours of practicum mandated (26 credits)

Resident Total Cost: $15,361
Pay $14.77/ practicum hour

Non-Resident Total Cost: $25,706

Pay $24.72/practicum hour
Does not include:
lost wages and benefits
child care
transportation
other costs: books, professional clothing, etc.

Student Burden

Discrimination
Student reports: dismissal based on mental health status,
reporting legal action against intimate partner violence,
taking sick days

Sexual Harassment
Unclear what legal and institutional protections are in place

Injury
Students assume all risks for injury at their practicum site
Must sign liability waiver

Lack of Protection

 Dealt with according to internal, academic protocol

Viewed as interpersonal issues where the goals is:
to reach a mutually satisfactory resolution of a dispute

Legal recourse unclear and is not explicitly explained

before beginning practicum

Grievance Process

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR STANDARDS

Internship Programs Under the Fair Labor
Standards Act

For an unpaid internship to be exempt from minimum wage and overtime

laws, all of the following criteria must be met:

1) 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;
2) The internship experience is for the benefit of the intern;
3) The intern does not displace regular employees, but works under close
supervision of existing staff;
4) 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;
5) The intern is not necessarily entitled to a job at the conclusion of the
internship;
6) The employer and the intern understand that the intern is not entitled to
wages for the time spent in the internship.

On paper
1) 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.
Clarifying language from the DOL:
structured around a classroom or academic experience as opposed to
the employers actual operations

Student experiences
Learning happens at the practicum site, not in a classroom.
Learning is centered on the employers actual operations.

On paper
2) The internship experience is for the benefit of the intern;
4) 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;
Clarifying language from the DOL:
if the interns are engaged in the operations of the employer or are
performing productive work, then the fact that they may be receiving
some benefits in the form of a new skill or improved work habits will
not exclude them from the FLSAs minimum wage and overtime
requirements

Student experiences
Many students feel that practicum sites and the UW receive the
most benefit.
Health coverage reimbursement and client payment
Awarded grants and other funding sources developed by
students
Research, publications and creation of agency documents and
manuals
Strategic partnerships with UW built and strengthened by
practicum student labor

On paper
3) The intern does not displace regular employees, but works
under close supervision of existing staff;
5) The intern is not necessarily entitled to a job at the conclusion
of the internship;
Clarifying language from the DOL:
If an employer uses interns as substitutes for regular workers or to
augment its existing workforce during specific time periods, these interns
should be paid at least the minimum wage and overtime compensation for
hours worked over forty in a workweek. If the employer would have hired
additional employees or required existing staff to work additional hours
had the interns not performed the work, then the interns will be viewed as
employees and entitled compensation under the FLSA

Student experiences

Students have displaced employees.

Students do the work of paid employees.
Students do whatever work the agency needs.

On paper
6) The employer and the intern understand that the intern is not
entitled to wages for the time spent in the internship.

Student experiences
Practicum sites voluntarily paying students hourly wages.
Practicum sites unclear about legal liability and labor laws.
Practicum sites recognize that students are performing work that
would be paid otherwise.

The SSW Administration and the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE):

Field education is associated with an academic program at an accredited institution of higher

learning.

Field education is structured around a classroom or academic experience, with articulated

learning objectives/competencies.

The college or university exercises oversight over the internship program and provides
educational credit.

The field education experience is supervised by social work program personnel; there is an
agreement between the program and the field site as well as a learning contract between the
student and the site.

The Social Work Field Education program is meant to be solely educational and provide training
to prepare the professional social worker. It is not meant to supplant or replace existing
employees of social work within the field education program site.

The field placement is meant to provide an educational and training opportunity to the social
worker and is not meant to provide any immediate advantage to the employer or the field site.
-CSWE response as circulated by UW SSW Administration

Our hopes for collaboration

1) Work to strengthen the practicum experience for students
2) Initiate an audit on the practicum program, specifically the
legality and student concerns
3) Opportunity for leading SW school to set a precedent

Student Voices
and
Student Testimony

Where do we go from here?

Why Join UAW 4121?

1) Stronger representation of social work student labor issues
2) Channel to spread awareness and form partnerships
3) Large interest and support across campus for our specific
issues
4) Solidarity with other labor issues on campus

Join UAW 4121

1) All graduate students, regardless of UW employment
status, are eligible.
2) Propose initiatives and voting power
3) Hold office within UAW

union:

a number of persons, states, etc., joined or associated

together for some common purpose

Social Work Student Union

Supporters
Sponsors
Solidarity