Millennials Strongly Object To Use Of Unpaid Internships: Poll

A resounding majority of millennials object to the use of unpaid internships, a poll by OurTime.org finds

OurTime.org, a millennial advocacy group, surveyed 2,059 people, asking "Do you think unpaid internships are a fair and legitimate business practice?" Sixty-one percent responded "No," only 12 percent said "Yes" and 27 percent said "Sometimes."

Unpaid internships have increasingly come under scrutiny as media and fashion companies have faced lawsuits claiming interns were used in violation of fair labor practices.

“An economic divide is exacerbating between students whose parents can afford to subsidize an internship vs. those whose cannot," said Matthew Segal, co-founder of OurTime.org, in a statement. "Yet internships are becoming more of a prerequisite and less of a distinction by the day."

Employers have cited internships as something they prefer a recent college graduate to have under their belt in order for them to extend a job offer. But internships do not necessarily lead to full employment, and that is especially true for unpaid interns.