State Internship Laws

Page Content

Each state may pass state-specific laws that apply to activities taking place within their state, such as supervised field experiences, clinicals, and internships. State-specific laws include requirements that must be met before an internship can take place, such as the two laws listed below:

New Hampshire Internship Registration Requirements for Unpaid Internships

New Hampshire requires that programs such as internships, job shadowing, or mentor programs be approved by the Labor Commissioner when a student is working for practical experience and is not being paid or is being paid at a sub-minimum rate per Regulations (RSA 279:22-aa; New Hampshire Administrative Rules Chapter LAB 805).

• To be properly registered, the program and placement work site must be registered with the NH Department of Labor.
• Additional questions regarding this requirement can be found on the following web page FAQ: https://www.nh.gov/labor/faq/school-to-work.htm#approval

Colorado

The Colorado Worker’s Compensation Act defines unpaid interns as employees and requires the university overseeing the internship/monitoring/supervising the internship to provide them with Worker’s Compensation insurance. See Colorado Department of Labor and Employment: https://cdle.colorado.gov/workers-compensation-act

(C.R.S. 8-40-302(7); C.R.S. 8-43-409)

To prevent violation of this regulation, please take into account the following:

• The Worker’s Compensation Act does not allow students to purchase their own insurance for worker’s compensation. Instead, it requires the university or the entity within Colorado where the internship is being completed to provide worker’s compensation insurance.
• Student teachers are required to have worker's compensation coverage provided by the district in which they are completing their student teaching per § 22-62-105 (as part of the Cooperative Teacher Education Act). [See the Act for more information]
• In order to purchase Colorado worker's compensation insurance, a university would have to affirm in the insurance application that the unpaid intern is the employee of the university. Under Mississippi law, an unpaid intern is not the employee of the university facilitating their internship.
• Since The University of Southern Mississippi cannot purchase worker’s compensation insurance as required by Colorado law, USM students enrolled in either online or on-campus programs cannot be placed in an on-ground unpaid field placement, internship, or clinicals in the State of Colorado.
   

NOTE:

• Paid internships can be completed in Colorado, as paid internships do not fall under the Worker’s Compensation Act. 

QUESTIONS:

If you have any questions or concerns, email onlineFREEMississippi.