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"Nathan Parcells\u00A0is co-founder and CMO of\u00A0InternMatch,\u00A0an online platform connecting the best\u00A0intern\u00A0candidates and employers. Connect with Nathan and InternMatch on\u00A0Facebook,\u00A0LinkedIn, and\u00A0Twitter.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThe past year was eventful for a number of reasons, including new iPhones, next-gen consoles, and\u00A0intern\u00A0lawsuits. But which one of these things is not like the other? I\u2019ll give you a hint: It\u2019s probably one that you never thought would happen.\r\nMany\u00A0internship\u00A0programs were filled with disaster after disaster in 2013. Unfortunately, due to poor management, discrimination, and lack of opportunities, some\u00A0interns\u00A0had no choice but to\u00A0file lawsuits\u00A0and go public with their problems. Now, many organizations like Conde Nast and Fox Searchlight have had to shut down their programs all together or pay up.\r\nHaving an\u00A0intern\u00A0is not an excuse to feed into the usual stereotypes of menial or unfulfilling work. As a\u00A0leader of a startup, I know it can be hard to forget this when you\u2019re busy making deals, finding funding, or growing your business. But the experience you provide should help students and young professionals to advance their careers, not leave a bad taste in their mouths.\r\nIn 2014, I challenge you to think bigger, be smarter, and avoid the\u00A0internship\u00A0disasters of the past year. Below are some notable cases and advice on what you can do to avoid similar issues:\r\n\r\nLauren Ballinger and Matthew Leib vs. Conde Nast Publications\r\nConde Nast, the powerhouse behind such publications like\u00A0Vanity Fair,\u00A0The New Yorker, and\u00A0Vogue, faced a thunderstorm of controversies in 2013 -- and it all came down to compensation.\r\nAccording to a class-action lawsuit filed by formed\u00A0interns\u00A0Lauren Ballinger and Matthew Leib, the publication giant paid them less\u00A0$1 an hour\u00A0during their time with the company. Apart from working long hours and not getting credit for their time, Ballinger and Leib weren\u2019t even provided a living wage, which is particularly damaging since the\u00A0internships\u00A0were in New York City.\r\nThe\u00A0dangers of offering unpaid\u00A0internships\u00A0at your startup, especially now that\u00A0interns\u00A0are standing up for themselves, can also be detrimental to your business, as well. Even giants like Conde Nast couldn\u2019t face the heat: The company decided to\u00A0nix their program\u00A0altogether.\r\nCompensating your\u00A0interns\u00A0for their hard work isn\u2019t a foreign concept. In fact, paid\u00A0interns\u00A0are\u00A0happier and more engaged, which is good for you and for them. Plus, it really helps them out with\u00A0burgeoning student loans and debt.\r\nTakeaway: If your startup can\u2019t afford to offer at least federal minimum wage, think about additional forms of compensation such as a stipends, skills training, and professional development. This shows appreciation and helps students move forward in their careers.\r\n\r\nJustin Henry vs. Warner Music Group Corp. and Atlantic Recording Corp.\r\nOne of the main benefits of an\u00A0internship\u00A0program is real work experience. This could mean allowing your\u00A0interns\u00A0to assist in event coordination, work on fundraising tasks, or help with project development. Justin Henry, a former\u00A0intern\u00A0with Warner Music Group and Atlantic Records, didn\u2019t receive this during his experience -- and he later handed the music giant a lawsuit to prove his point.\r\nAccording to the lawsuit, Henry claimed to worked\u00A0full-time for eight months without pay. The lawsuit also alleges his\u00A0internship\u00A0existed solely for the benefit of Atlantic Records and that he received no training or mentorship during his time there.\r\nSo, in addition to not paying its\u00A0interns, the major recording organization didn\u2019t do much to compensate in terms of experience. Henry may have signed up for an unpaid\u00A0internship, but he certainly didn\u2019t sign up for days where his focus was primarily filing, faxing, answering phones, or fetching lunch for paid employees.\r\nTakeaway: Your startup should focus on honing the skills and developing the capabilities of students and young professionals.\r\nFor example, conduct regular meetings to ensure positive productivity, provide mentorship opportunities, and allow\u00A0interns\u00A0to attend industry events and conferences will provide fulfilling experiences, regardless of pay.\r\n\r\nLihuan Wang\u00A0vs. Phoenix Satellite Television U.S. Inc. and\u00A0Zhengzhu Liu\r\nLihuan Wang, a former\u00A0intern\u00A0at Phoenix Satellite Television U.S, alleged that she\u00A0experienced sexual advances\u00A0from Zhengzhu Liu, her bureau chief. Here\u2019s where it gets messy, though: A New York judge ruled Wang was not covered by the\u00A0New York Human Rights Law\u00A0because she was not paid, and therefore\u00A0not\u00A0an employee.\r\nYou read that right. No pay means no rights.\r\nSexual harassment is a very serious charge. What makes this situation worse is the fact that, even if Wang\u2019s accusations were correct, nothing could have been done because she was not seen as an employee in the eyes of the law.\r\nAlthough states like Oregon are moving forward with\u00A0intern\u00A0workplace protection laws, cases like Wang\u2019s will continue to happen if\u00A0interns\u00A0aren\u2019t given the rights they deserve. (This, of course, could have been solved if Wang were paid.)\r\nTakeaway: Your startup needs to be very careful of how employees behave around young professionals. While an inappropriate joke may seem like something that could be brushed off, it\u2019s never OK to treat others with disrespect. Treat\u00A0interns\u00A0as you would treat any other employee.\r\nIf your startup is projected for sustainable growth and expansion, don\u2019t let things burn to the ground by being slapped with an\u00A0intern\u00A0lawsuit. Pay yourinterns\u00A0as best as you can, give them professional development opportunities, and protect them against discrimination. This will ensure a fulfilling experience for both you and for your\u00A0interns.\u00A0\r\nWhat do you think?\u00A0What are some other things your startup can learn from the\u00A0internship\u00A0disasters of 2013?\r\nImage credit: Shutterstock/stockelements"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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