In a message dated 11/9/2004 8:30:03 AM Eastern Standard Time, 
[log in to unmask] writes:

<< David - Bottom line first - track the intern's hours and logging them
 in-kind yourself.  Be honest - these should be real hours on site that he
 spends on the project (I'm NOT suggesting smoke and mirrors).  You or some
 intern supervisor should know when he's there and what he's' working on, so
 this is reasonable personnel management on your part.  If no one's tracking
 him now, do begin to ask him to check in with you (or a supervisor) and to
 produce finished work after each session so that you can provide honest
 numbers and so that you're sure he's really performing.
 
 Obviously the intern is looking at this from a purely his personal
 interests, not museum interests.  >>

No, I think he has been thinking of the museum's interests all along, but the 
realization that his work might later provide a salary for someone else has 
simply reminded him that he might need an income someday himself.

I appreciate the feedback from several of you to my question, even if I don't 
entirely agree with every comment, but I fear I was too vague.  First, let me 
assure you that this particular intern, who is working under my supervision, 
is one of the best I've ever had.  He's very bright, cheerful, and highly 
productive, and he's been working about 20 hours a week for me--unpaid--since 
April.  He's been quite contented to contribute his time and effort to the Museum 
and to consider it a learning experience without any expectation of payment.  
However, he is seeking employment and has applied for a paid position 
elsewhere with a reference from me.  The problem is that when he started working with 
me nothing was said about tracking his time toward the grant project, and when 
he was asked recently to do so--by someone else, not me--it caught him off 
guard.  I now think that we were remiss not to point out at the outset that his 
time would be considered an in-kind contribution toward the grant, and 
probably this possibility should be routinely explained to all volunteers and 
interns. 

However, I don't quite understand Lucy's statement that:
"- there is really no relationship at all between his hours and the grant
funded job you are creating  (though, presumably if he qualified (thanks in
part to this internship), he could apply)." 

--because there is a very definite relationship.  Perhaps you could clarify 
this.  

I disagree somewhat with Sharon's statement:

"I think it is not up to the intern to decide if work is "fair" or "unfair"
based on who he thinks it might benefit."

Interns do need to feel that they're being treated fairly and will derive 
some personal benefit, even if it's intangible or delayed.  There have been many 
discussions on this list in the past about unpaid internships and volunteer 
positions creating an impression that a person is being "used" (some taking the 
extreme position that unpaid interns and volunteers are inherently exploited 
by museums), and I think it's important to show them that there is a quid pro 
quo.  But puttting myself in the intern's shoes, I can see how the thought that 
one's unpaid work could eventually accrue to someone else's financial 
advantage would give one pause.  I think it's a delicate situation that deserves to 
be handled with some finesse.

In any event, I told the intern that I would seek opinions on this issue from 
this list, and I think I can report back to him what I've learned, and 
perhaps help him feel more comfortable about the arrangement.  After all, as has 
been suggested, he might himself be a candidate for a temporary job which his 
efforts could help create.  I thank you all for your responses.

David Haberstich

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