It’s common for companies to hire interns over the summer or to help with a busy season, but it’s not always clear how to add interns to your payroll. We’ve pulled together some helpful resources to help you hire interns legally and build a successful intern program. Once you’ve hired your interns, it’s easy to add them to your company payroll in Justworks.
How do I add an intern to my company’s payroll?
From the employee section of your account, simply click “add” just like when you hire any other employee. In the drop-down, you’ll see an option for “Paid Intern”.
A “Paid Intern” is a full-time or part-time, hourly, non-exempt employee who is: (i) being paid at least the applicable minimum wage rate and overtime pay for overtime hours worked; (ii) not eligible for benefits; and (iii) working for your company for no more than 90 days. A “Paid Intern” in Justworks is required to fill out timecards like other hourly employees. Learn more about paid interns.
What benefits are interns eligible for?
For companies that choose to offer commuter benefits through Justworks, paid interns are eligible to take advantage of pre-tax commuter benefits. Read more about commuter benefits here.
For paid interns to be eligible for other benefits, such as health insurance, designate them as “Full-Time Employee (W-2)” or “Part-Time Employee (W-2)”, as applicable. Remember, an employee must work at least on average 30 or more hours per week to be benefits eligible.
How will I be billed for interns?
Paid interns will be billed as part-time employees even if they’re working full-time for the duration of their internship. Learn about billing and pricing through Justworks.
Why are "Paid Interns" in Justworks non-exempt from minimum wage and overtime?
Interns for for-profit private sector employers are most often viewed as non-exempt employees. Interns do not typically meet the job duties or salary requirements to qualify for an exemption. You can read more about exemptions and overtime rules here. If you think your intern should be exempt from minimum wage and overtime pay, you may add them in Justworks as a "Full-Time Employee (W-2)" or "Part-Time Employee (W-2)".
What if I don't want to pay my interns on an hourly basis?
A "Paid Intern" in Justworks is a non-exempt employee and therefore is required to fill out timecards.
Disclaimer
This material has been prepared for informational purposes only, and is not intended to provide, and should not be relied on for, legal or tax advice. If you have any legal or tax questions regarding this content or related issues, then you should consult with your professional legal or tax advisor.