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AGENCY TALENT business schools . At others , agencies will have to tap into other academic disciplines to find qualified candidates . A listing of InVEST High School teacher contacts is available from InVEST ’ s national staff .
Some fields of study with relevance to agency operations include general business , management , marketing , accounting , finance , advertising / PR , computer science and communications . Students from these disciplines often have not decided on a professional career and , after some exposure , may find the insurance industry attractive . The availability of these non-insurance specific disciplines makes an added case for using interns for project-oriented tasks such as marketing initiatives or technology tasks .
Once the agency / company has determined what it hopes to gain from an internship , the next step is to contact institutions in the area about the availability of internship programs . The search should begin the semester before the intern is needed . Institutional offerings run the gamut from simple placement services to highly structured , formal programs . Programs offered within an institution may vary by department . Searching a college ’ s website usually will provide an indication of the level of sophistication and identify contacts .
When contacting the institution , it ’ s important that all parties understand the expectations and responsibilities of the program . While not required , a sample internship agreement and evaluation form is included for your reference .
LEGAL CONSIDERATIONS
Major areas of concern for employers are compensation laws , workers ' comp , unemployment insurance , and employment practice laws and liability . Please consult legal counsel if you are unsure .
COMPENSATION
We encourage paid internships as a positive commitment to the student . While the Fair Labor Standards Act does not require interns to be paid , we encourage you to contact legal counsel regarding requirements for these formally structured programs .
WORK COMP AND UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE
Whether paid or unpaid , the intern should be covered by workers compensation . Many institutions will require proof of coverage . For unpaid interns , it would be advisable to add a voluntary workers ' compensation endorsement . Interns are not eligible for unemployment benefits after the internship is over .
EPL INSURANCE & INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENTS
In most cases , the institution will require the employer to assume liability for interns . The student also may be accorded additional institutional protections and processes , especially for issues of liability , confidentiality and harassment . Generally , the same EEOC standards that apply to full-time employees will apply to interns . Internship sites must be equal opportunity employers and cannot practice “ unlawful discrimination .” The reasonable accommodation provisions of the ADA also will apply .
INTERN ORIENTATION , MENTORING AND EVALUATION
In order to maximize the mutual benefit of the work experience , the agency / company should assign a mentor to the intern , preferably a managementlevel person who is willing to commit the necessary amount of time . This should be someone who likes to teach and is familiar with all aspects of agency / company operations . A proper orientation should be conducted at the outset and followed up with periodic evaluations .
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