HR Strange But True

Policy Protects Interns from Burning Out over the Hot Summer

After years of horror stories—and lawsuits—about interns working grueling hours and long workweeks, it’s refreshing to hear about a company that has changed its policies to prevent its hand-picked college interns from burning out over the hot summer.

There will be no more all-nighters or work-through weekends for interns at Goldman Sachs, according to Reuters, which broke the story. The company’s new policy has banned interns serving as analysts and associates from working earlier than 7 a.m. or later than midnight—and they cannot work on Saturdays.

Banking and investment companies are trying to lessen the stress and health effects of working long hours for their elite interns.  Only 2,900 were selected from 267,000 applicants for this summer, according to Bloomberg Business.

The international financial industry was the target of bad press last year resulting from the death of an intern in London whose underlying medical condition may have been exacerbated by working long hours. Also, recent studies of medical interns have shown that long hours of work have no benefits mentally or physically.

So the old joke about “bringing a pillow to work” on the first day of the internship will no longer apply, says CNNMoney.

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