Our policy on advertising un-paid jobs

Does media.info accept advertisements for unpaid jobs? Normally the answer's... no, because they're illegal.

Unpaid jobs, sometimes called "work experience" or "internships", are normally illegal.

In the UK, every worker, with very limited exceptions, is legally entitled to be paid at least the National Minimum Wage. It's a criminal offence not to pay it.

These are the current Minimum Wage rates, and these are the people who should be paid it.

media.info can not accept advertising that is against the Minimum Wage Act, and therefore against the law.

We don't accept student 'work experience'

The National Minimum Wage does not need to be paid if:

- the work experience is part of a course for a full-time student

- it is organised by the relevant academic institution

- it is a required part of that course

Given the requirements above, student work experience is not expected to be advertised on media.info, and we can't accept it.

Expenses-only jobs are illegal

The National Minimum Wage still applies, and an employment tribunal has already ruled that the minimum wage applies. media.info cannot accept jobs that only pay expenses, including internships.

Charities and not-for-profit organisations

- Charities are normally exempt from the National Minimum Wage. You're therefore free to use media.info if you're advertising for voluntary roles, for example, a Hospital Radio station that is a registered charity.

- Not-for-profit organisations, like community radio stations, may be exempt from the legal requirements of the National Minimum Wage under certain circumstances. Because of this, media.info does accept advertising for community radio stations. By posting an unpaid job for a community station, you accept all responsbility; eligible "not-for-profit organisations" are only those required to be so by law.

- We only accept selected roles at our discretion.

An RSL or an online-only station is not legally required to be not-for-profit

Our definition of a "community radio station", as above, is a licenced service by Ofcom as a Community Radio Station. RSLs are not required to operate at no profit, and there is no provision made in the Minimum Wage Act for them. We cannot accept advertising for unpaid work in a RSL.

Community Interest Companies

Some internet-only radio stations that lack an Ofcom licence are operated by a Community Interest Company (CIC). These are not exempt from paying the Minimum Wage. The government has reaffirmed, after consultation, that it does not intend to make an exclusion around CICs for the Minimum Wage. 2.16 (pdf). Accordingly, we cannot accept advertising for unpaid positions for a CIC.

Our job is not in the UK and not subject to minimum wage law

We use the above guidelines irrespective of job location.

For more information

- Read guidelines from Skillset (pdf)

- Read the Government's advice