Internship Agreement
A written contract between the employer and the intern provides mutual legal certainty and prevents potential disputes from the outset. It’s important to include the phrase “internship for educational purposes” to prevent possible future conflicts, such as those involving fixed-term contracts; specific provisions in examination and academic regulations must also be observed. In addition, the contract should include the following information:
- Start Date, Duration, and Job Responsibilities of the Internship
- Daily working hours
- Amount of compensation
- Duration of vacation
- Overtime pay
- Continued pay in case of illness
- Conditions for termination
Internship Plan
Ideally—preferably right from the start—there should be a plan outlining the key components of the internship in chronological order, along with details about departments and supervisors. If in doubt, simply ask them about it.
Internship Certificate
At the end of the internship, you should receive a written certificate describing the duration and content of the internship.
Important: Be sure to pay attention to the specific requirements of your program’s regulations! By the way, assessments of personal conduct and behavior have no place in such straightforward certificates. The most important information can be found at www.arbeitszeugnis-info.de.
Working Hours
During the internship, you must adhere to the company’s standard working time regulations. Otherwise, project work in particular carries the risk of unpaid overtime. If in doubt, ask the works council.
Internship Duration
It’s not just the learning effect that diminishes as the internship lengthens! If it lasts more than three months, you may find yourself doing more and more routine tasks instead of acquiring new skills. And that can displace regular jobs.
Compensation
Since there’s hardly any time left for a side job to earn extra money, internship compensation is necessary. While there’s no general entitlement to it, many companies do pay—though the amounts vary widely. It starts at around 150 euros per month; some large companies pay between 500 and 800 euros per month.
What to Do If There Are Problems?
Even when everything is in order, things can sometimes go wrong. If problems arise, the works council or the youth and trainee representative body (JAV) can help. The works council and the JAV are the first points of contact within the company when issues arise. With their support, disagreements, for example, can be resolved quickly. If there is no works council, it’s advisable to speak directly with your internship supervisor.
In the event of truly serious disputes with the company, interns can also seek legal advice from the student government or a union. Union members receive free legal representation for issues related to labor law. Students and high school students can also join and take advantage of all union benefits.
Internships and Unions—Do They Go Together?
Solidarity and collective action are essential for securing fair working conditions—for everyone. Most works councils and youth and apprentice representative bodies (JAV) receive direct support from the unions in their work. Employees in these companies benefit from this every day through established collective bargaining agreements, company agreements, and negotiated standards. Anyone completing an internship is also considered an employee in a training relationship. Even if the internship is only temporary and for a relatively short period, the union is there to represent the interests of interns.
