Parker Dewey requires that all Micro-Internships posted on its platform be paid a reasonable rate based on the scope of work. This article addresses common questions from employers about this, specifically:
For more information about how payment works for Micro-Interns, go to this article.
As of summer 2024, the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) Guide to Compensation for Interns & Co‑ops reports that the national average hourly wage for bachelor‑level interns is $23.04 per hour. At Parker Dewey, we fully support NACE’s stance that fair pay isn’t only ethical but also essential for attracting a diverse and motivated pool of early-career talent. Based on this benchmark, we recommend budgeting compensation for Micro-Internships to equate to $20-25 per hour.
Offering fair compensation is more than compliance; it drives better engagement, performance, and long-term talent pipeline growth. To learn more about the risks and challenges of unpaid internships, check out NACE's “Unpaid Is Unfair” campaign here.
Parker Dewey handles the payment to the Micro-Intern. Once you have verified that the project has been completed successfully, the Micro-Intern will be added to our payroll for that month. Parker Dewey processes payroll on or around the last day of each month.
The Parker Dewey platform presets the rate of pay for MIcro-Internships so that the Micro-Intern receives $20 per estimated hour of work. We recognize that this may not be an appropriate rate of pay for a variety of factors such as:
Micro-Internships are fixed-fee engagements, so Micro-Interns are paid based on completion of the project, not based on hours worked.
Since Micro-Internships are fixed-fee, neither you nor the Micro-Intern need to track the Micro-Intern's hours.
They are also working as independent contractors of Parker Dewey, so they are responsible for applicable taxes and receive no benefits.
If you wish to extend a project beyond the original scope of the project, please notify Parker Dewey’s Support Team immediately so that we can properly handle the accounting for this extension. You will receive an adjusted invoice or a new invoice for the additional work. You do not need to make any changes on the Parker Dewey platform.
Extending a project beyond the original scope of work means that your project requires additional work beyond what you anticipated when the student was selected for the project. This is different from extending the deadline for the project. If you wish to extend the project’s deadline, you can do so by editing the project “End Date” in Parker Dewey. Be sure to coordinate this with the Micro-Intern so that you are both aware of this change.
Please note that projects funded by third party Micro-Internship programs may not be awarded extensions. Additionally, program-funded projects may also have firm deadlines that cannot be changed due to program requirements. If you have questions about these requirements, contact Parker Dewey’s Support Team.
To rehire a Micro-Intern for a new Micro-Internship, post your project and email your previous Micro-Intern to encourage them to apply. Once the project is posted, click on the project and then select Actions > Share Project to see a public link that you can copy and send to the Micro-Intern so that they can quickly find the application and apply.