We work because we need to get paid. But now, as the crisis has generated more laid offs, some of the unemployed have started working for free.
Lin,22, has been working for an Internet company jobnob.com for free since she lost her marketing job near San Francisco in April. She’s applied for over 50 jobs since then, but didn’t get her luck.
Last month, British Airways asked its staff to work unpaid in July as part of the plan to survive since the giant airline company suffered from a record annual loss as high as 220 million pounds.
1,000 employees have applied for the plan, including Chief Executive Willie Walsh, who earns around 735,000 pounds a year.
To employers, it’s a win-win choice.
The job seekers have time,’ said Ms Julie Greenberg, co-founder of Jobnob.com. " It’s really dangerous for them because once you are unemployed for a few months, there’s this proverbial white space on your resume that’s growing."
But career experts expressed their concerns.
Ross Eisenbrey, vice president of the Washington D.C.-based Economic Policy Institute, said this idea is not only bad, but illegal because a minimum wage is required by the law.
Alexandra Levit, workplace expert and author of "How’d You Score That Gig?", warned people not to undervalue themselves by working for nothing in companies instead of non-profit organizations.
"If you do have the experience, then you should be paid for it," he said.