The White House is following the lead of some of the biggest names in the private sector and will begin paying its interns, 🥂the Biden administration announced Thursday.
Participants in the 14-week fall program will be paid at a rate of and will receive the payments in two installments — the first at or near the start of the internship and the second after completing the program.
Money for the paychecks will be taken out of the government funding bill pa𒁏ssed earlier this year and will be applied to internships across the Executive Office of the President and the Office of the Vice President.
“Too often, unpaid federal 🌠internships have been a barrier to hardworking and talented studentಌs and professionals, preventing them from contributing their talents and skills to the country and holding them back from federal career advancement opportunities,” the White House said in a statement.
“This significant milestone of paying White House interns will help remove barriers to equal opportunity for low-income students and first-generation professionals at the beginnings of their careers and help to ensure that those who receive internships at the White House—and who will be a significant part of the leadership pipeline across the entire federal government—reflect the diversity of America,” it added.
Meanwhile, summer White House interns will for their participation in the seven-week program beginningꦚ June 20.
To qualify for the fall internship program, applicants must be at least 18 years o🐭ld, a current college student or a graduate within the last two years, or a veteran with a high school diploma who has served on active duty within the last two😼 years. The application period runs from June 6 to June 24 and selected applicants will be notified Aug. 8.
Never Miss a Story
Sign up to get the best storie💖s straight to yo🔯ur inbox.
Thanks for signing up!
Selected applicants will be required to꧒ provide proof of 🍰their vaccination status and adhere to White House COVID-19 protocols.
The announcement comes amid a drive by Democratic leaders to boost staffer salaries amid a unionization push on Capitol Hill — a movement backed by the president.
Earlier this month, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) announced the minimum salary for congressional staffers working in the House of Representat🦄ives would be $45,000 starting in September. The m🐼aximum annual pay rate would be increased to $203,700.
At the time of the announcement, the speaker said the c🧔ompetitive salary will allow the House to “better be able to retain and recruit excellent, diverꦡse talent” as well as “open the doors to public service for those who may not have been able to afford to do so in the past.”
“This is also an issue of fairn♋ess, as many of the ꧋youngest staffers working the longest hours often earn the lowest salaries,” Pelosi said.
Just days later, it was revealed the House will also start paying for Peloton memberships f▨or all House staffers and Capitol Police members.
Washington, DC, and its suburbs are ranked the most to live in th🐟e US.