As of today, Hillary Clinton does not pay her millennial staff of “fellows,” as they are labeled by her presidential campaign.
Next to an asterisk toward the bottom of an announcement which reads “Apply to be a Fall Fellow” it states, “Acceptances will occur on a rolling basis. All fellowships with the Florida Campaign are unpaid, volunteer positions.” (emphasis added)
The eight-week Florida “fellowship” requires a minimum of 15 to 30 hours each week and includes responsibilities such as, but not limited to, engaging “new potential volunteers through phone calls and canvassing” and continuing “to build the movement to help elect Democrats up and down the ticket this November.”
Clinton campaign applicant Carolyn Osorio wrote last year that the campaign is misleading and exploits the young generation who want to help her win in November. “I quickly applied for and was offered a position as a Hillary for America fellow to work on the campaign. I couldn’t have been more excited — until I was told I’d have to move to Nevada and work full time on my own dime,” Osorio wrote. “I couldn’t believe my ears. I did not apply as a routine volunteer but as a fellow. Its application process with an elaborate screening and interview process was now revealed to be an ugly lie. If Hillary hopes to inspire young people, to prove she understands our interests she should offer substance to earn our votes.”
Despite giving the Democratic presidential nominee her “free vote,” Osorio called out Clinton’s hypocrisy considering she was part of an Obama administration that has cracked down on unpaid internships in the private sector, while abetting unpaid internships in the public sector, such as those interning at the White House.
The Clinton campaign did not respond to a request for comment.
