The Invisible Hand

Why Amazon, Disney and Tesla Can Legally Not Pay Their Interns

Published: September 10, 2026

Duration: 16:49

Ever wonder how Disney gets away with having unpaid interns run their theme parks while McDonald's has to pay minimum wage to flip burgers? In this episode, Emma Reid breaks down the bizarre legal loophole that lets billion-dollar companies get free labor while your local coffee shop can't. Turns out, there's actually a seven-factor test the Department of Labor uses to decide if unpaid internships are legal. Most companies either don't know about it or choose to ignore it. And when they get caught, the lawsuits can get expensive fast. 🎯 What You'll Learn: • The exact seven-factor test that determines if unpai...