Young people are ready to move forward, not get left behind.

So far, we have been largely overlooked in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. That's why on National Intern Day, Pay Our Interns is asking that Congress ensure young people over 17 are eligible for a stimulus check, and secure funds to address the nearly 8 million young people currently unemployed by expanding youth employment programs.  

Read the full letter below, sign onto our petition, and share to ensure young people don't get left behind.

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Dear Speaker Pelosi, Majority Leader McConnell, Senate Democratic Leader Schumer, and House Republican Leader McCarthy,

The CARES Act, which supported millions of Americans, small businesses, and colleges and universities, young people have been largely overlooked. As you finalize the next coronavirus aid bill, we respectfully request that you address the nearly 7.7 million people under 30 who are currently unemployed by setting aside a proportional amount of funds and by ensuring young people over 17 are eligible for a stimulus check.

The work on which young people depend has been largely impacted. Hundreds of companies and organizations have cancelled their summer internship programs, likely affecting thousands of jobs. Many young people rely on these jobs as a source of income--particularly among young people of color, who often contribute to household expenses-- and an important way to prepare to enter the full-time workforce.

Additionally, nearly 40% of those in the gig economy are young adults. The Brookings Institution reported in April that, “Young people, people of color, and those with less education will be most vulnerable to further dislocation in jobs such as food service or cashiers as they become automated.”  In March, almost a third of Gen Z workers--those between the ages of 16 and 24--had already reported being put on leave by their employers, compared to just 13% of older workers between the ages of 35 and 54.

And while workers under 25 only comprise 1/5th of hourly paid workers in the country, they made up almost 50% of those paid the federal minimum wage or less according to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics.

As of January, 15 percent of federal workers were eligible for retirement. Meanwhile, only 8 percent of current federal workers are under 30. As older generations of Americans move up and out of the workforce, today’s high school and college students will take their place as leaders, innovators, and policymakers. It is imperative that we invest in opportunities to secure their future and our own.

Young people are demanding not to be left behind. What we want and need is the opportunity to work and earn a steady paycheck, which is why we are eager to work with you to develop a sustainable solution for job creation. To ensure that happens, we request that funds be appropriated to expand already existing federal internship and employment programs.

Bills in the House and Senate have already been proposed to revive programs such as the Citizen Conservation Corps. While some members are hesitant to create new programs, there is a way for the Federal Government to employ youth through existing programs, such as the Pathways Internship program, the Recent Graduates program, and the Presidential Management Fellows program and Americorps.  

We recommend priority be given to the Pathways programs within the US Department of Agriculture, to address the needs of rural communities such as increased access to telehealth and telecommunications infrastructure; the Department of the Interior, which oversees the National Park Service, and would allow for completion of a backlog of public works projects; the Small Business Administration, to assist with administration of the Paycheck Protection Program; the Department of Commerce, to allow for completion of the 2020 Census; the Department of Labor, to address the tens of millions of new unemployment insurance claims; and the Department of State, which hosts more than 40 federal agencies through the Virtual Student Federal Service, an unpaid, project-based, virtual internship program designed to address issues of global importance.

By investing in already existing programs, we ensure young people have a paycheck while learning about the importance of serving the country, and even potentially becoming our future public servants.

We implore you to make young people a priority in the next coronavirus aid bill by giving them the opportunity to gain employment and ensuring their wellbeing now and in the decades to come.

Sincerely,

Pay Our Interns Action