CUNY Central Office of General Counsel Guidance on Internships

Please refer to the Guidance on Academic Continuity to campuses for most updated information.

Career Services will begin collecting the COVID-19 risk mitigation protocols of any employer seeking to hire interns for in person positions for spring 2021 and until further notice.
 
If faculty are directly referring students to an employer, please ensure to collect the documentation and provide a copy to Career Services.
 
“Faculty and staff supporting student internship placements that will include any on-site component must collect documentation of COVID-19 risk mitigation protocols from the employer before finalizing placements.  Because appropriate protocols vary by sector, if there is any question about whether the protocols comply with NYS standards, advisors may consult Kurt Klein at OEHSRM (kurt.klein@cuny.edu) where necessary.  If an employer cannot furnish such documentation or the protocols do not appear to comply with NYS standards, the student’s internship plan must be revised to avoid on-site work”.
 
CUNY Central Office of General Counsel Guidance on Internships:
 

• Guidance for Placement in On-Site Work
• Guidance for Internship Agreements
• Guidance for Credit-bearing Internships
• Guidance for CUNY Students Working in Internships
• Guidance for Campus- Based Internships

 
CUNY Central Office of General Counsel Guidance on Clinicals/Field Experience

• Guidance for Health and Human Service Professions
• Credit Considerations for Clinical and Field Experiences During the COVID-19 Crisis

 
 
The waiver language that OGC provided is meant to be an approved template for use at the campus level. The Student Internship agreements were updated in Fall 2020 to include the waiver language.
“In signing this Agreement, I acknowledge that I understand that my participation in an in-person internship will involve risks and hazards not found in remote study at the College, which is the current mode of instruction required by the COVID-19 pandemic and the executive orders and directives of New York State. In ordinary times, these risks can range from a) minor injuries and illness such as bruises, and strains, to b) major injuries and illness such as broken limbs, loss of sight, neck or back injuries, heart attacks, and concussions, to c) catastrophic injuries, including paralysis and death, and also include risks of damage to or theft of personal property, and risks involved in traveling to and within, and returning from, internship sites. I understand that COVID-19 presents unique health risks, especially to those with underlying conditions, and that there may be other risks not known or reasonably foreseeable. I have sought and obtained information and advice that I feel are necessary and appropriate. I VOLUNTARILY ACCEPT AND ASSUME ALL OF THE RISKS IN PARTICIPATING IN THE INTERNSHIP and my participation in an internship with internship partner described below is voluntary.”