New rules released to govern unpaid interns in federally regulated sectors

Unpaid interns in federally regulated industries are getting closer to having some of the same labour protections paid employees get.

They include 40-hour work weeks, holidays, maternity-related reassignments, leave and breaks.

The federal government posted the proposed rules under laws that extended standard health and safety protections to unpaid interns and limited those internships to placements that are part of educational courses.

Get breaking National news

For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen.

Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up

By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.

The rules would also require an employer to collect paperwork from each intern’s school explaining just how the work placement fits into an education program and how many hours they’re supposed to put in.

WATCH: Paid internship protest (Nov. 2016)

1:41 Paid internship protest

Eliminating unpaid internships in federally regulated environments was a Liberal campaign promise in 2015.

Legislation to do it was delayed until December 2017 because labour groups, student unions and others representing interns said the protections weren’t strong enough in the Liberals’ first attempt.