Community › Forums › Legal Advice India › Unethical Internship Practices & Stipend Withholding – My Experience
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User_abde119a.
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UUser_554d6ba4
PARTICIPANT
March 12, 2025 at 10:24 amI never expected that an internship, meant to provide learning and career growth, would turn into a stressful and unethical experience. Today, I am sharing my story to raise awareness about unfair workplace practices that interns and freshers often face.I joined Reticen8 Technologies as an Inside Sales Intern with a promised stipend of ₹12,000. However, due to an unhealthy workplace environment and poor management practices, I had to resign before completing my internship. Instead of handling the situation professionally, the company:
✅ Refused to pay my earned stipend without any contractual justification.
✅ Used highly unprofessional language, stating that stipend approval is “subject to prayers.”
✅ Demanded money from me for office space, SIM card expenses, and training costs—none of which were mentioned in my signed offer letter.
✅ Threatened financial penalties for “breaching an internship contract,” even though no such clause existed in my agreement.🔹 Key Takeaways for Freshers & Interns 🔹
➡ Always read your offer letter carefully—ensure there are no hidden financial clauses.
➡ Get everything in writing—verbal commitments hold no legal value.
➡ Do not tolerate unethical behavior—if your rights are violated, speak up and take legal action if necessary.
➡ Know your rights—interns are not employees and should not bear company expenses.🔹 To Companies & HR Teams 🔹
Interns are here to learn, contribute, and grow—not to be exploited. Unethical practices like stipend withholding, arbitrary financial demands, and unprofessional communication discourage young talent from trusting organizations.I have formally requested my stipend payment and legal clarification from the company. If they fail to address this issue, I will escalate the matter to the Haryana Labour Department.
To all interns and freshers—know your worth, know your rights, and don’t stay silent against workplace exploitation.
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UUser_abde119a
PARTICIPANT
March 12, 2025 at 10:28 ampost about them on linkdin and report the company to your college intern cell. No internship can take money from you
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