Employment and Labor Law Externship
2 - 4 credit hours
(variable credits available. Each credit requires 42.5 hours)
Overseeing Professor
Jason Bent, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Professor of Law
[email protected]
Program Description
The Employment and Labor Law externship course involves field placement in the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), or Occupational Safety and Health Agency (OSHA).
Students placed with the EEOC are assigned actual cases, beginning with client intake and proceeding through investigation, including interaction with the employer and witnesses, review of documents, and determination of cause/no cause. Students placed with the NLRB will have the opportunity to study first-hand the role of the agency by participation in the investigation, preparation, and observation of hearings conducted by the agency. Students placed with OSHA will be involved in researching and investigating allegations of retaliation against whistleblowers under more than 20 different federal statutes and may also participate in inspections or investigations of potential violations of workplace safety or health standards.
Program Locations
- Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (Tampa)
- National Labor Relations Board (Tampa)
- Occupational Safety and Health Administration (Tampa)
Program Requirements:
- 42.5 hours per credit;
- Weekly timesheet and journal submission;
- Approximately 2 hours of class time on Mondays, 4:55 p.m. - 5:55 p.m. (student's selection of which sessions), either in-person or remote, and 2-3 meetings or conference calls with professor during semester
- 3-5-page paper at the conclusion of the semester
Eligibility Requirements:
- Successful completion of all first-year required courses;
- Be in good academic standing;
- Pass background check (the background check for the National Labor Relations Board can be time intensive and involves a trip to Gainesville for fingerprinting);
- Successful completion of Employment Law or Employment Discrimination Law is preferred (for EEOC and OSHA placements);
- Successful completion of Labor Law is preferred (for NLRB placements).
Application Requirements:
Submit a completed application by the appropriate deadline (for more information, visit our Clinics and Externships page).