May 12, 2007

State Farm Internships

state farm internships

Is getting paid under the table legal if the work is on a farm?

I worked at an Apple Orchard a few years ago which paid me in cash, under the table. I’m now applying for an internship and I’m wondering if I should put this job on my resume or not. The internship is with the US State Department, so I believe they will do a fairly rigorous background check before hiring me. So my question is, was being paid under the table at the orchard legal because it was on a farm, or should I just leave it off my resume?

You are better off leaving it off. In some cases it is legal to be payed for labor under the table but only if you make a certain limited amount of money, like mowing your neighbors yard for $30. But if you made a substantial amount or worked there for a regular period of time, then the government would want their illegal share of income tax. And since your employer obviously did’nt file a W-4 for you if he paid you cash, the state department could dig all they want but there would be no official record of you working there so it might just make you look like a liar and then you’d have to explain why you did’nt pay taxes and your former employer would probably also get into hot water. And working at an orchard is not really going to help you get an internship with the state department anyway so be safe and leave it off.

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