Massachusetts job candidate demands $900 for unpaid interview project assignment: 'The scope of work produced holds legitimate commercial value'

This interview candidate felt that the so-called "assignment" he was given warranted payment, and after reviewing Massachusetts labor statutes, he felt that he had a strong case.

Many job applicants have come to expect having to complete some kind of project in order to prove that the skills outlined in their resumes and/or portfolios are up to par for the position. These assignments can range from hypothetical scenarios or problem sets to be completed during an interview to full-blown presentations to prepare within a short period of time.

Completing these projects to the best of one's ability can be difficult to manage, especially if you're currently employed and have limited free time. One might assume that hiring managers are accepting of these limitations, but then again, one would be wrong to make said assumption. After all, recruiters are far more likely to respond to the highest quality project, but isn't it a moral conundrum if the work it takes to produce that high quality starts to feel like work that deserves compensation in and of itself?

Sure, an optimistic candidate might think that all this work will be worth it in the end once they land the position. However, there is absolutely no guarantee that things will shake out that way. Statistically, it's probably unlikely that you'll get the job. And if there's no clause in the prompt stating that the company cannot and will not manipulate your work for business use, who's to say that they won't do just that?

via Unsplash+ (Ahmet Kurt)

A job candidate sits across from a hiring manager in an interview.
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After several rounds of interviews culminating in the submission of the completed project, the applicant sent the following email and invoice to the hiring manager. Below is their back-and-forth correspondence, which ultimately resulted in the CEO of the company weighing in with the most standard legal response you can imagine.
I sent an invoice for a 9-hour interview project and the CEO replied with the most AI email I’ve ever read

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via Unsplash+ (Ahmet Kurt)

The candidate hands over a portfolio of work from his assignment.
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via Unsplash+ (Ahmet Kurt)

The candidate awaits a response after demanding payment for his work.
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