Interns in the Public Service will earn a monthly salary, be entitled to a sick leave and personal insurance cover if a bill proposed in Parliament is passed into law.
The Kenya Times has established that the Public Service Internship Bill 2022 proposed by Samburu West MP Naisula Lesuuda seeks to improve the working conditions of interns working in both national and county governments.
In her bill, Naisula proposes that public offices have an annual budget to cater for the monthly pay of interns, who will be recruited for maximum terms of 12 months.
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Although the bill has not stated the minimum wage bill for the interns, it has mandated the Cabinet Secretary for Labour to come up with regulations which will determine how much the interns earn.
“For purposes of the effectiveness of an internship programme, every public service institution shall plan and budget for internship programmes (and) pay the prescribed stipends to interns in accordance with this Act,”
Interns will also be entitled to a subsistence allowance to cater for their basic needs such as food, fare and airtime. They will also be eligible for other perks during the internship period.
“In addition to the monthly stipend and insurance cover provided in sections 10 and 11 respectively, every intern engaged in the public service shall be entitled to sick leave as may be applicable in the prevailing regulations; maternity or paternity leave; and subsistence allowance as may be determined by the Cabinet Secretary from time to time,” the bill stated.
