John Burton Internship on Workers’ Compensation Research and Policy

Applications are now being accepted for Summer 2025. To apply please see the Internship Application.

Deadline: March 7, 2025

Who should apply for this internship?

Upper division undergraduate and graduate students across the U.S. who are interested in workers’ compensation are invited to apply for the John Burton Internship on Workers’ Compensation Research and Policy. Students pursuing courses of study in health policy, health economics, public policy, social policy, or related subjects are urged to apply for this 12-week summer internship in Washington, DC.*

Eligibility of all internship programs requires applicants to be currently enrolled in a college or university at the start of the internship cycle. 

This internship is open only to applicants with a valid U.S. Social Security Number (SSN); we cannot accommodate students on international visas (including J- or F- Visa holders).

*As of summer 2022, Academy interns are offered hybrid or in-person work arrangements, which are subject to change depending on COVID-19. In-person attendance is required for local DC Academy internship programming and activities.

Compensation

Interns are paid at least $17.50/hr based on a 35 to 40-hour work week (according to Washington DC’s minimum wage).

Internship Placements

Students selected for an internship will then be matched with a placement organization in the DC area, where they will work under the supervision of an Academy Member. Burton interns will have the opportunity to:

Work with leading experts and officials working on Workers’ Compensation and related public and private worker safety programs;
Gain valuable work experience;
Make professional contacts and network in their area(s) of interest; and
Participate in a weekly seminar series with an internship cohort comprised of talented students working in other areas of social insurance.
Receive scholarships to travel to and participate in the annual WCRI conference the March following their internship.

Burton interns work closely with experts in their Washington offices. Our most recent internship placements have included:

AcademyHealth
ADvancing States (former National Association of States United for Aging and Disabilities)
AFL-CIO
Buffin Foundation
Center for Global Policy Solutions
Century Foundation
Community Catalyst
Congressional Research Service
Kaiser Family Foundation
Long-Term Quality Alliance (LTQA)
Medicaid and Chip Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC)
National Academy of Social Insurance
National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare (NCPSSM)
National Institute for Retirement Security
SCAN Health Plan
Social Security Advisory Board (SSAB)
U.S. House Committee on Ways and Means
U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP)
Urban Institute

Academic credit may be arranged through the intern’s college or university.

The Academy will strive to place interns according to a best-fit criteria considering their career goals and preferences, but the Academy has the final decision on all placement sites.

The National Academy of Social Insurance, as a nonpartisan organization devoted to furthering knowledge and understanding of social insurance programs, is uniquely qualified to provide students with challenging and rewarding education and professional development opportunities. Academy Members, recognized experts in social insurance and health policy, offer the interns access to information and experiences found nowhere else.

Internship Application:

Please indicate your top three program choices.
*This section is required for your application to be considered by the selection committees.

Top choice

Second choice

Third choice

First Name

Last Name

Email Address

Street Address

Phone Number

University

GPA

Major

Year of Graduation (Actual or Projected)

Relevant work experience (including past internships) and/or academic assignments

Computer, software, or other technical skills

How did you hear about the Academy’s internship programs?

Indicate 'yes' or 'no' if you are an international or exchange student in the U.S. on a student, visitor, or work visa.

Please note we cannot accommodate students on international visas in our program at this time.

SUPPORTING MATERIALS
Please name your attachments as follows:

Last Name, First Initial_Document
For example, “Smith, J_Cover Letter”, “Smith, J_Writing Sample”
If submitting multiple documents, such as graduate and undergraduate transcripts, you can list them as “Transcript 1” and “Transcript 2” and so forth.

Cover Letter

Unofficial transcript(s)

Masters level or higher students must also submit an undergraduate transcript

Curriculum vitae / Resume

Writing Sample (5-10 Pages)

Topic of sample paper should be closely related to the policy area of the internship of interest

Letter of Recommendation (Professional)

Not required at time of submission – can be submitted directly from the recommender via email in advance of deadline to [email protected]. A Professional recommendation is provided by someone who has worked with you in a professional or workplace setting, such as a manager or supervisor.

Letter of Recommendation (Academic)

Not required at time of submission – can be submitted directly from the recommender via email in advance of deadline to [email protected]. An Academic recommendation is written by someone who knows you in an academic setting, such as a professor, teacher, or academic advisor.

John F. Burton, Jr.

John F. Burton, Jr. is Professor Emeritus and former Dean in the School of Management and Labor Relations at Rutgers University and Professor Emeritus in the School of Industrial and Labor Relations at Cornell University. He has been a Member of the Study Panel on Workers’ Compensation of the National Academy of Social Insurance since its inception. One of the nation’s foremost scholars on workers’ compensation, Burton chaired the National Commission on State Workmen’s Compensation Laws, which submitted its report to President Nixon and Congress in 1972. Permanent Disability Benefits in Workers’ Compensation, which he co-authored with Monroe Berkowitz in 1987, received the Kulp Award from the American Risk and Insurance Association. Burton was President of the Industrial Relations Research Association in 2002. He has consulted on workers’ compensation to multiple states and the province of Ontario. He has a law degree and a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Michigan.

The new John Burton Internship on Workers’ Compensation Research and Policy at the National Academy of Social Insurance celebrates John’s legacy and helps cultivate the next generation of workers’ compensation and social insurance scholars.

Donate to the John Burton Internship fund