Can I take unpaid work while I am waiting for EAD to come through?
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Can I take unpaid work while I am waiting for EAD to come through?
I have been offered a role in an unpaid musical at the acting school where I have been training. Its a professional production but is always unpaid and only casts current and ex-students. It will be advertised as an professional off, off Broadway production.
Asked on March 10, 2012 under Immigration Law, New York
Answers:
SB, Member, California / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 12 years ago | Contributor
If you are not authorized to work, you cannot work even if it is unpaid since this is work that you would normally be doing with an expectation of payment; it is not volunteer work. Once your EAD comes through and you have it in your hands, then you can work and do so with the expectation of payment.
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