Housing nonprofit to conduct own probe of ‘free labor’ claim

(AP) — Interfaith Community Housing of Delaware has begun its own investigation after participants in a construction training program said the nonprofit used them as free labor.

The News Journal of Wilmington reports that board members held an emergency meeting Monday after former participants in its HomeWorks “pre-apprenticeship” program told the newspaper that they often worked for free on Interfaith projects. They said those projects included renovations to the organization’s office and the home of a staff member.

The government-funded program is already being investigated by state labor law enforcement officials.

Board member Vash Turner said he is troubled by accounts from former trainees who said Interfaith benefited from labor they did during unpaid classroom hours.