The locations indicated in the job descriptions imply the jobs are not US based, but LatAm based which have lower minimum wages.

Not $ 5 nor $ 8 for this job.

Eh... still kinda fucked up in my opinion. Should be treated equally.

Why? They are competing against other companies that are outsourcing the same job and probably paying less.

Don't you think this 'logic' is kind of a numb way to look at reality? Not caring about the actual human doing the job... when you've got millions in your pocket? Standard of living in third world countries tends to be worse. Look at every global human wellbeing index in existence and you'll see they're all pretty much the same map rhymed over and over. People suffer on one side so that people can live well on the other side.

It's not like "Oh their quality of life is exactly the same as in the US it's just cheaper! So it's totally fine for us to pay them peanuts! Right? Peanuts buy you a house there... I mean the house has no plumbing but it's a house!" No, their quality of life is absolute crap compared to first world countries (as someone from a third world country). And paying them like shit will only prolong their suffering.

The least the company could do is pay them fairly which means they can travel or live a better quality life.

You cannot ask startups to hold themselves accountable to a higher standard than their wntrenched competitors

Sounds like they need an SQA to proofread their job postings, too:

   Compensations Range: $8 based on the individual's location, experience, qualifications, and applicable federal and state minimum wage requirements.

Whatever that job pays, it won't be enough.

They might have missed a "K" in the range. $5K to $8K monthly.

A Full Stack Dev position is listed at 4.5K to 6K monthly, really doubt they're going to pay QA more than that.

Someone deleted their reply strongly calling you out because "Why would they even mention minimum wage?!".

Probably because they found that this is likely the case: https://www.workatastartup.com/jobs/74272

On YC company was offering an unpaid gig. (Although I imaging being open source that person would retain copyright?)

Yeah lots of startups YC or otherwise are playing global arbitrage. And now AI arbitrage. It is a race to own means of production!

In Australia we do have unpaid gigs (internships etc) however the company offering that position isn't allowed to "make money" off any work that person does.

I think this is a pretty fair way to do it, they get trainees, however can't abuse people to make money off them.

Seems like this would be abused a lot though eg promises of full-time work or a better life only to be rug pulled when they find another gullible and desperate enough.

I guess everywhere can be vulnerable to this just if it's explicitly illegal or not, sad to see places try to hunt vulnerable people in situations where they will work for unfair terms instead of build high functioning teams which is think is more where YC is supposed to be aimed :(

The fact they’re YC alum isn’t relevant.

“Startup offers crap deal to prospective employees” is just runway maximization.

No one’s forced to apply; don’t like the offer? Don’t take it.

If it’s illegal? Report it to the Department of Labor - or someone who can actually effect change.