Student Employment Policy

Authority: Business Affairs
Date Enacted or Revised: Revised June 11, 2015; April 12, 2022

Purpose

This policy describes University requirements for student employment.

Enrollment and Attendance Requirements

University students are not allowed to work without approval from the Office of Human Resources and Student Employment. Prior approval is required from the dean (director in non-academic areas) to employ all students (fall, spring, or summer) who are paid from a departmental budget. Students are not permitted to work during times when they have classes scheduled; attendance will be closely monitored (exceptions include early dismissal and class cancellation).  

Work Study: These students must be enrolled for at least six credit hours during the fall and spring semesters, and they must be enrolled for at least three credit hours in the summer session to qualify for summer employment. 

Departmental Student Budget: These students must be enrolled for at least six credit hours during the fall and spring semesters. Departmental budget students do not have to enroll in the summer session, but they must be already enrolled for at least six credit hours for the fall semester to qualify for summer employment.

Graduate Assistant: These students must be enrolled for at least six credit hours during the fall and spring semesters, and they must be enrolled for at least three credit hours in the summer session to qualify for summer employment. 

The enrollment and attendance of each student will be closely monitored to check for student employment eligibility. It is the responsibility of the student to inform the respective supervisor if enrollment status falls below what is required for the semester. It is the responsibility of the supervisor to inform the Office of Human Resources and Student Employment if enrollment status is not maintained. A student’s employment will be terminated if this status is not maintained, with limited exceptions approved by the student employment administrator.

Documentation Requirements

Prior to beginning student employment:

  1. All student employees must have a completed I-9 form, including documentation, on file with the Office of Human Resources and Student Employment. No student employee should be permitted to begin working if this requirement has not been met.
  2. Student employees must submit a copy of their class schedule to their supervisor before they begin working. Supervisors must make the student employees’ work schedule accordingly to ensure it does not overlap with their class schedule.
  3. All work-study and departmental budget student employees approved to work will have their work assignments emailed to their departments by the Office of Human Resources and Student Employment. 
  4. Undergraduate student employees may begin work in a University department or office after the supervisor has received an electronic work assignment from the Office of Human Resources and Student Employment.
  5. Graduate assistants are not required to have electronic work assignments from the Office of Human Resources and Student Employment.

Departments who pay student employees from their departmental budget must verify that they have a completed I-9 form on file with the Office of Human Resources and Student Employment before allowing them to begin work. Departments who fail to comply with this policy may lose their student employment funding or their ability to hire student employees.

Maximum Allowable Hours

US Citizens

  • The maximum hours allowed during the fall and spring semesters and summer session may not exceed 29 hours per week.
  • The maximum hours allowed between semesters may not exceed eight hours per day and/or a total of 40 hours per week.
  • If a US citizen works over the weekly hours limit, a warning will be sent from the Office of Human Resources and Student Employment to the supervisor and the student. Any further infractions will be reported to the appropriate vice president.

International Students

  • The maximum hours allowed during the fall and spring semesters may not exceed 20 hours per week, all student jobs included, per 8 CFR 214.2 (f)(9)(i). The maximum hours allowed during the summer session may not exceed 29 hours per week.
  • The maximum hours allowed between semesters may not exceed eight hours per day and/or a total of 40 hours per week.
  • If an international student works over the maximum hours allowed, a warning will be sent from the Office of Human Resources and Student Employment to the supervisor and the student. Any further infractions will be forwarded to the Office of International Programs.

Any exceptions to the above rules regarding US and international students must be in writing and approved by the student employment administrator.

Communication

This policy is distributed via the Administrative Advisory Council and the University Policies webpage.