Supervising student employees

No student may work more than eight hours per day or twenty hours per week when school is in session for one or any combination of departments. There are no exceptions. The eight hours per day or twenty hour per week limit applies only during the academic year employment periods. The average student works four to six hours per week, depending on the requirements of the position.

Students employed through Federal Work-Study (FWS) are allowed to work more than one job, but only one job through FWS.

When school is not in session, students may work a maximum of eight hours per day or forty hours per week.

Stipend-based positions: These positions have hours associated with them, even though they are not based on hourly wages. A stipend is payment for work performed, and therefore must be viewed as part of the twenty-hour limit for when school is in session and, for international students, as considered by Department of Homeland Security regulations. Undergraduate students are not eligible for stipend-based positions.

Graduate students with assistantships that are full-time commitments (that is, twenty hours when school is in session) are not allowed to work additional jobs on campus.

Student employees must enter hours on a weekly basis by noon every Friday so that their biweekly paychecks will be available. Students should let their supervisors know (in person or by email) once they have entered their time.

Supervisors are responsible for monitoring the accuracy of the hours that are worked and reported into the payroll system and approving them no later than the following Monday by 10AM (Friday afternoon if the following Monday is a holiday).

New supervisors need to log into the HR portal and click on the “Time Approver Access Request” button to be given access to approve students’ reported time.

A Timesheet-Correction/Late Pay Form needs to be completed by the supervisor if a student fails to report submitted time or reports their time incorrectly. It is submitted to the Human Resources Department so that changes can be entered.

Tutorials for approving and managing time in HR Direct

Both the student and the supervisor are responsible for keeping track of remaining FWS balances during the academic year.

Student Employment provides a spreadsheet to help you manually enter and track FWS student earnings. See "FWS Tracking Sheet" on the forms page.

The Student Commitment/Balance Report (UMCA801A, UMCA801B) is available to help you monitor outstanding FWS student balances; it lets you to determine what an FWS student employee still has left to earn from his or her FWS award.

NOTE: This report may yield an inaccurate result if the student has held more than one FWS position. Please direct your questions to Payroll: UMassDartmouthPayroll@umassp.edu

Use the Payroll Authorization Change Form to:

• extend a period of employment
• terminate an employee
• change the wage
• change the job title
• change the funding combo code

For example, if the original employment period ends and you wish to continue the employment, use the Change Form to make changes to previously submitted hiring forms, not another hiring form. 

Remember that all hiring periods end with the fiscal year on June 30, and a new placement must be submitted for the hiring period beginning July 1 (unless the position is grant funded; then crossing fiscal periods is allowed). A Change Form cannot be used in this instance. You will need to submit two placements for any student working from June through August: one form for the period through June 30 and a second beginning July 1. The recommended policy is to hire only enrolled students for the summer employment period.

We recommend that students use direct deposit, which can be set up via HR Direct. For students who do not use direct deposit, a paper check will be mailed to their local mailing address if one is on file in COIN.

If a student does not receive a paycheck, they should contact Payroll.

During summer employment (when students are not enrolled at least half-time in classes), students are considered non-benefited employees and are subject to mandatory retirement withholding, called OBRA.

Supervisors have the right to expect from their student employees:

• quality work
• punctuality
• quality customer service
• appropriate dress in the workplace
• adherence to requirements of your office or department
• notification of any limitations that might impact the employee’s ability to work

As a supervisor, it is your responsibility to: 

• list each position in the CORSAIR Jobs student employment database
• interview and hire student employees
• not allow students to work until the hiring process is complete
• monitor the remaining FWS work award for each student
• provide the appropriate training for each student employee (see next section)
• provide information regarding time and attendance procedures
• accurately approve student hours
• complete student evaluations; see the forms page
• not employ any student who has been dismissed by or has withdrawn from UMass Dartmouth (if you have such knowledge, you must immediately ensure that the student discontinues work)
• notify Student Employment if there is a problem with the student worker that cannot be resolved (see termination procedures, below)

Office protocol

• How to submit weekly timesheet
• Daily duties; expectations and consequences; who does the student report to?
• Dress code (if applicable)
• Time and attendance
• Handling confidential information

Phone & computer use

• Phone etiquette; transferring calls; taking messages; important numbers; student use policy
• Copy machine and fax: how to use and student use policy

Computers

• Passwords and security
• Computer use by student: checking personal email, doing homework, web research

Employment at UMass Dartmouth is voluntarily entered into, and students are free to resign at any time, with or without cause. Similarly, the University is free to terminate any employment relationship at any time, with or without notice or cause, so long as there is no violation of applicable law. This is referred to as an “at-will” employment relationship. Accordingly, neither the employee nor UMass Dartmouth has entered into any contract of employment, express or implied.

There are two types of employment termination: voluntary and involuntary.

Voluntary Termination: A voluntary termination is usually initiated by the student, and the student is requested to give his/her supervisor two weeks of notice.

Involuntary Termination: A student employee must act in a professional manner, particularly concerning confidentiality of university and student records as well as information that comes to the student by virtue of his/her work. An involuntary termination is initiated by the employer due to an employee’s unsatisfactory performance in their position due to an employee inability to comply with university and/or office rules and regulations. A student employee may be involuntarily terminated immediately from their position for breach of confidentiality, theft of equipment or personal property, gross insubordination, or any other acts of gross misconduct deemed detrimental to the operation of the employing department. 

In the event that the misconduct constitutes a violation of community standards or policies published in the Code of Student Conduct, file a complaint with the Office of Student Affairs for possible referral to the Student Judicial System.

Employers who terminate employees for just cause are required to:

1. Give the employee a verbal warning documented with a memo to the Student Employment Office.
2. Give the employee a second warning in email writing and CC the Student Employment Office.
3. Email the employee a termination note and CC the Student Employment Office and the Financial Aid Office. A student involuntarily terminated will receive consideration for jobs only after all aided and non-aided students have been placed.

Student Employment recognizes that there may be situations in which the offense is so egregious that they require immediate termination. We encourage you to reach out to Student Employment for assistance in these situations.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Student Employment: 508.999.8647.