Student Employment

[The following was approved by the Chancellor of Southern Illinois University on November 16, 1993, with amendments on April 4, 1995, April 22, 1997, August 17, 1999, and May 29, 2002 in accordance with provisions set forth in SIU Board of Trustees 2 Policies C.1.b.]

I. Purpose
The student employment program at Southern Illinois University Carbondale is designed to provide students with part-time employment experience, supplemental finances, and educational benefits outside the classroom. Students can gain valuable work experience related to their major fields of study when employed in various academic units or departments. The student employment program is financially rewarding to students in providing income to be used for educational expenses. The financial independence student employment provides can also give the student a sense of self-worth, which can result in improved academic success and interpersonal relationships. Student employment offers an opportunity for students to make contacts with role models in their respective fields and secure employment references. In general, the student employment program is dedicated to enhancing student development by creating challenges and teaching responsibility.

II. Eligibility Requirements for Student Employment

  1. Enrollment Requirements for Student Employment

    Student employees are required to be enrolled for a minimum number of credit hours to be employed in the student employment program. Student employees who withdraw or drop below the minimum enrollment requirements are not eligible to continue to work on campus until enrollment is increased to at least the minimum requirements. Audit hours do not qualify as credit hours for student employment purposes.

    1. Fall and Spring Semesters
      U.S. citizens, permanent residents and students with non-citizen in-state status
      Undergraduate and graduate student employees must enroll and continue to be enrolled for a minimum of 6 credit hours to be eligible for student employment during fall and spring semesters.
      International Students
      Undergraduate international student employees must enroll and continue to be enrolled for a minimum of 12 credit hours and graduate international student employees must enroll and continue to be enrolled for a minimum of 9 credit hours to be eligible for student employment during fall and spring semesters.
    2. Summer Semester
      Undergraduate student employees must enroll and continue to be enrolled for a minimum of 6 credit hours and graduate student employees must enroll and continue to be enrolled for a minimum of 3 credit hours to be eligible for student employment during summer semester.
    3. Enrollment Requirement Exceptions
      Student employees graduating at the end of a given semester or graduate students completing a thesis or dissertation may request a one-time exception to the enrollment requirement (for non-Federal Work-Study only), provided that only a thesis or dissertation is left to complete or that this is the final semester before graduation. Documentation from the student employee's academic adviser must be submitted to Financial Aid, which will determine action on these exceptions. Student employees granted an exception must be enrolled for at least 1 credit hour at SIUC.
  2. Beginning and Ending Dates for Student Employment
    Student employees may begin work on the first day of the semester payroll calendar. Student employees not returning to school the following semester are eligible to work until the last day of the current semester payroll calendar. Semester payroll dates are announced by Financial Aid prior to the beginning of each semester. These dates relate to, but are not exactly the same, as the academic semester calendar.
  3. Student Employment Referral Requirements
    U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and students with non-citizen status but eligible for federal financial aid must be determined eligible and obtain a Student Employment Referral from the appropriate Financial Aid team.

    International students must be determined eligible and obtain a Social Security number to be filed with Admissions and Records Student Employment Referrals for international students are obtained from International Students and Scholars.

  4. Other Student Employment Eligibility Requirements
    1. Student employees must be at least 16 years of age.
    2. Student employees must comply with the Selective Service Registration Requirements.
    3. Student employees must not be in default (for a period of six months or more and in an amount of $600 or more), on the repayment of an educational loan for the purpose of attendance at an institution of higher education.
    4. Student employees must comply with the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 and have the Employment Eligibility Verification form (I-9) completed by the hiring department.
    5. Student employees must comply with the Drug-Free Workplace Guidelines, which are published in the Students, Faculty & Staff SIUC Important Information brochure. This brochure is mailed to all enrolled students.
    6. NCAA athletes must comply with NCAA regulations regarding the employment of student-athletes. The Intercollegiate Athletics Financial Aid & Insurance Officer and Coordinator of Student-Athlete Employment determines employment eligibility and grants permission for employment.
    7. Applicants for security-sensitive positions are subject to Pre-Employment Background Investigations (see SIUC Personnel Policies II.A.2 or the SIUC Employees Handbook). The student must submit an "Authorization to Hire" letter to Financial Aid along with the Student Employment Referral and I-9 Form.
    8. Graduate students with 1/4-time assistantships are allowed to work in the student employment program up to 10 hours a week. Graduate students with more than a 1/4-time assistantship are not allowed to work in the student employment program without a letter of exception from the Graduate School. Students are not allowed to work in faculty/staff or civil service (including extra-help) positions while active in the student employment program without a letter of exception from Financial Aid.
III. Requirements for Departments Employing Students
  1. Departments are expected to provide work for student employees for at least one semester unless provisions for short-term employment are made and understood. If circumstances make it necessary to terminate a student's employment during a semester for reasons other than unsatisfactory work performance, employers should give the student employee a two-week notice prior to termination.
  2. Employing departments should provide student employees with the following written information: departmental policies; duties to be performed; and number of hours that the student employee can expect to work. Employing departments wanting to enforce more conservative work eligibility requirements than those required by Financial Aid must obtain approval from Financial Aid and provide these requirements in writing to all student employees within the department before the term of employment begins.
  3. Student employees required to work when SIUC is closed must be informed by the employing department of this requirement at the time of hire. Otherwise the student employee cannot be required to work during closure. Student employees who are scheduled to work but are not required to report during university closure will not be paid; however, supervisors should rearrange work schedules when possible so that the affected student employees will be able to make up the time lost. Student employees who are scheduled and required to work when the university is closed will be paid at the regular rate for the actual number of hours worked.
  4. Student employees are not paid for scheduled hours missed for holidays, jury duty, funerals, illness, military obligations, or voting.
  5. Student employees should not be scheduled for work or allowed to work during class time.
  6. It is recommended that student employees not work more than 20 hours per week. However, a non-international student employee is allowed to work up to a maximum of 29.5 hours per week. During semester breaks students are allowed to work up to 37.5 hours per week.  Student employees working more than one job on campus may not exceed these limits for the total hours worked at all jobs. Student employees working in excess of the allowable limits will be terminated from the payroll by Financial Aid if they continue to exceed the limits.
  7. According to Immigration and Naturalization Service regulations, employment of international students is limited to a maximum of 20 hours per week while school is in session; during break periods full-time employment is permitted (37.5 hours per week).  Student employees working more than one job on campus may not exceed these limits for the total hours worked at all jobs.  An international student employee who works more than 20 hours per week during the semester will be terminated from the payroll by Financial Aid if they continue to exceed the limits.
  8. If a student employee works in excess of 37.5 hours in a week, overtime wages must be paid for the excess hours at one and one-half times the student employee's wage rate.
  9. Student employees working 4 consecutive hours are entitled to a paid 15-minute break during work hours. Students are not eligible for a break if working less than 4 consecutive hours.
  10. Employment of student employees may not result in the displacement of civil service or other full-time faculty/staff employees.
IV. Federal Work-Study Program Information

Student employees are identified as either FWS (Federal Work-Study) or non-FWS (non-Federal Work-Study). FWS student employees receive FWS awards based on need as determined from the information provided on their financial aid applications.

FWS funds are budgeted by account as Community Service FWS, America Reads FWS, America Counts FWS, Family Literacy FWS, or Non-Community Service FWS.  FWS funds cannot be used for any purpose other than wages of FWS student employees and may not be carried over to the next fiscal year. In order for a student employee to receive FWS funds, the employing account must have such funds available and the student must have an FWS award and meet enrollment requirements.

When the FWS status is effective in the payroll system (i.e., Community Service FWS, America Reads FWS, America Counts FWS, Family Literacy FWS, or Non-Community Service FWS funds are available in the applicable account and the student employee has FWS eligibility), the employing department pays only a portion of the student's wages from state or local funds with the majority being paid from FWS funds. Wages for FWS students employed in the America Reads, America Counts or Family Literacy Tutor Programs are paid entirely from FWS funds since this program does not require an institutional match. It may take one or two pay periods before an award is activated and a student is actually coded to receive FWS funds. Prior to the effective date, wages are paid entirely from state or local funds.  Since FWS funds may not be paid or removed retroactively, payments can not be reversed on a department's account. Student employees converted from either non-FWS to FWS or FWS to non-FWS will have only the amount of FWS earnings counted against the FWS award limitation. Non-FWS earnings will not be counted against the FWS award.

Student employees who have earned their entire FWS award will be permitted, with the consent of the employing department, to continue employment as non-FWS. Departments must have sufficient state or local student wage funds to pay 100 percent of wages after the FWS award is expended. If a department does not wish to continue a student's employment or there are insufficient state or local funds to retain a student employee, the student employee must be terminated from student employment before his/her FWS award limit is reached. Under such circumstances, the student is eligible to seek non-FWS student employment elsewhere on campus.

Even though a student employee has accepted a specific FWS award amount, the amount may subsequently be influenced by an increase or decrease in the student's eligibility and/or other financial aid resources. Occasionally situations occur which result in FWS awards being significantly reduced or students becoming ineligible to work on campus. In such cases, the students and their supervisors are notified.

If any FWS funds allocated to an account are expended, the amount of earnings that exceed the FWS funds allocated must be paid from state or local funds. These payments will not be counted against the student's FWS award. Department supervisors should be contacted regarding the availability of additional Non-Community Service FWS funds; the Financial Aid accountant (Fiscal Management Unit) should be contacted regarding availability of additional Community Service FWS funds.

V. How to Hire a Student Employee

Financial Aid determines student eligibility for participation in financial aid programs. Placement services are not offered through Financial Aid. The employing department makes the decision as to which student applicant best meets the job requirements. Employers may not discriminate in their hiring, promotions, or termination practices on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, or marital status. Following are the procedures for hiring student employees.

  1. A job vacancy is listed by the employing department with Financial Aid by completing the Student Employment Job Posting E-form.  Information provided on the form should include start date for appointment, department name, department mail code, position number, job classification, job description and special requirements, work hours, whether the job is to be listed as FWS or non-FWS, whether the job should be listed as security sensitive and all applicable contact information.
  2. The job vacancy is posted on a job board in the reception area of Financial Aid and the Financial Aid web site (www.siu.edu/~fao) so that all students will have equal access to the information.
  3. Students expressing an interest in a job opening are referred to the appropriate Financial Aid team or, if an international student, to International Students and Scholars for eligibility determination and preparation of the Student Employment Referral.
    1. The Student Employment Referral indicates student eligibility for student employment. No applicant should be considered for student employment until he/she presents to the employer the Student Employment Referral.
    2. When a department has made a decision to hire a student employee, the employing department completes the employing unit section of the Student Employment Referral and the Employment Eligibility Verification (I-9) form.
    3. The student to be employed must return the completed Student Employment Referral, I-9, and an "Authorization to Hire" letter (if applicable) in person either to Financial Aid or, if an international student, to the Non-Resident Alien Tax Specialist in Accounts Payable and obtain an orange Supplemental Payroll Time Card, or a green Authorization To Begin Work card.

      Many accounts are designated as having multiple-function capabilities for indirect cost purposes. These accounts require an A-21 form (Student Employees Effort Distribution). If the account is a multi-function account, the completed A-21 form should be stapled to the back of the Student Employment Referral so that the student employee can simultaneously return both forms either to Financial Aid or, if an international student, to the Non-Resident Alien Tax Specialist in Accounts Payable. The student employee cannot be put on the payroll until an A-21 form is received.

  4. No applicant should ever be permitted to begin work before the following procedures have been completed:
    1. The Student Employment Referral and I-9 have been completed by the fiscal officer and returned by the student either to Financial Aid or, if an international student, the Non-Resident Alien Tax Specialist in Disbursements;
    2. The student has secured from Financial Aid an orange Supplemental Payroll Time Card or green Authorization To Begin Work card for the employer.
  5. Once a position has been filled, the employer must complete the Student Employment Job Posting E-form and indicate that this is a job removal and provide the job posting number.

VI. Pay Structure

In most cases, the pay structure for student employees ranges from the SIUC-established minimum wage rate to a maximum wage rate of $1.55 above the minimum wage rate plus any job classification increase. For job classifications with an increase exceeding $1.55, the maximum wage rate is the SIUC-established minimum wage rate plus the job classification increase. All students begin employment at the minimum rate unless they qualify for one or more of the following permanent, job classification or other increases in wage rate.

Permanent increases in wage rate are applicable for all positions and include the following:

    Longevity: a 10 cent-per-hour increase, which is automatically applied after each 500 accumulated SIUC student employment hours worked;

Job-classification increases in wage rate are applicable only to the approved job classifications and include the following:

    Job-classification increases in wage rate Are subject to the following conditions:
    1. The approved job classification must be indicated to Financial Aid on either the original Student Employment Referral or on the Student Employment Recommendation for Change in Status E-form.
    2. Job classification increases are effective the date they are processed by Financial Aid and are not retroactive.

      Following are the approved job classifications:
      Aerobics/Fitness Instructor $ .40
      Aircraft Mechanic .40
      Bus Driver .20
      Community Service Tutor .35
      Central Control Panel Operator .20
      Flight Instructor .40
      Law Related 3.35
      Life Guard .40
      Media Specialist .20
      Mental Health Companion .20
      Model .70
      Sports Official .40
      Teacher's Aide .20

    Other increases in wage rate are not permanent and are applicable only to the employee while employed in the specific position and include the following:

    Merit     increases in wage rate are given for meritorious performance on a consistent and equitable basis as determined by the employing department and are subject to the following conditions:
    1. A student employee must be employed by a department for a minimum of six weeks before a merit increase can be given.
    2. Merit increases are submitted to Financial Aid on the Student Employment Recommendation for Change in Status E-form.
    3. The limits for merit increases are: during fall and spring semesters, up to 20 cents per hour in 5-cent increments; during summer semester, up to 10 cents per hour in 5-cent increments.
    4. Merit increases are effective the date they are processed by Financial Aid and are not retroactive.

    Excess Qualifications/Market Adjustment increases in wage rate are given for a variety of reasons on a consistent and equitable basis as determined by the employing department. Excess qualifications could be based upon prior work and/or educational experience related to the type of work being performed. Market adjustment increases could be based upon supervising other employees, working in an unsupervised setting, working at night or other special circumstances such as recruiting and/or retaining student employees in a competitive market. Excess qualifications/market adjustment increases are subject to the following conditions:


    1. Excess qualifications/market adjustment increases given at the time a student employee is hired are submitted to Financial Aid on the Student Employment Referral. Increases given after the student has been hired are submitted to Financial Aid on the Student Employment Recommendation for Change in Status E-form.
    2. Excess qualifications/market adjustment increases are awarded in 5 cent increments up to a maximum total of 50 cents per hour.
    3. Excess qualifications/market adjustment increases are effective the date they are processed by Financial Aid and are not retroactive.
    Temporary increases in wage rate are used to meet unusual and temporary circumstances within a department and are subject to the following conditions:
    1. Temporary increases require a written explanation from the department and written approval from Financial Aid.
    2. Temporary increases are awarded in 5 cent increments up to a maximum total of 20 cents per hour.
    3. Temporary increases are effective only for the pay-periods that are approved by Financial Aid and are not retroactive.

VII. Procedures for Submitting Time Records for Payroll Purposes

The department must record on a daily basis the time a student employee works and must document the student's name, assignment number or student identification number, payroll period, daily hours worked and total hours worked each week.  Hours worked need to be reported during the payroll period in which the hours were actually worked and only those hours actually worked should be reported.  Departments are to keep the time records, the Student Employment Time Report, the Student Employment Payroll Certifications and any other documentation on file and available for review for a minimum of three years.

  1. Student Employment Time Report

    Hours worked during the first and second weeks of the pay period should be transferred from the Time Recording Sheets to the Student Employment Time Report.  Hours worked for a student who does not appear on the Student Employment Time Report must be submitted on either an orange Supplemental Payroll Time Card or a Student Employment Unpaid Hours E-form.
  2. On-Line Student Employment Time Entry

    Departments who have been selected to enter time for their students directly into the Administrative Information System should refer to the AIS Time Entry training manual.
  3. Supplemental Payroll Time Cards

    Student employees who begin work after the deadline to be included on the Student Employment Time Report will be given an orange Supplemental Payroll Time Card. Any hours worked during the given bi-weekly period indicated on the Supplemental Payroll Time Card should be logged on this time card as indicated.
  4. Student Employment Unpaid Hours E-form

    Student employees who do not appear on the Student Employment Time Report or for whom you do not have a Supplemental Payroll Time Card may not be an authorized employee.  The department must contact Financial Aid if this situation arises.  Once it has been established that the student is an authorized employee, the department will need to complete a Student Employment Unpaid Hours E-form.

    Hours worked in a prior payroll period that were not submitted during that payroll period must be submitted on a Student Employment Unpaid Hours E-form.
  5. Student Employment Payroll Certifications

    The following data is on the Student Employment Payroll Certification which is mailed to the fiscal officer: name; hourly rate; total hours; Regular Wages; Community Service, Non-Community Service, America Reads, America Counts, Family Literacy FWS earnings and corresponding Institutional Match; other wages; total wages; Social Security and Medicare; FWS remaining work award; enrollment type; enrollment hours.

    The FWS award is the total a student can earn on FWS for an award period. The remaining work award on this report is the balance after the student's bi-weekly earnings are subtracted. Remaining work award for a FWS student alerts the fiscal officer to the remaining amount of FWS eligibility the student has left to earn for the award period.

  6. Student Employment Automatic Rate Increase Element Entry Report

    The following data is on the Student Employment Automatic Rate Increase Report which is mailed to the fiscal officer along with the Student Employment Payroll Certification; name; assignment number; FWS type; department activity 1; department activity 2; amount.
VIII. Student Employee Evaluation

Employing departments should evaluate student employees

  1. at the end of every semester;
  2. when a merit or excess qualifications/market adjustment increase is given to the student employee after their hire;
  3. when a student employee is exhibiting poor attendance or unsatisfactory job performance;
  4. when a student employee terminates employment with a department.

    After the student employee's supervisor has discussed the evaluation with the student employee, the original of the evaluation form should be sent to Financial Aid. The evaluation form is kept in the student's employment file for future job reference.
IX. Termination of Student Employees

In general, student employees who begin work in a specific semester are expected to work until the end of that semester and, if needed by the department, one-half of any break or vacation period.  To terminate a student employee, the department should complete the Student Employment Resignation/Separation E-form.

X. Grievance Policy and Procedures
In case of difficulty or complaint, each student employee of the university shall have the right to use the channels provided for the settlement of grievances against the university. In general, it is preferable that personnel problems be solved within the organization at the level at which they arise. Individuals outside the university internal organization should not be asked to rule on such difficulties until established university channels have been exhausted. Written appeal must be made within 30 days of the grievance and shall state the nature of the grievance in sufficient detail that a proper response can be prepared. This procedure shall be followed regarding any complaint concerning the performance of work assignments or any act of discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, sexual orientation, marital status, or disability. The grievance is to be presented in writing. The employee, at his/her option, shall have the right to an oral presentation at each level of review.

Step 1:
A student employee shall first present any such matters to the immediate supervisor. This step should be taken at the earliest possible date and must be within 30 days of the action being grieved. The supervisor's decision shall be in writing.

Step 2:
If the matter is not satisfactorily resolved, the student employee may submit the grievance in writing to the head of the department. This must be done within 3 working days after receipt of the decision in Step 1. The department head shall review the facts and render his/her decision in writing to the student employee within 5 working days of receipt of the grievance.

Step 3:
If the grievance still exists, the case shall be submitted in writing to the director of Financial Aid. This must be done within 3 working days of receipt of the decision in Step 2. Within 10 working days of receipt of the grievance, the director of Financial Aid shall consider the matter with the employee and a representative of the student's choice, and with the administrative officer involved. The director shall render a decision in writing within 5 working days of said consideration. If the grievance alleges discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, sexual orientation, marital status or disability, the employee may also notify Affirmative Action.

Step 4:
If the matter is not satisfactorily resolved, the director of Financial Aid, within 5 working days of the completion of Step 3, shall refer the matter to the appropriate vice chancellor (or other individual reporting directly to the chancellor). Within 15 working days of receipt of the grievance, the appropriate vice chancellor (or other individual reporting directly to the chancellor) shall conduct an investigation concerning the grievance and render a decision in writing.

Step 5:
If the matter is not satisfactorily resolved, the vice chancellor (or other individual reporting directly to the chancellor) will submit findings to the chancellor within 5 working days of completion of Step 4. The chancellor will render a decision in writing within 20 working days of receipt of the grievance. The chancellor may waive a personal hearing and refer the matter to a committee chosen to hear the grievance.

Step 6:
The student employee may appeal to the Board of Trustees providing the matter meets Board of Trustees appeal standards.

XI. Student Employee Workers' Compensation

The following policy has been established by the State of Illinois Department of Central Management Services as part of its Early Intervention Program for Workers' Compensation.

A student employee injured on the job should a) report the injury to his/her supervisor, and b) call the Injury Reporting Hotline (1-800-773-3221) to initiate a claim for medical benefits and/or disability. The following information must be provided in the report to the Hotline:


Information about  
Claimant Last name, first name, middle initial
  Social Security number
  Home phone
  Address
  Date of birth
  Marital status
  Number of dependent children
  Sex
Injury Date and time of injury or illness
  County, city, building, room where injury occurred
  Description of injury or illness
  Body parts injured or affected
  Last day claimant worked
Work Site Claimant's employing state agency
  Claimant's division, subdivision, facility, or region
  Claimant's work phone
  Claimant's occupation and work hours
  Employer's city, state, zip code
Medical Care Treating provider's name and address
  Treatment date
Notification Name of caller
  Work phone of caller
  Date and time report was initiated

When the student employee receives the workers' compensation packet, it is imperative that he/she complete and return it as soon as possible to the workers' compensation coordinator in order that the claim-filing process be completed without delay.

Under no circumstances should hours not worked by student employees because of injury or illness be reported on the Student Employment Time Report as hours worked.