HR-115 Student Employment Policy

Impact Area: SUNY Morrisville (Morrisville campus, Norwich campus, EOC)

Author: Career Services / Human Resources

Student Assistant Appointment Policies and Procedures

The purpose of this policy is to ensure equal opportunity, nondiscrimination, equity and fairness in the recruitment and appointment of student assistant positions at SUNY Morrisville.

Student Assistant positions are established for the purpose of giving financial support to college students while at the same time accomplishing necessary work for the campus. Student assistants remain first and foremost students. All appointments of this type are made to the title of ‘student assistant’ and are appointed through Student Temporary Services.

Appointment Eligibility

• Must be a regularly enrolled SUNY (including community college) student equating to at least half time
• During the academic year, students must be actively enrolled (minimum of six (6) undergraduate credit hours) during the full course of their employment.
• During the summer session or winter session, students must be accepted by the College and eligible/anticipated to enroll, as defined above, for summer classes or for the upcoming term.
• If a student cannot register for classes due to a “hold” on their account, they are ineligible for student employment until the “hold” is cleared.
• As soon as a student graduates, or otherwise loses student status, they are no longer eligible to be appointed, or to remain on student assistant payroll.

Work Hour Limitations

• During the academic year, it is ideal to have the student assistant work no more than 20 hours as their primary role on campus is as a student.  Student assistant employment cannot exceed 29 hours per week. This maximum for International Students is strictly enforced, as it is a term and condition of their Visa status.
• During breaks, intercession and over the summer, student assistant employment shall not exceed 29 hours per week.
• ALL hours worked on campus, excluding MAC employment, are included in the student assistant work hour maximums. These include, but are not limited to, work study positions, resident assistant responsibilities, assistant coaching, adjunct teaching, summer sport camps, Research Foundation of SUNY positions, etc.
• If a student has multiple positions on campus and collectively the positions would result in working above the limits of this policy, the student shall be required to choose which position to forfeit.

Student Assistant Employment Policies

Family Members and Consensual Relationships

The college strongly prohibits its student employees from being placed under the supervision of a member of his or her family or in the same office/department as a member of their family, regardless of a supervisory/evaluative relationship.

Meal Breaks

A meal break of a minimum of 30 minutes of unpaid time must be taken when a student assistant works more than 6 consecutive hours. This unpaid break must be recorded on the timesheet.

Student Time and Attendance (TAS)

Student assistants are required to complete an on-line biweekly timesheet through SUNY’s Time and Attendance System (TAS) for each job (commitment) they are working. The student should submit and certify his/her time record to the supervisor for final approval on the last Wednesday of each two week pay period. 

Supervisor Approval in Time and Attendance (TAS)

Supervisors will receive notification when the student time record is submitted. This time record must be approved no later than Friday following the end of a payroll period. 

*If payroll deadlines are not met, delays in receiving paycheck on a timely basis may occur.

Procedures

Approval

Prior to posting a Student Temp Service Position, outside of Federal Work Study, the position must be submitted to and approved by Cabinet.

Advertising/Posting Procedures

1. All job postings must be posted in Handshake. Handshake (joinhandshake.com) or contact Career Services at careerservices@morrisville.edu or 315-684-6390. Career Services will reach out to supervisors for job descriptions of new positions as well as updates for existing positions. 
2. Career Services will post/re-post and remove positions in Handshake. Job postings must be posted on Handshake for at least three (3) business days. Additional advertising is encouraged, e.g. class announcements, bulletin boards, etc.
   1. Rehiring returning student assistants or extending current student assistants do not require advertising.
3. Once postings have expired or the minimum posting time has been met, supervisor can begin review of applications and commence interviews. It is highly recommended that at least three (3) students are interviewed. The interview process itself is an educational opportunity for students.

Initial Appointment Procedures

1. After candidates have been interviewed and a student(s) have been selected, the selected candidate and supervisor must complete the Student Temp Service Agreement form. The form must be approved and forwarded to the Payroll Office payroll@morrisville.edu 
2. Notify Career Services that that the position has been filled and request the posting be closed.
3. Immediately communicate the following to the student:
   • All student hires must complete or have on file, a valid Form I-9 (Employment Eligibility Verification) and tax forms (e.g. W-4 form). To complete the Form I-9, the student will be required to show certain original documents to verify identity and employment eligibility. NO ACCEPTIONS. A full list of acceptable documents can be found at: http://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/acceptable-documents
   • The Payroll office will contact the student via campus email to schedule an appointment.
4. After each of the above steps are completed, the Payroll Office will send notification that the student is able to commence work.

Reappointment/Change of Appointment Procedures

1. A Student Temp Service Agreement Form shall be completed thoroughly and submitted to the Payroll Office for the following:
   • A reappointment to the same position held previously; or
   • Extension of existing appointment; or
   • A change in employment, such as a salary increase.
2. This form must be received by the Payroll Office prior to the student commencing the action represented in the form.

Early Termination Procedure

• If for any reason a student assistant stops working prior to the anticipated end date listed on the appointment form, notification must be provided to the Payroll Office in writing immediately. 
• If seeking termination, contact Human Resources for discussion.

References

• SUNY Policy https://www.suny.edu/sunypp/documents.cfm?doc_id=768
• All forms can be found on our website: https://www.morrisville.edu/mustangs/faculty-staff/human-resources/hr-forms

Contact Information

Please contact the appropriate individual indicated below with any questions. 

• Career Services  careerservices@morrisville.edu
  For posting, re-posting, editing, or expiring your Federal Work Study jobs on the college’s approved Career Management System
• Financial Aid  finaid@morrisville.edu
  To determine if a student has been awarded Federal Work Study
• Payroll Office  payroll@morrisville.edu
  For pre-employment documentation, information on completing electronic timesheets, and payroll questions
• Human Resources  humanresources@morrisville.edu
  For personnel issues related to your Federal Work Study student, including termination procedures