General Campus Student Employment Procedures
Because federal/state laws or University policies regulate much of student employment policy and practice, it is important that all department members who deal with student employment read this information.
Students who wish to work at the University must be paid through the student payroll employment process and cannot be paid as temporary employees.
Advertising
Student positions must be advertised to ensure equal opportunity for employment. All departments must use the Jobs4Govs system to submit a request to advertise a position. After approvals have been acquired, Career Services will post an advertisement for the position. Advertisements will be posted on the Jobs4Govs for a minimum of five (5) business days.
The advertisement will include a job description, pay rate, and qualifications. Students must apply for student general campus positions using Jobs4Govs. At the end of the five-day posting period, a department hiring manager will review all applications, interview, and select the most qualified applicant(s) for the position.
Before a student begins to work (or begins to train for work), policy dictates that the student must have a Form I-9 on file and that the student’s effective date of hire must be approved by Human Resources. Allowing a student to work before approval is acquired from Human Resources violates APSU policy, violates the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986/1990, and subjects the University to fines and penalties.
Filling a Student Position
- After the department has reviewed all applications, interviewed, and selected the student(s) for hire, a department hiring manager will complete for each student to be hired a Student Employment Request Form.
- The hiring manager submits the Student Employment Request Form.
- Career Services will contact the student to inform them they need to attend an orientation session. HR will host the orientation session and will collect required documentation from the student during this session.
After the paperwork has been approved by Human Resources, an effective date of employment will be assigned and sent by email to the hiring manager and to the student employee. The student may then begin work. It is IMPERATIVE THAT NO ONE BE ALLOWED TO BEGIN WORKING WITHOUT AUTHORIZATION FROM HR.
Switching Existing Student Employees to General Campus
If you have a student employee that is currently employed as a:
- Graduate Assistant
- Resident Assistant
- Temporary Employee (who is now enrolled in courses)
- or Federal Work Study Student Employee
that you wish to transfer to a General Campus position, complete a Student Employment Request Form. On the form, mark the Action Item field with the appropriate transition.
After the paperwork has been approved by Human Resources, an effective date of employment will be assigned and sent by email to the hiring manager and to the student employee. The student may then begin working and reporting hours for the General Campus position.
Switching Scholarship Students to General Campus
If you have a scholarship student that you wish to transfer to a General Campus position, complete a Student Employment Request Form.
To complete the Student Employment Change Request Form, go to the Action Item field. Choose from the dropdown menu, “Change Existing Scholarship Assignment to General Campus”. Career Services will contact the student to inform them they need to attend an orientation session. HR will host the orientation session and will collect any required documentation from the student during this session.
After the paperwork has been approved by Human Resources, an effective date of employment will be assigned and sent by email to the hiring manager and to the student employee. The student may then begin work. It is IMPERATIVE THAT NO ONE BE ALLOWED TO BEGIN WORKING WITHOUT AUTHORIZATION FROM HR.
Hourly Pay Rate Information
- The hiring department may choose to use one (1) of four (4) generic job descriptions or may choose to develop one of their own.
- Students may be paid more than $7.25/hour depending upon position classification.
- The maximum hourly pay rate is $16.89.
- Hourly pay rates above $16.89 are reviewed and approved on a case-by-case basis.
- To change a student’s pay rate, the department must submit a Student Employment Pay Rate Change Request Form and must provide a reason for the change.
Termination of Student Employees
To terminate a student employment assignment, email to Lisa Ramsey a request with the following information:
- Student Name
- Banner ID
- Last Day Worked
- Position Number
The student employee will be terminated in the payroll system, and time sheets will no longer be available
Enrollment Requirements
As required by federal law, student employees must be enrolled at least half-time at APSU. The following enrollment parameters establish student employment eligibility:
- Undergraduates must be enrolled for at least six (6) hours on the Main Campus or for at least three (3) hours at Austin Peay Center at Fort Campbell
- Graduate students must be enrolled for at least three (3) hours.
- Summer term students must be enrolled for at least three (3) hours or registered for the upcoming fall semester (as specified above).
Graduating and Non-Returning Students
Seniors and non-returning students lose their student status on graduation day (or the last day of the semester) and can no longer hold a student position. Student employment eligibility is maintained only if the student is enrolled in an APSU graduate program or if the student is enrolled at least half-time for the next academic session.
Maximum Work Hours*
| While enrolled in classes (i.e., through the end of finals week) | When classes are not in session (i.e., after finals week) | Holiday/Spring/Fall Breaks | Summer Breaks |
| Maximum 20 hours/week** | Maximum 37.5 hours/week | Maximum 37.5 hours/week |
Maximum 20 hours/week if enrolled in summer classes Maximum 37.5 hours/week if not enrolled in summer classes |
* Students may not work more than two (2) assignments at once. Combining hours worked in both positions, students must not work more than 20 hours when working for two (2) departments simultaneously.
** Students may not work more than 20 hours per week while enrolled in classes (through the end of finals weeks). This includes summer terms.
Time Sheets
Student employees must submit electronic time sheets by using Web Time Entry, the online time sheet system. Students access their time sheets via OneStop/Employee Self Service. If a department has never employed students, the hiring manager will need to contact Payroll Services for information about setting up approvers and proxies for the student payroll.
Students will not see a time sheet on the web until all paperwork has been completed by the department/student and processed by HR. Time sheets are available on the web by the fourth day of the pay period. It is the responsibility of the department to post the current Student Payroll Schedule to keep students informed of time sheet deadlines.
Approvers and proxies will not begin to see time sheets for the current pay period until their student employees begin to add hours. Each department checks to make certain that all of their student employees have time sheets. Also, each department checks to make sure that they do not have time sheets for student employees who do not report to their department. Any discrepancies must be reported to Payroll Services.
If hours were submitted on a time sheet and the time sheet was approved but payment was not issued, Payroll Services must be notified as promptly as possible.
Payroll adjustments should be processed through the online system (when feasible). Directions for Web Time Entry adjustments are available on the Payroll Services website. For auditing purposes, adjustments must include a detailed comment that explains the circumstances and specifies the day(s) and hours worked. Payment cannot be issued for adjustments without documented justification.
Payment and Time Sheet Schedule
Refer to the Student Payroll Schedule for pay dates and time sheet deadlines. Payroll schedules may change throughout the year. Check the website often to ensure that you stay informed about payment dates. Students must submit their time sheets for approval by 11:59 p.m. on the Monday night following the end of the pay period. Time sheets must be approved by 9:00 a.m. on the published due date.
Payment will be issued by direct deposit to the student’s designated bank account. To set up direct deposit, students can access the Employee tab (from Web Self Service) in OneStop. Additional information is available on the Payroll Services website. Each following payment will be direct deposited to the designated bank account, and the direct deposit statement will be emailed to the student’s APSU email address.
Taxes
Student employees who are not enrolled in summer classes are subject to Social Security and Medicare tax withholding for employment during the summer break. Both the student and the employing department pay 7.65% of the gross pay. For more information on taxes and other payment issues, contact Payroll Services by calling extension 7433.
Reporting Hours Worked
Hours reported on a time sheet must reflect the actual hours worked on the days indicated. Time sheets that misrepresent actual time worked violate state and federal employment laws. Such misrepresentation, either by students and/or by their supervisors, is strictly prohibited. Supervisors may be held liable for any deviations or inaccuracies. Students should never electronically sign timecards in advance. Proxy signatures are prohibited.
Student employees who perform services for a department or office should not be considered volunteers and should not be paid as an “independent contractor.” Working without approval, working without completing paperwork, and working “off the clock” is prohibited.
Overtime Pay
Overtime pay for student employees is highly discouraged. If a student works more than 40 hours in one week, overtime must be paid. (The work week is Sunday through Saturday.) An explanation of the reason for the overtime must be forwarded to HR along with the time sheet(s).
Overtime pay will be charged to the last employer, not necessarily to the department for which the student worked the most hours. The department must make certain that students who have more than one job are aware of this rule. The department must also make certain that students who have more than one job are made aware of the maximum number of hours they can work in each job.
International Students
International Students must present their passport, I-94, # I-20, and Visa to HR in order to initiate employment paperwork for student employment. International students will also need to obtain a Social Security card before being beginning to work. The process to acquire a Social Security card typically takes a minimum of two (2) weeks. Students who work before receiving a card and are then denied a work permit may not be paid for their work.
During the academic school year, University policy permits students to work a total of 20 hours per week. International students on F-1 or J-1 visas may never work more than 20 hours per week while classes are in session.