General Campus Student Employment Procedures

Because federal/state laws, as well as 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 employment opportunities. All departments must use the Handshake system to submit a request to advertise a position. After approvals are obtained, Career Success Services will post an advertisement for the position. Advertisements are posted on Handshake for a minimum of five (5) business days.

The advertisement will include the job description, pay rate, and qualifications. Students must apply for general campus student positions via Handshake. 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 work (or begins training for work), policy requires that the student have a Form I-9 on file and that the student’s effective date of hire is approved by Human Resources. Allowing a student to work before obtaining approval from Human Resources violates APSU policy, 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 a Student Employment Request Form for each student to be hired.

The hiring manager submits the Student Employment Request Form.

Career Success Services will contact the student to inform them that they need to attend an orientation session. HR will host the orientation session and collect the required documentation from the student during it.

After the paperwork is approved by Human Resources, an effective date of employment will be assigned and emailed to the hiring manager and 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 the General Campus

If you have a student employee who is currently employed as a:

Graduate Assistant
Resident Assistant
Temporary Employee (who is now enrolled in courses)
or Federal Work Study Student Employee

If 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 is approved by Human Resources, an effective date of employment will be assigned and emailed to the hiring manager and the student employee. The student may then begin working and reporting hours for the General Campus position.

Switching Scholarship Students to the 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 Success Services will contact the student to inform them that they need to attend an orientation session. HR will host the orientation session and collect any required documentation from the student during it.

Hourly Pay Rate Information

The hiring department may use one (1) of four (4) generic job descriptions or develop one of its own.
Students may be paid more than $7.25/hour, depending on their 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, please email Julianna Shipman 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 the web clock and timecards will no longer be available.

Enrollment Requirements

As required by federal law, student employees must be enrolled at APSU at least half-time. 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 the 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 enrolled at least half-time for the next academic session.

Maximum Work Hours for General Campus Positions*

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 29 hours/week**

Maximum 37.5 hours/week

Maximum 29 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. When working for two (2) departments simultaneously, students must not exceed 29 hours. These requirements are not applicable to Federal Work Study placements. Please access https://apsu.edu/financialaid/fws.php for details.

** Students may not work more than 29 hours per week while enrolled in classes (through the end of finals weeks). This includes summer terms.

Web Clock and Timecards

Student employees must submit their timecards by logging into One Stop and selecting the Govs Suite tile. The webclock and timecards can both be accessed through Govs Suite. For directions on navigating Govs Suite, click here.

Students will not be able to log in to Govs Suite or access their timecard or webclock until all paperwork has been completed by the department/student and processed by HR. It is the department's responsibility to post the current Student Payroll Schedule to keep students informed of payroll deadlines.

Approvers will not see time sheets for the current pay period until their student employees begin adding hours. Each department checks to ensure that all its student employees have time sheets. Also, each department checks to ensure it does not have time sheets for student employees who do not report to their department. Any discrepancies must be reported to Julianna Shipman.

If hours were submitted on a time sheet and the time sheet was approved, but payment was not issued, Payroll Services must be notified promptly.

Payroll adjustments should be processed through the online system. Directions for WebClock and timecards 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 for adjustments cannot be issued 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 regularly to stay informed about payment dates. Students must submit their time sheets for approval by 11:59 pm the night before the end of the pay period. Timecards must be approved by 10:00 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 will need to sign into OneStop and navigate to Govs Suite using their single sign-on. Additional information is available on the Payroll Services website.

Taxes

Student employees who are not enrolled in summer classes are subject to Social Security and Medicare tax withholding for summer employment. 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 timecard must reflect the actual hours worked on the days indicated. Timecards 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.

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 overtime must be forwarded to HR along with the timecard.

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 ensure that students with more than one job are aware of this rule. The department must also ensure that students with more than one job are aware of the maximum number of hours they can work in each job.

Deferred Compensation

Student employees are considered part-time employees and may make deferrals to 403(b), 401(k), and 457(b) plans. Information on the deferred compensation options available to all employees is available on the HR webpage.

International Students

International Students must present their passport, I-94, I-20, and Visa to HR to initiate student employment paperwork. International students will also need to obtain a Social Security card before 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.