Student Employment Handbook

The Student Employment program offers the Emerson community a wonderful opportunity to provide meaningful work experience and marketable skills to students while also helping them to defray some of the cost of their education. In order to maximize the benefits of this experience, it is important that students and supervisors familiarize themselves with the policies and procedures by which this program operates, as well as the federal and state laws to which it is subject.

The Office of Student Employment assists students and supervisors in all aspects of on-campus and off-campus Service Work Study employment. This includes but is not limited to developing and monitoring student employment policies and procedures, ensuring compliance with federal and state employment regulations, providing guidance for students applying for on-campus employment and Service Work Study employment, and assisting supervisors with the hire and management process.

If you have any questions regarding the Student Employment Program, contact our office at 617.824.8655 or via email at student_employment@emerson.edu.

Introduction

This Student Employment Handbook contains nearly all the information you need about the Student Employment Program. It explains the requirements, responsibilities, and rights of students. It is not intended to constitute a contract or create legal obligations between the College and any of its employees. Student employees and their supervisors are expected to be familiar with and comply with the College’s student employment policies. The College reserves its right to modify or change its student employment policies at any time and will attempt to notify both students and their supervisors of changes to the College’s employment policies.

Equal Opportunity Statement

Emerson College reaffirms its commitment to the fundamental principle of equal opportunity and equal treatment for each current and prospective student, faculty member, and employee. Emerson College will not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment on the basis of sex, race, color, religion, age, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, veteran status, or any other category protected by law.

Eligibility Requirements for Student Employees

All undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in a degree-seeking program are eligible to participate in Emerson’s student employment program.

Students enrolled in Professional Studies Programs and Certificate programs are not eligible to participate in the student employment program.

Individuals who have graduated from the College, are on a leave of absence from the College, have withdrawn from the College, or have been administratively withdrawn from the College are not eligible to participate in the Program. Such individuals must stop performing student employment as soon as they cease being enrolled as students in a degree-seeking program.

If you are registered for at least one class in a degree-seeking program, you may continue to work in an Emerson Employment role. However, if you are registered less than half-time, this will affect your Federal Work Study eligibility. Student employees are not eligible for Federal Work Study if they are registered for less than half-time.

In accordance with Massachusetts State Law, as it pertains to the employment of minors, students must be at least 18 years of age in order to begin working on campus. Students under the age of 18 may not begin working until they turn 18.

Incoming Freshmen and Transfer Students

Students are not eligible to participate in the Student Employment Program until they begin their first semester of half-time or full-time enrollment. For example, incoming freshmen or transfer students cannot participate in the program during the summer before their first semester. Likewise, incoming graduate students enrolled in prerequisites are not eligible to participate in student employment until they begin their graduate course of study.

Incoming freshmen and transfer students who wish to work on campus are encouraged to attend the Student Employment Orientation session that is given during orientation week by the Student Employment Office.

International Students

International students are eligible to participate in the program as long as they are and remain “in status.” The government of the United States of America requires that international students be registered as full-time students and maintain satisfactory academic progress while pursuing their degrees.

International students who wish to participate in the Student Employment Program must be authorized to work in the United States. In order to participate in the Program, students must obtain a Social Security card from the Social Security Administration and must also complete an I-9 and W-4 form online through Workday.

To obtain a Social Security card, the student must be hired by an on-campus department. After receiving an offer, the student must connect with the Office of International Student Affairs (OISA). OISA will provide the student with specific instructions for creating an appointment with the Social Security Administration's Office. 

Once the student has had their SSN appointment, they may complete online employment forms and present their ID to the Student Employment Office for work authorization.

F-1 students must have the following documentation when they come to the Office of Financial Aid (216 Tremont Street, 4th Floor) to complete the final step of their I-9s:

• Passport
• I-20
• I-94
• SSN card or receipt of SSN appointment

Students cannot work until they receive an email from Student Employment authorizing them to begin working.

The Social Security Number card should arrive in the mail within about 2 weeks after your appointment to the US address listed on your application. As soon as possible after you have received your Social Security card by mail, please upload your SSN to Workday.

This can be done remotely as follows:

• Upload a copy of your Social Security Card in Workday
  
  • On your Workday home screen, click your profile picture in the top right corner
  • Click “View Profile”
  • On the left-hand column, click “More”
  • Select “Personal”
  • Under Personal, click the “Documents” tab
  • Click “Add” to upload a copy of your card
  • Select “Employment Eligibility” as the Document Category
• Upload a W9 form in Workday to verify your SSN, following the instructions above; this allows you to report your number if you are not able to present a copy of your card

Please make sure to do this as soon as possible after receiving your card. If you do not receive your SSN card in the mail or there are any issues with the process, please inform the Office of International Student Affairs immediately.

If the Office of Student Employment does not receive your SSN in a timely manner, our office will request that you do not continue to work. For payroll tax purposes, it's really important this number is on file.
Be sure to keep both your new card and number confidential.
Protecting your Social Security Number is important to prevent identity theft that can harm your financial credit in the U.S. Do not forward a picture of your SSN card by email. Your new number should only be reported to through secure channels and to trusted offices where you have financial dealings (payroll, taxes, banks, credit card applications). At Emerson your number should be reported only to Student Employment, Financial Aid, and Payroll through secure channels.
Make sure to store your Social Security card securely with other important documents. The card should be signed, but should not be laminated as this invalidates the card.

Types of Student Employment

There are a few different student employment types.

Federal Work Study (FWS)

Federal Work Study jobs are strictly reserved for those students who receive Federal Work Study as a part of their financial assistance package. Federal Work Study funds are awarded to students based on financial need as determined by the College and Federal guidelines. Both the College and the Federal government fund FWS jobs (25% College, 75% Federal).

Please refer to the following instructions on how to accept your financial aid: Accepting Your Financial Aid Award.

For further information about Federal Work Study, please reach out to the Office of Student Employment.

Service Work Study

The federal government requires that each school participating in the Federal Work Study program spend at least 7% of its Federal Work Study funds on students who choose to work for non-profit/community service agencies. Emerson College fulfills this requirement by funding a certain number of Service Work Study jobs that Emerson students may hold at certain approved non-profit/community service agencies. Available Service Work Study job postings are listed on Workday along with on-campus Work Study jobs and Emerson Employment jobs. Students interested in applying for Service Work Study positions should complete an application online as they would apply for an on-campus job.

Each community service agency that has a job posted on the Emerson College website has entered into a contract with Emerson College. Students working for a Service Work Study agency are considered Emerson College Employees. Supervisors and students must adhere to Emerson College Employee Policies.

While working on campus has its advantages, Service Work Study is beneficial for a number of reasons. First, using Service Work Study helps provide local organizations with the consistent help they need at little or no cost. At the same time, students are able to do meaningful public interest work while still being able to afford college necessities.

Conditions Affecting FWS Funds

Housing Status: A student’s housing status may affect their financial assistance package. A student’s expected housing status is printed on their Financial Assistance Statement. Students should review their Financial Assistance Statements carefully and must notify Student Financial Services if the Statement is inaccurate or if they change their housing.

Private Aid: Federal regulations require students to notify Student Financial Services if they receive any scholarships, grants, tuition benefits, or loans from sources outside of the College can result in a decrease in the financial assistance package.

Academic Schedule Changes: Unless otherwise noted, all financial assistance packages are based on a student being enrolled full-time (at least 12 credits) each semester during the academic year.
Students must notify Student Financial Services in writing if they are not planning to be enrolled full-time. Part-time students are not eligible to receive Federal Work Study funds and are thus not permitted to work FWS jobs.

Satisfactory Academic Progress: The Federal Higher Education Amendments of 1998 require the College to define and enforce satisfactory academic progress standards. Students receiving financial assistance from Federal, state or institutional sources must conform to the College’s definition of satisfactory academic progress. To be eligible for renewal of financial assistance, students must successfully complete 75% of the credits they attempt per semester. Note: Grades or recorded symbols of F, WF, WP, I, AUD and DEF are not considered successfully completing a course.

Students must also maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 1.7 for freshmen (31 credits or less) and 2.0 for upperclassmen (32 credits and above). The Registrar’s Office will report grades to Student Financial Services within two weeks of the receipt of grades each term. Students will lose financial assistance if they complete two consecutive semesters with a grade point average under 2.0 and/or a completion rate of 75%.

Students denied aid may appeal in writing to the Director of Student Success. A committee will rule on the appeal and the student will be notified in writing of the committee’s decision within three weeks of appeal receipt.

Emerson Employment (EME)

Any student who is eligible to participate in the Student Employment Program may work on-campus in jobs posted by Emerson College Department supervisors (“Emerson Employment”). Emerson Employment positions are fully funded by the College’s individual departments and are not associated with financial need or financial assistance in any way.

Summer Student Employment

Summer employment is available to eligible Emerson students through Emerson Employment (EME) programs. All students who are eligible to work through the Student Employment Program are eligible to work in EME positions during summer sessions. Students who will be graduating at the end of the summer session may work in Emerson Employment (EME) positions during the summer session.

The same policies and procedures that student employees and their supervisors must follow during the academic year apply during the summer.

Job Postings & Applying For Positions

All student employment positions at Emerson are listed on Workday (workday.emerson.edu). To access the job board, students should select Menu, then choose Student Careers, then select Find Jobs for Students.

When applying for jobs, it’s recommended to do the following:

• Apply for multiple positions. We recommend applying for at least 7-10 positions.
• Students will be asked to provide their availability and should list the blocks of time that they are available to work for each day of the week. Many positions are hired based on availability. When a student's availability aligns with the job requirements, the chances of being invited for an interview are significantly increased.
• Under Class Schedule, students should list the days and times that they are in class for the current semester.
• Double-check spelling, grammar and contact information.
• We encourage sending a follow-up email to the Hiring Manager for the position approximately 3-5 business days after applying so that the student can introduce themselves and see if the employer has questions or if they are looking for any updates on their application.

For the question Please tell us why you are interested in this position, it's best to provide as thorough a response as possible. It's a limited opportunity to communicate the following to the hiring manager for the position:

• Why you are interested in the role.
• What you hope to gain or learn from the experience.
• What skills and experiences you have that would make you a good candidate for the job.

The Student Employment Office may provide guidance with a student’s application. Students may connect with the Student Employment Office to set up a meeting to discuss any of the above further.

Work Authorization Process

The work authorization process begins once the student has been hired through Workday. An email is sent to the student telling them to complete onboarding through Workday. After they complete the online forms, they receive a notification requesting that they go to the office of Student Financial Services to present their original forms of ID for the required I-9 form.

Once the student completes the final step for the I-9, the student and the supervisor will be notified via email that the student is authorized to begin working. 

No appointment is necessary to complete the final step of the I-9 for work authorization. Students may walk in to the Student Financial Services Office during hours of operation to present their IDs for the final step of the I-9 process.

Students cannot work until they have completed the final step of the I-9. It is against the law to work without authorization.

Please refer to the following guide for step-by-step Workday instructions: Onboarding - student employees.

Identity Theft Prevention

Be sure to securely store all your sensitive identification documents, like your Social Security card, birth certificate, or passport.

You should also be cautious about who you share information with. Never give out your Social Security number, credit card, bank account, or PayPal details to an unknown individual or someone who you do not trust.

Please refer to the following resources:

• iGrad Course on Protecting Yourself from Identity Theft & Scams
• The U.S Department of Justice - Identity Theft & Fraud
• State of Massachusetts: Identity Theft and College Students
• Avoid Phishing Scams
• ECPD

Payroll Policies and Procedures

Student employment pay periods are one week long and run from Monday to Sunday. Students must report their hours by 12 pm EST on the day timesheets are due (Monday). At 12 pm EST, the time sheet closes and the student can no longer access the time sheet. It is best practice to submit your hours right after you have worked them.

IMPORTANT: If a student does not submit hours by the deadline or they are not approved by the supervisor, the hours will not come into Payroll and payment will be delayed. Adjustments can be made to time sheets on Wednesdays after 3 pm EST.

Student employees must record all time worked accurately on their timesheet. Students should never omit hours worked or incorrectly record them on their records.

For example, if a student worked more than 20 hours that week, they must record their hours accurately. However, we ask that this action is not repeated as students are only allowed to work 20 total hours during the academic year.

For step-by-step instructions on how to submit time, please review Time Entry - Student Workers.

Time Entry for Office of the Arts

The hourly rate for student employees working for the Office of the Arts will be stored in the ABI system. New hires seeking confirmation of their hourly rate should contact their direct supervisor.

Student employees working in an Office of the Arts role will not need to submit their hours in Workday. Hours are recorded in ABI. If this applies to you, your hiring manager should inform you of this procedure prior to your start date. They will also provide further details about how your hours will be recorded and submitted each week.

This applies only to students working in an Office of the Arts position.

Student Employment Policies

Please read through all policies listed here and on the Student Employment website.

Wages

The minimum rate of pay at Emerson College (and in the state of Massachusetts) as of January 1st, 2023, is $15 per hour. In circumstances where the student’s position or qualifications require that a student be paid more than the stated maximum amount, the supervisor may complete a compensation change.

Maximum Hours Per Week

Students working through Federal Work Study, Emerson Employment, or Service Work study are limited to working 20 total hours per week when classes are in session and 40 hours per week during break periods and summer. This is the total number of hours that a student may work in all their jobs. For example, if a student works two jobs and wants to split their time evenly between the two, that would be 10 hours per week per job or 20 hours per week when classes are not in session (summer and holiday breaks).

Per Federal law, international students cannot work more than 20 hours per week when classes are in session and 40 hours per week when classes are not in session. Students who violate this policy risk putting their status in jeopardy.

Supervisors may NOT permit students to work additional unpaid hours beyond the hours that are recorded on the student’s time sheets. Supervisors may not allow students to volunteer for positions that would normally be paid and that have a paid equivalent on or off campus. While it is appropriate for supervisors to prevent students from working more than 40 hours per week, the law requires that employees who work more than 40 hours a week be paid at the rate of one-and-one-half times the employee’s regular pay rate.

Students who have Federal Work Study may not be able to work the maximum number of hours per week, as they would run out of work study funds before the end of the academic year. It is the responsibility of the student and supervisor to plan accordingly. Any hours a supervisor approves which exceed a student’s work study budget must be paid for out of the department’s budget.

Break/Meal Periods

Massachusetts state law clearly states that all employees who work more than six consecutive hours must receive a thirty-minute unpaid break (M.G.L c. 149 s.100). This applies to student employees.

California state law states that employees must receive a thirty-minute break if they work more than five hours in a day.

Student employees may not waive their right to take a break. It is mandatory that all students take a 30-minute unpaid break.

Working Outside Normal Hours of Operation
If a student employee is working hours outside an office’s normal hours of operation, the following must be in place:

• There must be a main point of contact in case there is an emergency (primarily the student supervisor).
• Student employees should never be on site for a location by themselves. Ideally, the student employee should be working alongside at least one other student employee.

If you feel that a supervisor is not providing you with the proper resources and tools to work outside normal hours of operation, please contact the Office of Student Employment immediately.

Working During Classes

Students may not, under any circumstances, work during their scheduled class times. Student employees are students first. Student employment is a way for students to earn funds to pay for both educational expenses and incidentals, not a means of support.

Proctoring & Grading Exams

Undergraduate students are not allowed to proctor exams for other students. Only graduate students may assist with proctoring exams for an undergraduate class.

If hired to assist with a faculty member’s class, student employees should not be currently enrolled in that class.

Any further questions regarding the grading policy should be directed to the Registrar and the Office of Academic Affairs.

Required Travel

If a student is required to travel off-campus for a role, it should never be a financial burden on the student.

Student employees will be compensated for all time traveled. They will receive the full hourly rate and should record all hours traveled accurately on their timesheets. Student employees cannot and should not omit any of these hours. Time spent by an employee in travel as part of their principal activity, such as travel from job site to job site during the workday, is work time and must be counted as hours worked.

Students should also not be required to find their own methods of transportation for a position that requires travel off-campus. The department they are working for should work with the student and book a method of transportation for them. This should be compensated by the College. An employee required or directed to travel from one place to another after the beginning of or before the close of the work day shall be compensated for all travel time and shall be reimbursed for all transportation expenses.

This only applies to students being asked to travel to a location for their student job that is not located on Emerson College property. An employee who travels from home before the regular workday and returns to their home at the end of the workday is engaged in ordinary home-to-work travel, which is not work time.

Sick Time

As per the Massachusetts Earned Sick Time Law, a student attending a public or private institution of higher education in Massachusetts is exempt from accruing and using earned sick time for the following reasons:

• The student participates in a federal work-study program or a substantially similar financial aid or scholarship program
• The student provides support services to residents of a residence hall, dormitory, apartment building, or other similar residence operated by the institution at which the student is matriculated in exchange for a waiver or reduction of room, board, tuition, or other education-related expenses.
• The student does not pay the Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) tax pursuant to 26 U.S.C. § 3121(b)(10)

During the academic year, all student employees at Emerson College are exempt from paying FICA, so they are exempt from earning sick time.

Most student employees working at the College over the summer pay FICA tax; therefore, during the summer session only, most student employees have the potential to accrue sick time.
Sick time does not expire, even if it was accrued in another position that has ended. Sick time accrued over the summer can be used during the academic year and for any current Student Employment role
To access your Sick Time in Workday, please follow these steps:

1. Menu
2. Time
3. Request Time Off
4. Your balance will be located beneath Balance
5. Select the date you are requesting
6. 1 Day - Request Time Off
7. Type, please select Sick-Massachusetts
8. Input shift hours under Daily Quantity
9. Select Submit

Workers’ Compensation

Please review the College's policies regarding workers’ compensation:

• HR - Workers' Compensation - MA
• HR - Workers' Compensation - CA

Any further questions regarding workers’ compensation should be directed to Human Resources.

Jury Duty

Students are paid according to their normal work schedule when absent for the first three days of jury duty. Students should contact the Office of Payroll for instructions on time entry.

However, most students will ask for a waiver since they will most likely need to miss class to serve. For more information, please refer to the MA State’s juror eligibility and disqualification.

Dress Code

Individual departments may require that their employees abide by a dress code. A department may choose to impose a dress code for safety reasons, in situations where student employees are highly visible to the community, or simply because the office or unit wishes to maintain decorum and professionalism. It is up to each individual department to notify their student employees of the appropriate dress code in their department. For instance, a department might require its student workers to wear Emerson College apparel or only collared shirts and trousers. Students should be notified about their employer’s dress code expectations at the time of their hire.

Although dress code may be determined by each individual department, a sample dress code is included here in response to requests made by many supervisors across campus:

Sample Student Employee Dress Code

The student employee dress code of the department on a day-to-day basis is casual attire. However, there are some basic guidelines concerning appropriate dress that all employees, including student employees, must follow during working hours to ensure a happy and healthy working environment for everyone, professional and student staff alike.

Employees are expected to observe proper hygiene. In addition, employees may not wear ripped or torn clothing, extremely tight clothing, clothing that exposes undergarments, or clothing that exposes an individual’s midriff, breasts, genitalia or buttocks.

Casual dress should not be construed as an opportunity to come to work in beachwear, tank tops, halters, short-shorts, spandex, cutoffs, or other items that would not be worn in a professional work environment. Students are also asked not to wear any clothing with slogans, messages or pictures on the front or back. (I.e., iron-ons, merchandising slogans, advertisements).

Employees who report for work in inappropriate attire will be asked to leave and return in suitable attire. Employees will not be paid for time absent from work if they are asked to leave due to inappropriate attire. Repeat offenses will be subject to immediate corrective action, up to and including termination of employment.

Although student employees may dress in appropriate casual clothing on a day-to-day basis, they may be expected to dress more formally on specific occasions when casual attire is not appropriate due to customer relations and college events. Furthermore, students are asked to remember that this is a business office, which means that students should observe professionalism and decorum.

Unemployment Eligibility

Student wages are not considered wages on which one can collect unemployment, pursuant to section 6 K of the Massachusetts General Laws 151.

These rules also apply to students working in California under Section 642 UI guidelines. Students should contact the Department of Labor & Workforce Development for additional details.

Remote Work

The College will allow limited remote work options for student employees.

• Students must be located on either the Boston Campus (Boston area), Los Angeles Campus (Los Angeles area), or Kasteel Well in order to work remotely. Remote work will not be allowed in other states/countries outside of the three campuses listed.
• Students must be able to present their forms of ID for the I-9 in person in order to be authorized to work in MA, CA, or the Netherlands.
• Students studying abroad (with the exception of the Netherlands) are not allowed to work remotely.
• Supervisors are expected to assist students with technology requests and ensure that each student has the necessary technology (hardware and software) to effectively work remotely.

Study Abroad/ELA

Student positions will be terminated if a student is studying abroad or attending ELA, and will not be active in their position the semester they are away. Students can be rehired the following semester. The only time students should be left active in their role in Workday is if they’re actively working the position.

If a student is attending ELA or the Netherlands and is able to work their Boston-based position remotely, they may do so.

If a student is working remotely for a Boston-based role in ELA, they must be making at least the minimum wage for Los Angeles. Please refer to our Pay Grades.

Resignation

If a student wishes to resign from their position, they must submit a formal resignation to their supervisor. Their supervisor will then inform the Student Employment Office to process the termination. Please give your supervisor ample notice of two weeks if you are unable to continue or return to a role.

Disciplinary Process/Termination of Student Employment

Student employees may be subject to termination of their student employment if they are unreliable or fail to perform their required responsibilities, including completing time sheets by the deadline.
Students are generally entitled to the following disciplinary process prior to employment termination:

Students are allowed 3 disciplinary violations per academic year.

A student’s employment may be terminated immediately in cases of both willful and inadvertent violation of college rules, departmental policy, or law violations. Such infractions that may justify immediate termination may include but are not limited to showing up to work under the influence of alcohol or drugs, stealing, insubordination, breach of confidentiality, breach of contract, violating the terms of a departmental agreement, falsifying a time sheet, or engaging in sexual harassment or unlawful discrimination.

***Under exceptional circumstances, a supervisor can request the immediate dismissal of an employee at the discretion of the Student Employment Manager ***

If the student’s dismissal is the result of disciplinary action that includes but is not limited to theft, sexual harassment, unlawful discrimination, or violent or threatening behavior, it is at the discretion of the Student Employment Manager to bar the student from all on-campus employment.

Student Employee Grievance Policy

Student employees may file a grievance for alleged violation of policies and/or procedures governing the terms of their employment. Policies governing student employment are contained in this Handbook and may also be contained in departmental regulations.

This procedure aims to promote the prompt and efficient resolution of student employment complaints. Students and their supervisors should make every reasonable attempt to resolve problems wherever possible without resorting to this procedure.

• If a student employee believes that a violation of policy has occurred, the student should make a complaint to their direct supervisor. (If their direct supervisor is a student supervisor, the complaint should be made to the full-time staff person overseeing student employment in the department.) An earnest attempt must be made by both parties to resolve the situation.
• If a student feels the situation has not been satisfactorily resolved, they must submit a complaint in writing to their direct supervisor or the full-time staff person overseeing student employment in the department. The complaint should contain the alleged violation of policy, including the date(s) of the alleged violation, the underlying facts, and the remedy sought. The Assistant Director of Student Financial Services in charge of Student Employment and the department head (if the department head is someone other than the supervisor) should be copied on the written complaint. The supervisor must reply in writing within five business days and copy all parties.
• If the student still does not feel they have received an adequate response, the student may file a written grievance within two weeks to the attention of the Assistant Director of Financial Aid in charge of Student Employment. At that time the Student Employment Manager will turn over the matter for resolution by the Director of Financial Aid. The decision of the Director of Financial Aid will be final.

Reporting a Workplace Concern

If you are experiencing discrimination, harassment, or sexual violence of any kind in the workplace, we recommend that you report these concerns to our office as soon as possible. We will also recommend that these concerns are forwarded to the Office of Equal Opportunity.

The Office of Equal Opportunity (OEO) is responsible for addressing all instances of discrimination, harassment, and sexual violence within the Emerson community.
OEO is a resource to support students, faculty, and staff. If you or someone you know feels that they are experiencing conduct directed at them because of a protected identity (such as race, color, national origin, ethnicity, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, religion, disability, or age), or have experienced sexual violence, including sexual assault, relationship violence, or stalking, OEO is available to support you, walk you through the College’s policies and processes, and talk about your options.

Confidentiality and FERPA

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a Federal law enacted in 1974 that guarantees the confidentiality of student records. It is important for supervisors to familiarize themselves with some of the basic provisions of FERPA and communicate this information to student workers who have access to other students’ confidential information in order to ensure that students do not violate this Federal law. Students who violate FERPA may be subject to disciplinary action, including, but not limited to, the loss of their job.

Supervisors must stress to students the confidentiality issues that they may encounter while working. Student workers must understand that any student information they view or hear on the job must remain in the workplace. Students must not, under any circumstances, release student information to anyone unless their position specifically requires them to do so. In addition, students may not acquire student records information that is not relevant to their job.

Information regarding FERPA, including a FERPA tutorial, can be found on the Registrar’s website. 

Departments that hire student workers may wish to require those students to execute a Confidentiality Agreement. An example agreement can be found here.

College Policies

Emerson College students must abide by all College policies, including but not limited to FERPA, the Code of Community Standards.

Violations of College Policies

Violations of Emerson Policies may lead to College disciplinary action and/or criminal prosecution. Individuals are encouraged to report information concerning instances in which the above guidelines have been or are being violated.

Students' Responsibilities

When a student accepts an offer of employment, they agree to comply with the conditions listed in this handbook. By submitting a hiring proposal and completing employment paperwork, the supervisor and the student acknowledge their obligation to comply with Emerson College’s Student Employment Program regulations and guidelines. Among a student’s obligations are the following:

• Students must complete all necessary paperwork and receive authorization from the Student Employment staff before they can begin working.
• Students must be given the opportunity to review the Payroll Schedule and all deadlines with their supervisor.
• Under no circumstances may a student work more than 20 hours a week while classes are in session. However, if classes are not in session, a student may work up to 40
  hours per week. Students are not permitted to work over 40 hours per week. This rule is regulated by Student Employment and the Payroll Office and is strictly enforced.
• Students must fill out timesheets every week by 12pm EST on the due date.
• Students must fill out their timesheets in a timely, wholly truthful and accurate manner. Students may neither record time not yet worked on their time sheets nor may they work additional time that they fail to record on the time sheet. No advances on student paychecks will be given.
• Students are held accountable for maintaining strict confidentiality for any potentially sensitive information they encounter while performing their jobs.
• Students will abide by your department’s policies and regulations, including any applicable dress code.
• Students must notify their supervisor if they are going to be late for an assigned work shift.
• Students must give their supervisor sufficient advance notice (usually 24 hours) if they will be unable to work during their scheduled time. Repeated absences are grounds for termination.
• Students are required to give two weeks’ notice if they decide to resign from their position.
• Students will notify their supervisor of any change in their class schedule, which could impact their work schedule, as well as any change in their enrollment status.
• Students must keep track of their Federal Work Study earnings and ensure that they do not exceed their award amount.
• Students must understand that they will lose any part of their Federal Work Study award that they do not earn by the end of their employment period.
• Students must notify their supervisor if their Federal Work Study award changes.
• Students must notify the Office of Student Financial Services of any information that may impact their financial assistance award. This includes, but is not limited to, receipt of a private scholarship, change in enrollment status, and change in housing status.
• Students will abide by the College’s Code of Conduct, which absolutely prohibits harassment or discrimination on the basis of another’s sex, race, color, religion, age, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Health and Safety

• Student employees must have access to a full-time staff member on campus in the event that assistance is needed.
• In the event that a staff/faculty member is not available (i.e., outside of normal business hours), a higher-level student employee (senior or graduate student) who has previously worked for your department should be scheduled as the point of contact for those shifts. Of course, you or another full-time employee should be available remotely should they need guidance or support.
• All student employees should feel comfortable contacting ECPD for assistance.
• Under no circumstances can a student report to work sick.