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.

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 the Student Employment team 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.

Degree-seeking students registered for at least one class may hold an Emerson Employment position. However, student employees must maintain at least half-time enrollment to qualify for Federal Work-Study (FWS). Registering for less than half-time will result in the loss of FWS eligibility. 

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 First-Year 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 first-year 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 first-year 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 Student Employment.

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 apply for a Social Security Number. If students have any questions or concerns regarding this process, they should connect with The Office of International Students and Scholars (OISS). 

Once the student has had their SSN appointment, they may complete online employment forms and present their ID to Student Financial Services 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

No appointment is necessary to complete the final step of the I-9 for work authorization. Students may walk in to Student Financial Services during hours of operation to present their IDs for the final step of the I-9 process. 
The final step of the I-9 process cannot be completed virtually. It needs to be completed in person. 
 

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

The Social Security Number card typically arrives by mail approximately two weeks following the appointment with the Social Security Administration. The card will be sent to the US address provided on the application.

Upon receipt of the card, the SSN must be uploaded to Workday as soon as possible.

The SSN can be uploaded remotely by completing the following steps:

• 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

If necessary, please bring the physical card to Student Financial Services to report to Student Employment. 

If the card is not received in the mail two weeks after the appointment, or if any complications arise during the process, please contact the Office of International Students and Scholars immediately. 

Payroll requires this number on file for mandatory payroll tax compliance. Failure to provide the SSN in a timely manner will result in a suspension of work authorization, and the student will be requested to cease working. 

The SSN and physical card must remain strictly confidential to prevent identity theft, which can severely impact financial credit in the U.S. Do not email a photograph or text of the SSN card, as email is not a secure method of communication. 

The SSN should only be reported through secure channels to trusted offices where financial dealings occur. At the College, the number should be disclosed exclusively to Student Financial Services and Payroll via secure platforms. 

The physical card should be stored securely with other vital documents. The card must be signed to be valid. Do not laminate the card, as lamination invalidates the document.

During a Payroll Pause only, all students must have a valid SSN reported in Workday to finalize their employment onboarding. 

The student's official first day of employment and I-9 configuration depend entirely on the status of their SSN documentation:

• Student Has Received Their SSN: The employment start date may be set immediately, provided all other standard onboarding requirements are met.
• Student Has an SSN Application Receipt Only: If a student has attended their Social Security Administration appointment but only possesses a receipt (not the actual card/number), the student cannot work until the Payroll Pause is over. 

Types of Student Employment

There are a few different student employment types.

Federal Work Study (FWS)

Federal Work Study funds are awarded based on financial need, determined by College and Federal guidelines. FWS jobs are jointly funded by the College (25%) and the Federal government (75%).

To be eligible, students must demonstrate financial need and complete the FAFSA annually. International students, students with little to no unmet financial need, and students unable to complete a FAFSA are ineligible for FWS.

All on-campus departments must make positions available to both FWS and non-FWS students. Student Employment will not post positions exclusive to Federal Work Study. Additionally, managers may not adjust a student employee's hours or wages based on their FWS status.

It is the student’s responsibility to search the job board for available positions and apply. 

Unlike other forms of self-help aid, Federal Work Study will not apply to your direct billed charges. Earnings are paid directly to the student through weekly paychecks. Students are only compensated for hours worked. The earnings are designed to help offset education-related expenses like school supplies and books.

Federal Work Study awards typically range from $1,000 to $2,500. While awards are evaluated for potential increases throughout the year, increases are not guaranteed for all students. If a student is no longer eligible for increases, and is an on-campus role, they will automatically switch to Emerson Employment. 

Students who decline FWS funds one semester are not guaranteed to receive them in the future, and may have to find jobs through Emerson Employment. Students may appeal for FWS funds in future semesters after receiving their initial financial aid packages.

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

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. To be eligible for a Service Work Study role, an applicant must have completed a FAFSA for the current academic year and qualify for Federal Work Study.

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.

Student Employment continuously monitors FWS balances throughout the academic year. If a student employee meets the criteria for an FWS award increase, Student Employment will process the adjustment automatically.

If a student is ineligible for an award increase and their remaining funds are running low, the Student Employment Team will send warning communications to both the student and their supervisor. 

Please note once a student employee’s FWS funding is fully exhausted and no further increases are permissible, the student cannot continue to work in that role for the remainder of the academic year. 

Since these roles are located off-campus, student employees are permitted to log their travel time to and from the site on their timesheets. 

Service Work Study positions operate exclusively during the designated academic year. These roles do not extend into the summer term under the FWS program.

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 first-year (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.

Grant Non-FWS

Student employment positions funded by grants are classified as Grant Non-FWS. Because these positions are tied to specific grant guidelines, any grant-related questions should be directed to the Office of Research and Creative Scholarship (ORCS). 

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.

Student Employment can provide guidance and advice on applications. However, please note that securing a student employment role is not guaranteed. 

Students may connect with Student Employment 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 Student Financial Services to present their original forms of ID for the required I-9 form.

Please note that the I-9 process is two steps. There is an I-9 form online that must be completed in Workday. Once the form has been completed, then the new hire will complete the in-person step, providing identification to Student Financial Services. 

Identification documents must be original and unexpired. Photocopies and scans will not be accepted for employment. A list of acceptable forms of ID for employment is available on the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services website. Students will need either one document from List A OR a document from List B AND List C.

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 into Student Financial Services during hours of operation to present their IDs in person for the final step of the I-9 process. Please note that this step cannot be completed virtually. 

Student employees must have a valid Form I-9 on file with the College to maintain employment eligibility. In compliance with federal regulations, a Form I-9 remains valid for 3 years from the date of its initial completion. 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.

Active Employees Accepting an Additional Role at the College

If a student employee is currently employed at the College and is hired for an additional role, they generally will not need to complete the onboarding process again.
If a student’s onboarding needs to be redone, Student Employment will contact the student employee with next steps. 
 

Rehired Student Employees

Student employees who have been formally terminated from the College and are later rehired must complete all tasks launched to their Workday inbox for work authorization. 

Generally, if the I-9 is still active, a new hire will not need to redo the process. However, if the Form I-9 has expired (valid up to 3 years), they will be required to complete the Form I-9 process again.

If a student’s onboarding needs to be redone, Student Employment will contact the student employee with next steps.

Identity Theft & Fraud Prevention

It is highly encouraged that student employees securely store sensitive identification documents, such as their Social Security card, birth certificate, and/or passport.

Please use caution when disclosing information such as Social Security numbers, financial details, or account credentials with untrusted and unknown individuals. 

On-campus and off-campus service work study jobs will only be posted internally to workday.emerson.edu. Student employment opportunities that are a part of Emerson College's Student Employment Program will not be posted outside this site (e.g. on-campus and service work study roles will not be posted to websites like Handshake, LinkedIn, or Indeed).

All student employment arrangements must be formally onboarded into Workday prior to the commencement of any work. Informal, verbal, or "under-the-table" compensation arrangements are strictly prohibited. 

Any knowledge of unposted employment solicitations or unauthorized student work, such as a student being contacted by an individual to perform work in an unofficial role or a student performing work and not submitting hours into Workday, must be reported immediately to Student Employment.

Students should remain vigilant against potential fraudulent activity, like the following:

• Any solicitation for credit card, bank account, or any financial account numbers.
• Requests to send funds via wire service, courier, or electronic transfer.
• Offers of large payments, rewards, or commission in exchange for utilizing a personal or corporate bank account to deposit checks or transfer funds.
• Receipt of an unexpectedly large or unsolicited check.
• Demands for sensitive personal data, such as Social Security Numbers (SSNs) or photocopies of official identification (e.g., driver’s licenses) under the guise of "identity verification."
• Communications that claim to represent a legitimate organization, but originate from an email address that does not match the company’s official website domain.

If a student receives a phishing attempt through their Emerson email, please report it immediately to the IT Help Desk. 

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 timesheet closes, and the student can no longer access the timesheet. It is best practice to submit hours immediately after working 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.

Please note that falsifying a timesheet violates state and federal laws.  

Please refer to the following: 

• Mass. General Laws c.266 § 30
• Fact Sheet #21: Recordkeeping Requirements under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)
• Fact Sheet #22: Hours Worked Under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)
• The Fair Labor Standards Acts (FLSA)

This is especially imperative for students with Federal Work Study. Intentionally misrepresenting hours worked to receive unearned federal funds constitutes federal financial aid fraud. Please refer to 20 USC 1097.

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 is applicable, hiring managers should inform student employees of this procedure prior to their start date. Managers will also provide further details about how 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 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:

• A primary point of contact (typically the student supervisor) must be established and reachable in case of an emergency. The emergency contact should not be a fellow student employee. 
• Student employees must never be on-site alone. Ideally, they should work alongside at least one other student employee or staff member.

If a student employee feels that a supervisor is not providing them with the proper resources and tools to work outside normal hours of operation, please contact 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 should connect with the Student Employment Team and Payroll for further information and 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.

Inclement Weather Cancellations

In the event of a campus closure at the Boston, Los Angeles, or Netherlands locations due to inclement weather, student employees are not expected to work unless they have been designated as an “essential worker.” 

• Only student employees residing in on-campus housing may be designated as “essential workers.” 
• Students residing off-campus will not be asked to travel to campus under inclement weather conditions. 
• Supervisors of student employees should not request, require, or permit off-campus students to travel to campus during a weather-related closure. 

Please note that student employees are only paid for hours worked; therefore, pay is not provided for shifts canceled due to College closures.
 

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 work effectively 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 for 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 Student Employment to process the termination. Employees are expected to provide supervisors with at least two weeks' notice if they 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. This is also referred to as the Three Strikes Policy:

1. Supervisors should give a verbal warning to an underperforming student and review with the student any issues with the student employee’s work performance. The supervisor should give the student recommendations for improvement. If the warning is the result of failure to complete a timesheet by the deadline, the supervisor should inform the student of pending termination if the behavior does not correct itself.
2. If the student does not improve, their supervisor should give the student a written warning reiterating the issues they are having with the student’s work performance and the terms the student will need to uphold for their employment to continue.
3. If the student fails to adequately correct their behavior by the determined date, the student should be given a written notice of termination from the student’s supervisor. All the reasons for the termination should be listed. A copy of the letter should be sent to Student Employment and the letter shall be placed in the student’s file. Again, if the student’s behavior violated the College’s Code of Conduct for students, a copy of the termination letter shall also be sent to the attention of the Dean of Students and the matter may be referred to the Student Judicial System. Students who are terminated from their positions and who have violated College policy may not apply for future employment at the College in any capacity.

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.

Departments review student employment staffing needs at the end of each term. They have the option to extend a student employee's role by another academic year. In the event that a department opts not to extend an employee's role for another term, the employee should be given ample notice that their position will be ending. Thus allowing the employee to seek out other roles with the College. Student employees may also take this opportunity to inform their department of their need to leave the role if the role is no longer a fit for them due to scheduling changes or if they decide to pursue other roles at the College. 

Student positions will need to be terminated at the end of every semester if they fall into any of the categories: 

• Graduating
• Leaving the College
• Leaving the position
• Studying Abroad
• Attending ELA 

If a student will be studying abroad in the upcoming semester but will be returning in the following semester, they may be rehired into the role by reapplying for the position in Workday. Only students attending ELA or the Netherlands may work a current position remotely. Students actively working remotely in either of those locations will be allowed to stay active in a role. 

Off-Boarding

Student employees should complete the following responsibilities before their last day of employment at the College: 

• Accurately record and submit all hours worked on their final timesheet to ensure compliant and timely payroll processing. 
• Return all College-owned equipment issued to their direct supervisor. 
• Verify and update their primary mailing address with the College. Accurate address data is required for the distribution of annual Form W-2s by Payroll. Inquiries regarding student mailing addresses must be directed to the Registrar.

Tax documents, payslips, and other employment records will remain accessible via Workday. 

Former student employees who experience technical difficulties accessing their Workday account must contact the IT Help Desk at helpdesk@emerson.edu.

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 a student employee is experiencing discrimination, harassment, or sexual violence of any kind in the workplace, it is recommend that these concerns are reported to Student Employment immediately. It is also recommended 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.

Event-Based Employment

All student participation in events that constitutes "work" on behalf or for the College must be formalized through the standard hiring process. This may include, but is not limited to, the following: participation in conferences, videography/photography, live musical performances, or event/project assistance. If there are any questions on if an event constitutes work, please connect with Student Employment.

Short-term employment (e.g., “gig work”) does not differ from the standard hiring process for student employees. Hiring managers must submit a job requisition, with a detailed job description including event details, and hire the student formally in Workday.

Regardless of the temporary or sporadic nature of the event (e.g. one hour, one day, one week), students must complete all mandated onboarding—including Form I-9—prior to the commencement of services. Students must be authorized to work prior to attending the event. It is our expectation that hours are reported accurately and paid in a timely manner. 

Informal "under-the-table" or verbal payment arrangements are strictly prohibited. 

Verification of Employment & Third-Party Disclosure

Student Employment maintains strict confidentiality regarding student personnel records in accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and relevant privacy statutes.

No employment data (including dates of service, job titles, or compensation) will be disclosed to third parties unless Student Employment receives a signed, dated Consent to Release Information form or court-mandated document.

All inquiries from third parties must be submitted in writing. The College reserves the right to verify the authenticity of any authorization before releasing sensitive data.

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 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.