The purpose of this handbook is to outline the specific policies, procedures, rights, and responsibilities of supervisors in the Student Employment program.
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.
New Student Supervisors
To become a manager of student employees, an individual will need to first contact the Student Employment Office. Student Employment Office will then request the individual complete training before they are able to provide said individual with the necessary security in Workday to recruit, hire, and approve timesheets. Student supervisors gain this security via a student supervisory organization.
Supervisors of student employees must be considered Regular employees at the College. They cannot be temporary, casual, or contingent employees.
The supervisor is legally responsible for the part-time employee under their management. Supervisors are liable and responsible for the actions, wages, and working conditions of their student employees. In addition to following Federal and State Laws, supervisors must also be in compliance with College policies as outlined in this document, as well as the Student Employee Handbook.
Below are links that outline student employment supervisor liability and responsibility with regard to part-time employees who report to them:
- Massachusetts State Law - Pay and Recordkeeping
- Massachusetts State Law - Hours & Working Conditions
- Summary of the Major Laws of the Department of Labor
If an individual is to inherit a student supervisory organization, Student Employment must be contacted to make the proper adjustments in Workday. If an individual is leaving the College and this is not specified before they leave the institution, the supervisory organization will automatically be transferred in Workday to the said individual's direct supervisor.
Recruitment
There are three seasons for recruitment: fall, spring, and summer.
Student Employment requests that supervisors hold off submitting their job requisitions until the designated recruiting start date. This is because incoming and transfer students will not have access to Workday until the designated date. This procedure is in place to ensure equity and equal opportunity for students applying for roles.
If a supervisor needs to recruit prior to the designated date for a specific reason, please contact Student Employment. Please include a timeline of your recruitment as well as why you will need to hire prior to the designated date.
Please refer to the Student Employment Calendar for specific dates.
Job Postings
Each on-campus or Service Work Study position must be posted on the Student Employment jobs site (workday.emerson.edu). Authorized individuals will log into Workday to submit a job requisition. The job requisition will ask for the job title, job profile, job description, compensation, hours, skills, and other desired skills.
Once a supervisor has entered this information and submitted the requisition, the Student Employment Team will approve, deny, or edit the postings as necessary. Once approved, the position will be sent to the Cost Center Approver. Once approved by the Cost Center, the Student Employment Team is able to post it.
Once the position is posted, students will be able to complete the application online. Only the supervisor who created the job will be able to access the individual applications. Student Employment positions are not designed to have more than one individual included on the job requisition. Supervisors have three to five days to review applications they receive.
Please refer to the following guides for step-by-step instructions:
- Create a Job Requisition – student employees
- Review Candidate - student employees
- Offer - student employees
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 the Student Employment Office.
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.
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.
Supervisors should note that multiple jobs may be funded through Federal Work Study. Please also be aware that Student Employment reserves the right to adjust position types as necessary. For example, if a student is no longer eligible for Federal Work Study, they will be automatically switched to Emerson Employment if they are in an on-campus role.
Federal Work Study is only available during the academic year.
Please refer to the following guides for step-by-step instructions:
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 nonprofit or 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.
Each community service agency that has a job posted on the Emerson College website has entered into a contract with Emerson College. A contract must be completed every academic year to maintain the partnership.
Available Service Work Study job postings are listed on Workday along with on-campus employment. Students interested in applying for Service Work Study positions should complete an application online as they would apply for an on-campus job.
Students applying for the role must have a completed FAFSA on file for the current academic year and be eligible for FWS. If an applicant was not initially awarded FWS, Student Employment can review their financial aid status to determine if they qualify based on available funding. Hiring managers are strongly encouraged to contact Student Employment to confirm a student's eligibility before conducting interviews.
As these roles are located off-campus, Student Employment requests that hiring managers explicitly state the travel requirements in the job description. Student employees are permitted to log their travel time on their timesheets.
Students working for a Service Work Study agency are considered Emerson College Employees. Supervisors and students must adhere to Emerson College Employee Policies.
The Student Employment Team will conduct in-person site visits once per academic year. These visits serve as an opportunity for agencies to address questions, voice concerns, and provide feedback for the following academic year.
The Student Employment Team continuously monitors student FWS fund balances throughout each semester.
- If a student is eligible for an FWS award increase, the Student Employment Team will process the adjustment automatically.
- If a student is ineligible for an increase and their funds are running low, the Student Employment Team will send communications to both the supervisor and the student. Once a student exhausts their FWS funding, they cannot continue working in their Service Work-Study role for the remainder of the academic year.
Service Work-Study roles operate only during the academic year. If an agency wishes to retain a student employee over the summer, the agency must hire and compensate the student independently during this period.
Please refer to the following guides for step-by-step instructions:
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
Grant-funded student employment positions are classified as Grant Non-FWS. Please direct any grant-specific queries to the Office of Research and Creative Scholarship (ORCS), as the Student Employment Team cannot assist with these inquiries.
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.
Please note that Federal Work Study does not run during the summer.
The same policies and procedures that student employees and their supervisors must follow during the academic year apply during the summer.
Suggested Interview Discussion Points & Tips
We recommend that supervisors take the time to interview students before hiring them; an interview will help both the supervisor and the student decide whether the job and the student are a good match for each other. We suggest that you address the following points during the interview:
- Student's availability
- Student's prior experience and skills
- Detailed job description and requirements
- Hours and dates when expected to work and who to contact and when in case of illness or emergency
- Pay rate
- Type and length of training to be provided on the job
- Period of employment
- Departmental policies and protocols that may affect the student's interest in the job (e.g., dress code)
- Office and College policies concerning the appropriate use of College property, such as telephones, computers, etc.
- Timeline in which students can expect notification of a hiring decision
Students usually do not bring a resume to the interview unless the supervisor specifically requests it. Most students are eager to begin working, so it is advisable to notify the student of the hiring decision within two or three days after the interview. It is also important to keep in mind that not all candidates will have previous work experience and it is the expectation that supervisors hire and train new student employees.
Examples of Illegal Interview Questions
- What is your age, gender, sexual orientation, religion, and birthplace, marital or parental status?
- Do you have a disability?
- Have you ever been arrested?
- How tall are you? How much do you weigh?
- Have you ever been in a car accident or hospitalized?
- Is English your first language?
- Do you have any outstanding debt?
- Do you drink socially? When was the last time you used illegal drugs?
For interviews, here are a few recommendations that may assist you with the process:
- Send an introductory email to the student, as well as moving them forward in Workday. It will give you the opportunity to introduce yourself to the student, set expectations, and set up open communication between the two of you.
- Provide the student with an option of choosing an in-person or remote interview.
- Utilize a Google Calendar invite for the student. Include a space for the student to add any notes, such as if they have any questions or comments prior to the interview, if there are certain accommodations or information they may want you to know ahead of time.
- If possible, provide the student with the main interview questions ahead of time.
- Craft an interview rubric to rate a student’s performance. An interview rubric is a structured scoring guide that helps interviewers assess candidates consistently and objectively.
- If you’re declining a candidate, it’s encouraged to provide the student with other opportunities or people they could connect with. This is a learning experience and an on-campus job; it’s helpful to provide them with any tips. And if you had a good experience with them, encourage them to keep in contact. Who knows, they may be a good fit for a future role in your department.
Please contact Student Employment if you are looking to brainstorm or discuss interview methods further.
Hiring a Student Employee & Work Authorization
Student supervisors will receive tasks to be initiated in Workday for the Offer and Onboarding. Once all has been completed on the supervisor’s end, this will initiate onboarding for the student employee. A student employee will then be tasked to complete all necessary forms and tasks in Workday. Tasks will vary depending on if the student is a new hire, a current student employee, or a former student employee of the College.
All new hires and students with expired I-9s will need to bring their original forms of ID for the required I-9 form to Student Financial Services.
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.
International Students who have not worked in the United States before will need to apply for a Social Security Number. Once the student has had their SSN appointment, they may complete online employment forms and present their ID in-person to Student Employment for work authorization.
F-1 students must have the following documentation when they come to Student Financial Services (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
If it’s been two weeks since an international student’s SSN appointment, or if any complications arise during the process, please inform them that they must contact the Office of International Students and Scholars (OISS) immediately.
Payroll requires the SSN to be 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.
During a Payroll Pause only, all students must have a valid SSN reported 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.
A student employee will be all set to start working when the supervisor and the student employee receive an authorization email from Workday indicating they are all set. A student supervisor may check a student employee’s onboarding status via the Student Employment Dashboard.
In compliance with federal regulations, a Form I-9 remains valid for 3 years from the date of its initial completion.
Under no circumstances should a supervisor schedule a student employee prior to work authorization. A student employee should also never start working without being paid. Please ensure that your new hires have the correct tools and resources for their onboarding and hiring.
Please refer to the following guides for step-by-step Workday instructions:
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.
Concluding Recruitment
Job requisitions will automatically close and decline all remaining candidates once all allotted positions are filled. For example, if a requisition has 1 open slot and a student is hired, the requisition closes automatically. Please note that Student Employment cannot reopen a requisition once it has been closed.
A requisition will remain open if recruitment has ended but some allotted spots are left vacant (e.g., a hiring manager hired 1 student but has 3 available spots in total).
To manually close a requisition with remaining spots, student supervisors must do the following:
- Move forward or decline any candidates left under review
- Check to make sure that it says Completion next to your recently hired student employee’s name. This can be found under Candidates in the Requisition. If it does not say Completion next to a student's name, then a requisition cannot be closed out.
- Close out the Job Requisition.
It is imperative that students applying for positions are replied to in a timely manner.
Please note that student job requisitions will stay active on the job board for about a month before they automatically come down. If you are looking for additional candidates, and the posting has come down from the job board, please contact Student Employment.
If supervisors have exceeded the number of applicants and wish for a decrease in applicants, please contact Student Employment. Student Employment will take the requisition off of the job board. This will prevent students from seeing the listing. However, the requisition will still be open and available for Student Supervisors to use.
Please refer to Closing out Student Job Requisitions for step-by-step instructions.
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 scheduled to work outside a department’s normal hours of operation, supervisors must ensure the following safety measures are in place:
- A primary point of contact (typically the 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.
- Supervisors are responsible for providing students with all necessary resources and tools required to work safely outside normal hours.
Please note that failure to provide adequate safety measures or resources for after-hours work may result in a review by Student Employment.
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.
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.
Time Entry, Payroll Policies & 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 Monday. At 12 pm EST, the timesheet closes and the student can no longer access the timesheet. The deadline for supervisors to approve their student employee’s hours is noon EST on Tuesdays. As a best practice, supervisors should try to approve all timesheets by or before the student employees’ Monday deadline. Failure to approve hours by the Tuesday deadline will result in a delay of at least one week for student pay. Please note that under no circumstances can this be allowed to occur.
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.
Supervisors must remind their students to complete their timesheets. The Student Employment Office will not remind students to complete their time sheets. There are a couple of different ways that supervisors can remind students to complete their time sheets:
- Ask your students to complete their time sheets after every shift. Students enter hours in Workday and hit save.
- Set up an email distribution list to remind your students a couple of times each payroll period. Definitely send a reminder email on the Fridays before timesheets are due.
- If you have a Slack channel, set up or send out a reminder every Monday morning prior to the deadline.
Timesheets must be approved in Workday. Supervisors have access to timesheets once students report and submit hours. Supervisors who do not approve timesheets on time violate student employment policy. Please refer to violations of student employment policy.
Please note that falsifying a timesheet violates state and federal laws. Supervisors, under no circumstances, should approve timesheets with incorrect information.
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)
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.
All supervisors must select a delegate if they will be out of the office.
If you send a student’s timesheet back for correction, it is advised to contact the student directly to ensure they are aware their timesheet needs to be corrected. Students should receive a notification in Workday, but direct contact via email or Slack to inform them of what happened is highly encouraged.
If you send a student their timesheet back past the Noon EST deadline, they will not be able to resubmit or edit their timesheet until Wednesday at 3:00 pm EST.
It is the supervisor’s responsibility to pay close attention to the time students are submitting each week. The Student Employment Office will be running reports that indicate if a student has not been submitting time.
Student Employment will contact a supervisor if one of their student employees appears on the report. Supervisors will need to inform Student Employment if a student employee is no longer working the position or if the student employee has worked but not submitted time. Under no circumstances should a student employee be working without submitting time. If student supervisors are not attentive with student timesheets, Student Employment will need to reevaluate their position as a supervisor.
Please also refer to the following guides for step-by-step instructions:
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 submit their hours in Workday. Hours are recorded in ABI. If this applies, supervisors should inform student employees of this procedure prior to their start date. Supervisors will also provide further details about how hours will be recorded and submitted each week.
Merit Raises
If a supervisor would like to grant a student a pay raise based on merit, they will initiate a compensation change via Workday. Raises are not required but are encouraged if a student employee’s performance merits it. Raises are also dependent on department budgets. Increases in wages are not guaranteed and are at the discretion of the department.
Please refer to the step-by-step instructions for promotions as well as information about Pay Grades:
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 is only applicable 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.
Workers’ Compensation
Please review the College's policies regarding workers’ compensation:
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.
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.
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 the Student Employment Team.
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.
End Dates
End dates will need to be updated annually. Upon hire, supervisors should input the end date as the last day of the academic year. If the position is temporary or only the semester, then the end date should reflect this.
End dates must not extend beyond the current academic year. The Student Employment Team will adjust any dates that exceed this.
End dates do not automatically remove a student from their position in Workday. You must email our office with a termination request in order for the student to be removed from the position.
End dates help maintain compliant records and are used to indicate that a student’s employment will be extended into the next academic year
Please refer to the step-by-step instructions on how to update end dates:
Student Terminations
All student employee termination requests should be emailed to student_employment@emerson.edu. Student supervisors should provide a detailed description as to why the student is being removed from the role as well as their last day of work.
Student supervisors should not process terminations on their own in Workday. If a Student Supervisor attempts to submit a termination themselves in Workday, Student Employment will send it back and request that the termination request be sent to us via email.
Student Supervisors should follow the Three Strikes Policy when a student employee needs to be escalated into a termination. All correspondence for termination with intent should be forwarded to Student Employment. If necessary, connect with Student Employment to discuss the situation at hand. If deemed necessary or appropriate, Student Employment may step in.
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.
Student Employment will reach out to Student Supervisors at the end of every semester inquiring Student Supervisors to inform Student Employment of who will not be returning the following semester.
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 students of the College who experience technical difficulties accessing their Workday account must contact the IT Help Desk at helpdesk@emerson.edu.
Hiring a Student Employee as a Temporary Worker
If a student is ineligible to participate in the Student Employment program, their student position with the College must end. However, if a supervisor wishes to keep a student on their staff, they may connect with the College’s HR department to set them up as a temporary worker.
Disciplinary Process/Dismissal
Student employees may be subject to termination of their student employment if they are unreliable or fail to perform their required responsibilities, including completing timesheets by the deadline.
Prior to completing an involuntary termination, please contact Student Employment to ensure that the appropriate steps have occurred.
Students are generally entitled to the following disciplinary process prior to employment termination. This is also referred to as the Three Strikes Policy:
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Notwithstanding the above process, 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.
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.
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.
Cost Center Adjustments
If a student employee’s cost center needs to change, please contact Student Employment. They will update the security for your student supervisory organization to include the new cost center.
Once this has been completed, the student employee’s supervisor or the current cost center approver will need to make the adjustment to the cost center.
Student Employment will not make any adjustments or changes to a student employee’s cost center. If there are any questions or concerns, please connect with the Finance team as they will be able to provide additional guidance and insight.
Please review the Cost Center Adjustments for step-by-step instructions on how to revise a cost center.
College Policies
Emerson College students must abide by all College policies, including but not limited to FERPA, the Code of Community Standards.
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.
Supervisors' Responsibilities
When you submit an offer letter for a student, you are acknowledging that you have read and agree to comply with the conditions listed in this handbook. By submitting an offer letter for a student, you and the student acknowledge their obligation to comply with Student Employment Program regulations and guidelines. Among your obligations are the following:
- Students are not allowed to run personal errands or assist you outside of the College in a non-College-related capacity.
- Students can only be paid through Workday. No outside payments for services rendered will be allowed.
- Students cannot be offered employment or hired outside of Workday.
- All student employment positions must be listed in Workday.
- You must be an active staff/faculty member in order to supervise student employees. Individuals who are retired, on leave, or are no longer employed by the College are ineligible to participate in the student employment program.
- You will not permit students to work until you have received a Work Authorization email from the Student Employment staff.
- You must review the Payroll Schedule and all deadlines with your student.
- You will approve your Student Employment timesheet by 12 pm EST on the day that they are due, according to the posted payroll schedule.
- The supervisor may not allow students to volunteer their time for a position that would otherwise be paid. This includes any hours that exceed 20 hours per week during the normal academic year 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.
- You are required to attend the annual Student Employment Manager Updates & Training.
- You must notify Student Employment of any changes to the current supervisor; any new contact information must be disclosed in a timely fashion.
- You are responsible for reading and complying with Student Employment email announcements throughout the year.
- You understand that hourly rates depend upon job responsibilities and the number of
years a student has worked in that position. Students working in the same position with similar levels of experience must be paid the same amount, whether they are undergraduate students or graduate students. - You will outline basic work expectations and responsibilities to each of your student employees.
- You will notify Student Employment of any change in the status of any of your student employees.
- You will provide all students with two weeks' notification before termination of employment except in cases previously mentioned.
- You will be responsible for departmental payments initiated by changes in a student’s Federal Work Study award.
- You will change job descriptions to include the timely completion of the online time sheet as a job requirement.
- You will provide warnings for students who do not complete their timesheets by the deadline.
- You will recheck your timesheet approval queue prior to noon EST on timesheet due dates to verify that all your student employees have been approved, even if you think you have approved everyone.
- You will verify that all of your current student employees have access to their timesheet in Workday.
- You will not permit a student to volunteer for a position that would otherwise be paid.
Violations of Student Employment Policies By Supervisors
The Student Employment Manager will take the following actions with regard to supervisors who fail to comply with the policies outlined in the Student Employment Handbook.
- A supervisor’s first offense will result in the supervisor receiving a warning letter from the Student Employment Manager. A copy of this letter will also be sent to their supervisor.
- If a supervisor commits a second violation, the Student Employment Manager will send a warning letter to the supervisor in question, their supervisor, their Vice President or Chair of the Department and the Director of Financial Aid.
- A third violation will cause a supervisor’s hiring privileges to be suspended for the remainder of the academic year. The Director of Financial Aid will determine if the supervisor’s hiring privileges will be permanently suspended.
Please note that student employment supervisors are employees at will at Emerson College who may be disciplined or terminated for any reason, including failing to abide by the College’s Student Employment Policies.
A supervisor’s ability to recruit, supervise, and hire students at the College will be revoked immediately in cases of both willful and inadvertent violation of college rules, departmental policy, or law violations. Such infractions that may justify immediate suspension 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, at the discretion of the Student Employment Manager, supervisor suspension will be effective immediately***
If the supervisor’s violation 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 supervisor from on-campus employment permanently.
Appealing a Supervisor Violation
Supervisors may appeal a student employment violation by contacting the Director of Financial Aid in writing with an explanation and documentation if warranted. Appeals will be addressed within one week of receipt.