Student Employment Supervisor FAQs
Supervisors can find answers to Frequently Asked Questions here!
Job Posting|Background Checks|Offer Letter|Hours Worked|Pay|Other Employment|Enrollment|Policy| Discipline|Training|Links
Job Posting
DO DEPARTMENTS HAVE TO POST ALL STUDENT EMPLOYMENT POSITIONS?
Yes. This is to ensure that the University of North Texas is following fair hiring practices and that all students are treated fairly in regards to employment. The Hiring Manager will post hourly student employment positions in the electronic recruitment system (Handshake), screen and select qualified applicants, and notify the selected applicants of an employment offer via email.
WHY CAN’T I POST A POSITION IN HANDSHAKE?
The most common reason is that the account is in inactive status, or the account is pending. Once you create an account, it may take up to 5 business days for approval as all new accounts are carefully vetted. Please contact the Career Center if you have any questions or concerns.
I FORGOT MY HANDSHAKE LOGIN INFORMATION. WHAT SHOULD I DO?
Your username is the email address you used to create the account. If you forgot your password you will need to click on the “help” link on Handshake.
HOW DO I CLOSE, REOPEN OR EXTEND A JOB?
You can do this your self by clicking the job and then edit but the Career Center can do this for you as well. Just contact us with the job title and we can do this over the phone or through email. A position can be re-opened if it has been closed within 30 days.
WHY DO I HAVE TO REPOST THE POSITION? WHY CAN’T YOU JUST REOPEN IT? (I.E., JOB CLOSED 3 MONTHS AGO)
If a position/job has been CLOSED for longer than 30 days, a new job must be created. The easiest way is to use the copy/duplicate job option when you are reviewing the job.
DO I HAVE TO USE THE STUDENT EMPLOYMENT APPLICATION AS ONE OF THE REQUIRED DOCUMENTS FOR A POSITION TO POST?
Yes, the minimum document requirements for each student to apply is a resume and employment application.
HOW DO I REGISTER ON HANDSHAKE TO POST POSITIONS, ADVERTISE ON CAMPUS, OR ATTEND CAREER FAIRS?
Contact us via email student.employment@unt.edu or call us at 940-565-2105 and we will send you an employer guide.
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Background Checks
DO ALL STUDENT EMPLOYEES HAVE TO HAVE A CRIMINAL HISTORY CHECK?
Yes. Criminal history checks must be performed on all Hourly Student Employees in security-sensitive positions. UNT has deemed the entire university and it’s property as security-sensitive.
CAN STUDENTS BEGIN WORKING PRIOR TO A CRIMINAL HISTORY CHECK?
NO. The criminal history check must be cleared BEFORE the student’s first day of employment. ePARS will be rejected or delayed if the criminal history check is not completed.
HOW LONG DOES A CRIMINAL HISTORY CHECK TAKE?
Due to the new DPS system it literally just minutes and we’ve gone paperless it literally takes minutes. We will process the background check prior to the student employee I9 verification. If there is a adverse finding on a background check it must be resolved BEFORE the I9 can be processed. You will be notified via email immediately if this happens.
DO INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS NEED TO HAVE CRIMINAL HISTORY CHECK?
Yes.
IF THERE ARE ADVERSE RESULTS FROM A BACKGROUND CHECK, IS THERE AN APPEALS PROCESS FOR THE STUDENT?
Yes, the student may contact the Career Center and set up an appointment to appeal.
MY STUDENT HAD CRIMINAL HISTORY CHECK PROCESSED THROUGH UNT RISK MANAGEMENT. DO THEY NEED TO COMPLETE ONE THROUGH THE CAREER CENTER?
No, BUT the Career Center needs to be notified that this student has an existing criminal history check with Risk Management. Please attach the official authorization from Risk Management to the ePAR.
HOW CAN I FIND OUT IF MY STUDENT EMPLOYEE CANDIDATE ALREADY HAS A CLEARED CRIMINAL HISTORY CHECK THROUGH THE CAREER CENTER?
Contact our office either via phone or email. 940-565-2105 or student.employment@unt.edu
HOW LONG IS A PREVIOUSLY CLEARED CRIMINAL HISTORY CHECK GOOD FOR?
We maintain a database of cleared criminal history checks. Our database is audited by Texas DPS about once every three years. Once audited, all criminal history check forms are destroyed and the process starts over for all student employees. We will send out a communication with supervisors once an audit has been conducted.
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Offer Letter
DO I HAVE TO PROVIDE AN OFFER LETTER FOR STUDENT EMPLOYEE HIRES?
Yes. Starting spring 2020 offer letters will be mandatory. The Hiring Manager will notify selected candidates of an employment offer via email. The required offer letter template is located under resources. You can add to it but not remove any verbiage currently on the offer letter. The student candidate will reply to the email or sign that they have received it. The supervisor will keep a copy of the offer letter for the student records.
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Hours Worked
WHY CAN’T HOURLY STUDENT EMPLOYEES WORK AS MANY HOURS AS THEY WOULD LIKE?
UNT Policy 05.025 was adopted to respond to the Affordable Care Act requiring all employers to provide health benefits to employees working more than 30 hours per week. The university looked at payroll records, student employee work history and other factors to determine that 25 hours per week would be the maximum number of hours for hourly student employees. This number keeps UNT fiscally strong in response to the Act. Read more about this decision in the University of North Texas Hourly Student Employment Policy Statement.
WHAT IS THE MAXIMUM NUMBER OF HOURS A STUDENT CAN WORK?
- College Work Study student employees are limited to 25 hours per week during the fall, spring and summer semesters, and up to 40 hours per week during breaks.
- Work Study students who have funds left on their spring award can continue to work up to May 31st.
- Hourly student employees are limited to 25 hours per week during the fall and spring semesters. They can work up to 40 hours per week during breaks.
- Students graduating in spring can continue to work through the summer as a student employee up to the day before the fall semester begins.
- Students graduating in December can continue to work through winter break as a student employee up to the day before the spring semester begins.
- Graduate research students may not work more than nineteen (19) hours per week.
- Undergraduate research students are limited to 25 hours per week during the fall and spring semesters. They can work up to 40 hours per week during breaks.
- International students are subject to the terms and conditions of their visa/work authorization status and may not work more than a total of twenty (20) hours per week except as authorized by UNT Policy 05.010. During Winter break and Summer IF the international student is NOT taking any classes (including online), they can work up to 40 hours per week. A graduating international student cannot continue to work their on-campus positions once their classes are complete unless they are enrolled in another program.
Other limitations may apply when combining different student employee work categories.
NOTE: Policy clearly states that student employees shall not work during posted class times or test times even if the class was canceled or released early. This applies to summer classes as well.
FINALS WEEK SCHEDULE AND SEMESTER CLASS SCHEDULE: WHEN CAN THE STUDENT WORK DURING FINALS?
The university must comply with posted beginning and end date on the class schedules. Reading Day marks the end of the class schedule. When the class schedule ends and the exam schedule begins the student and supervisor must comply with exam schedule only. The student may work anytime that does not conflict with a posted class or exam time.
CAN THE MAXIMUM 25 HOURS PER WEEK THAT HOURLY STUDENT EMPLOYEES ARE ALLOWED TO WORK BE AVERAGED OVER A PAY PERIOD?
NO. The University of North Texas decided that the hourly student employees are to work no more than 25 hours per week.
IF A STUDENT HAS AN ON-CAMPUS INTERNSHIP DO THOSE HOURS AFFECT HOW MANY HOURS A STUDENT CAN WORK AT THEIR ON-CAMPUS JOB.
Yes. Whether it’s an internship or not, if it’s an hourly student employment job code it’s affected by the policy and they cannot work more than the weekly hour limits between the two jobs.
CAN HOURLY STUDENT EMPLOYEES (INCLUDING WORK STUDY, INTERNATIONAL, GRAD AND UNDERGRAD RESEARCH) WORK DURING CLASS?
NO. Student employees shall not work during posted class times or test times, even if class was canceled or released early.
DO STUDENT EMPLOYEES NEED TO PROVIDE CLASS SCHEDULES EVERY SEMESTER TO THEIR HIRING DEPARTMENT OR JUST WHEN THEY ARE HIRED?
Every semester all student employees must provide a copy of their schedule to ensure they are not working during class and meet minimum enrollment requirements. If the student has a schedule change, it is the student’s responsibility to notify their supervisor. The supervisor must keep a copy of the most updated class schedule.
WHAT IF HOURLY STUDENT EMPLOYEES GO OVER THE 25 HOURS PER WEEK BECAUSE THEY TRADE SHIFTS ON OUR SCHEDULING SOFTWARE?
Both the student and the supervisor will need to monitor shifts to ensure student employees do not exceed their maximum hours. Both student and supervisor are responsible for policy compliance.
IS THERE AN AUTOMATED PROCESS TO KEEP UP WITH HOURLY STUDENT EMPLOYEE TIME?
Yes. You can utilize Web clock or electronic payroll with success. Regardless of the timekeeping method, it is the responsibility of the student and supervisor to ensure students do not exceed the number of hours worked each week. Contact the time and labor department to set up the online timekeeping process. WORK STUDY student employees – Financial Aid has a payroll template to assist supervisors in keeping track of hours and funds so that students do not run out of funds during the semester.
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Pay
HOW MUCH DO WE PAY STUDENT EMPLOYEES?
Rate of pay: Student employees must be paid at least minimum wage, but may receive a higher wage depending on qualifications and department restrictions. Hiring managers must attach a justification in the form of an email, comment or letter to the applicant’s ePAR for pay rate over $15/hour for work study and for pay rate over $20/hour for all other hourly positions.
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Other Employment
CAN A STUDENT HAVE MORE THAN ONE JOB?
Yes. The student can hold more than one job but cannot exceed 25 hours per week between the two jobs. This includes both work study and non-work study jobs.
CAN A STUDENT WHO IS WORKING AN ON-CAMPUS JOB DURING THE SUMMER AND IS RECEIVING A STIPEND FROM THEIR CURRENT SUMMER JOB ACCEPT ANOTHER SUMMER HOURLY POSITION?
Yes as long as the student does not go over 40 hours between the two departments.
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Enrollment
DO HOURLY STUDENT EMPLOYEES NEED TO BE ENROLLED IN 3 CREDIT HOURS DURING THE SUMMER TO MAINTAIN EMPLOYMENT?
No. Hourly student employees do not have to be enrolled in summer classes but they need to be enrolled for 3 credit hours minimum in the spring or be registered for at least 3 credit hours in the fall.
WHAT IS THE ENROLLMENT REQUIREMENT FOR WORK STUDY STUDENTS TO BE ELIGIBLE TO WORK?
Work study students must be enrolled in 6 credit hours at any time they are working. This includes fall, spring and summer.
IF A NON-WORK STUDY HOURLY STUDENT EMPLOYEE IS GRADUATING IN MAY CAN THAT STUDENT STAY ON THROUGH THE SUMMER?
Yes, but the student must be terminated or switched to a non-student hourly position with an ePAR before Day 1 of the fall semester.
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Policy
WHAT HAPPENS IF A DEPARTMENT/SUPERVISOR DELIBERATELY/PURPOSEFULLY AND CONTINUOUSLY DOES NOT FOLLOW STUDENT EMPLOYMENT POLICY?
The Career Center is authorized to audit Hourly Student Employee records to ensure compliance with this policy and applicable federal and state laws. Any Hiring Manager who fails to comply with any provision of this policy is subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination as outlined in UNT policies 05.033 and 06.025.
WHAT IS THE BREAK POLICY FOR STUDENT EMPLOYEES?
Breaks for employees are no longer a policy but a constant practice of the university. Part time employees (student employees) are allowed a 15-minute rest break (on the clock) after four (4) continuous hours of work” and that “If a student works an eight-hour shift, he/she is entitled to one (1) hour off the clock for lunch, minimum break is 30 minutes break off the clock” at the supervisors discretion.
CAN YOU DEFINE WHAT YOU MEAN BY “LONG SEMESTERS” AND “BREAKS” IN THE POLICY.
A long semester is the traditional 16 week academic semester which includes the week of final exams. The break begins after the final exam week is over and the break ends once the new semester begins. For example, winter break is the period of time that the students take off during the months of December/January between the fall and Spring Semester.
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Discipline/Termination
WHAT ARE THE DISCIPLINE AND TERMINATION STEPS?
You should counsel the student first, explain that they agreed to the hours/terms of the student position and now cannot seem to commit to their obligation. Has something happened that is preventing them from working their agreed upon hours/duties? Is there something else going on that maybe the CARE team should be made aware of?
- Counsel/talk to the student to find out what’s going on and try to work it out. Make sure they understand they will have consequences if they continue missing shifts
- Verbal warning with understood consequences
- Written warning with consequence or action plan
- Termination is the last resort
Always make a record of all 4 steps.
WHEN SHOULD A TERMINATION EPAR BE PUT IN?
Per the Human Resources department the best practice is to put in the termination ePAR as soon as possible.
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Training/Orientation
HOW OFTEN DO HIRING MANAGERS NEED TO ATTEND SUPERVISOR/STUDENT EMPLOYEE POLICY TRAINING?
Hiring Managers must attend mandatory training at least once every two (2) years, or if there has been a policy change.
DO STUDENT EMPLOYEES HAVE TO ATTEND EMPLOYMENT ORIENTATION?
Yes. Student Employees must complete New Student Employment Orientation through Learning Bridge and FERPA Training within the first 7 days of employment during work hours. Training will include, but is not limited to, UNT policies on ethics, FERPA, nondiscrimination and sexual harassment, sexual assault, applicable employee-related insurance programs, and all other policies referenced in this policy. This orientation is paid time.
