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Administrative policy regarding the employment of students

  1. Policy statement.  It is the policy of the university to employ actively enrolled undergraduate and graduate students in various campus positions. This policy serves to provide the administrative structure and procedure for such student appointments, with more specific operational processes and regulations outlined in the student employment handbook.
  2. Eligibility. This policy applies to employees whose status as a student is a requirement of employment.
  3. Definitions
    1. Supervisor or department head.  The individual to whom responsibility is delegated to oversee work on behalf of the university by student employees.  This individual is responsible for selecting, hiring, directly supervising, and providing guidance, training and instructions relative to the student employee's assigned responsibilities.  This individual is also responsible for being familiar with all statutes, regulations, and policies governing the appointment and termination of employees in their department.
    2. Hourly student employee. Student paid on an hourly basis and nonexempt from the overtime provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act.
    3. Non-hourly student employee.  Student paid on a salary basis for a specific time period (i.e., one time service, one month, one semester). 
    4. High school student employee. An individual who is an active, full-time high school student.  High school students employed by Kent state university are not required to meet the enrollment guidelines as contained in section (E)(8).  Employment of high school students must comply with all of the requirements of the state of Ohio's minor labor laws (section 4109.01 of the Revised Code).
  4. Categories of student appointment.  These categories identify the specific nature of the working relationship for student staff.
    1. Funding basis. The source of funds from which a student employee is paid is a critical factor in establishing the appointment.
      1. University funded student appointment.  Students employed by the university whose wages are paid in full by the employing university department. 
      2. Federal work-study program student appointment.  Students employed by the university or by a university approved, off-campus organization who have applied for financial aid and have been determined to be eligible for employment under the federal work-study program (FWSP). The employing department will be charged a percentage of the student's wages, and the difference will be charged to the student's FWSP allocation as determined by the student financial aid office and by the U.S. Department of Education.  Federal work-study wages can only be paid to student employees on an hourly basis.  The FWSP places additional conditions and limitations on the appointment.
    2. Appointment type.
      1. Hourly.  Most student employees are appointed on an hourly basis. Gross pay for a pay period is calculated using the total number of hours worked during the pay period, multiplied by the designated hourly rate of the appointment. 
      2. Non-hourly.  Students are compensated on a fixed dollar amount for a specific time period, (i.e., one time service, one month, one semester).
  5. Implementation.
    1. Verification of student status and eligibility for employment.
      1. To be eligible for student employment, an individual must:
        1. Be an enrolled student as defined in (E)(8)
        2. Complete all state, federal, and university forms required for employment, and
        3. Agree to comply with all applicable university and departmental procedures and policies pertaining to assigned responsibilities, to include the protection of the privacy of students and the authorized dissemination of any information according to university policy, as well as local, state, and federal laws.  By accepting employment with the university, the student employee agrees to further follow all policies and procedures within the student employment handbook, as amended.
      2. The appointing authority or designate must verify eligibility before an offer of appointment can be made.
    2. Offer of appointment.  No student employee should be expected to work without a formal offer of appointment which specifies basic responsibilities, rate of pay, general expectations regarding a work schedule, and duration of appointment.
    3. Orientation. The initial appointment should include an orientation process in order to enable the employee to become familiar with the workplace and the expectations for their position. 
    4. Modification of appointment. Any substantial modification to the terms identified in (E)(2) should be communicated with reasonable advance notice to the student employment appointing authority.
    5. Benefits.  Student employees do not receive vacation, sick leave, or holiday pay; cannot earn annual longevity step increases, and are not eligible to apply for a leave of absence.
    6. Termination of appointment.  Student employment will cease under any of the following circumstances and termination must be communicated to the student employment appointing authority:
      1. End of appointment.  Effective with the specified end date of the academic year, semester or summer term designated as the period of appointment, a student employee's appointment will automatically terminate, unless a new appointment is issued.
      2. Voluntary. Student employees may resign from their university appointment at any time, preferably with advance notice, and should notify their supervisor.
      3. Involuntary.  At the recommendation of the supervisor, the appointing authority may terminate the employment of a student employee, preferably with advance notice.  No reason is required to substantiate the action.
    7. Work schedule.  A student employee should be provided a general expectation regarding a work schedule.  A student's employment is temporary in nature and is incidental to the pursuit of an academic program. Students may not work more than twenty-eight hours per week. If the student exceeds the maximum hours as established by this policy, the student will not be eligible for future student employment. Continued violation of this policy will result in immediate termination of employment.
    8. Minimum credit-hour enrollment requirement.
      1. Academic year employment.
        1. Students must be enrolled at the university for at least half-time (six credit hours for an undergraduate or four credit hours for a graduate student).  Audited classes are not considered degree granting credits and do not count toward the six or four credit hour minimum. 
        2. If a student drops below half-time enrollment status, their employment with the university will be terminated and medicare tax and ohio public employees retirement system contributions will be withheld from their wages pursuant to federal and state laws. 
      2. Summer and break period employment.
        1. Student employment during the summer is contingent upon enrollment during the following fall semester; unless the student will be graduating at the end of the summer.
        2. Admitted incoming freshmen and transfer students may be employed during the summer or break period preceding the semester of enrollment.
    9. Ohio public employees retirement system (OPERS).  Students are required as employees of a public university to contribute to OPERS.  Students who meet the minimum hour enrollment requirement established by the university and state of Ohio for exemption in (E)(8)(a) may file a request to waive contribution with the appointing authority for student employment.  Students who fail or cease to meet the criteria required for exemption at any time will be required by the university to contribute to OPERS.
  6. General procedures.
    1. Posting open student employment positions. All student position vacancies throughout the Kent state university system must be listed with the appointing authority for student employment.
    2. Employment in more than one department.
      1. Student employees may be employed in more than one department but the student must limit total hours worked in all departments to a part-time basis as provided in paragraph (E)(7) of this rule. 
      2. Students may work in a federal work-study and a university funded position at the same time.
    3. Recording time.
      1. Student employees must record their own time worked. Recording of another employee's time is a serious violation of university policy and could lead to disciplinary action.
      2. Willful falsification or malicious handling of time keep records constitutes grounds for immediate dismissal.
    4. Student employment pay plan.  All student employees will be paid according to the approved pay plan. Classification level and hourly rate are based on the nature of the job. 
    5. Student employee grievance procedures.
      1. A formal grievance process exists to give students a venue for resolving workplace issues.  It is expected that each employing department will inform all student employees of the student employee grievance procedures contained in the student employment handbook.  
      2. Generally, it is expected that a complaint can be resolved at the point at which it arises. This means that the student employee(s) and the immediate supervisor should attempt to resolve the issue informally, with the right to appeal to a higher level exercised only after it is determined that mutual satisfaction cannot be reached. Consequently, every effort should be made to settle the grievance on the spot, on its merits, and with minimal delay. 
      3. In initiating a complaint, and throughout the formal appeals process, students may seek the counsel of the office of the student ombuds. The student ombuds will provide information, clarify procedures, and facilitate communication as requested. 
      4. It is understood that some issues may involve one or more policies that, because of either the nature of the complaint or the status of the complaint, may be related to university offices that have separate responsibilities for such policies. For example, an allegation of discrimination or sexual harassment could be reviewed separately by the office of equal opportunity and affirmative action.
      5. There shall be no retaliation or abridgment of a student's rights resulting from the use of this policy.
      6. As necessary, a student may submit a written request for a reasonable amount of time off work to attend hearings or meetings established as part of the grievance process. This request must be approved in writing by the immediate supervisor to be acted upon.
      7. Regional campus student employee complaints filed at a regional campus are covered by rule 3342-8-01.6 of the Administrative Code.
Policy Effective Date:
Mar 01, 2015
Policy Prior Effective Dates: 
11/4/1977, 10/26/1979, 3/18/1982, 3/7/2000, 6/1/2007, 10/13/2009, 5/13/2013
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