University Student Employment Policy

RESPONSIBILITY:

Supervisors involved with hiring individuals to be employed on the student payroll are responsible for implementation of this policy.

Monitoring for compliance shall be the responsibility of the Office of Enrollment Services. The granting of payroll exceptions shall be the responsibility of the Director of Enrollment Services.

POLICY:

It is the policy of the University to provide employment opportunities for eligible matriculated university students. This employment will involve supplementary activities and will not result in the displacement of employees or impair existing contracts for services. Also, hiring of students will not result in bona-fide position vacancies being held vacant by any University department

PROVISIONS:

  1. Hours of Work — The maximum hours a student may work during the academic year (September 1 – May 31) when classes are in session shall be 20 hours per week. The maximum hours a student may work during the summer (June 1 – August 31) and other official vacation periods shall be 40 hours per week. Students may begin working 40 hours per week on the first day after the last day of the exam period for each semesterPlease note:  Resident Assistants (RA’s) are not allowed to work another job on-campus. Student employees are entitled to a 20 minute meal time within a minimum 6 hour work shift and a 30 minute meal time within a minimum 8 hour work shift.  Employers are not required to compensate student employees during this meal time.  This policy must be uniformly applied to all student employees.
  2.  All employees on the student payroll should be hired using the pay rate guidelines found here for pay rate levels and steps, as determined by the department supervisor (Effective January 1, 2021). Exceptions to these rates must be approved by Enrollment Services.
  3. These guidelines shall apply to all eligible matriculated students, both at the graduate and undergraduate levels, regardless of the method of funding for the student employee.
  4. The following are the eligibility requirements for student employment:
A. During the academic year:
1) For Institutional Payroll (IPR employment, students must be matriculated and currently registered for at least six (6) credits.
2) For the Federal College Work Study program (FCWS) student employment, eligibility will be based upon the federal regulations governing the Federal College Work Study Program.
3) Graduate students must be matriculated and registered for a minimum of four and one half (4.5) credit hours.
B. During the summer recess:
1) Student have been eligible for student employment during the previous Spring semester, and expect to return in the Fall semester and be registered as a matriculated student as defined above. Such students may work up to forty (40) hours per week.
or:
2) Entering students accepted for enrollment in the Fall who have paid their deposit are eligible for Summer employment. The maximum number of hours that student that students in this category ay work is forty (40) hours per week.
or:
3) Students must be completing requirements for a URI degree and currently register in Summer school. The maximum number of hours that students in this category may work is twenty (20) hours per week.
  1. A student may be employed by no more than two supervisors or departments within the University at the same time. However, the student shall be responsible for informing the employers or supervisors of this dual employment and for assuring that the maximum hour limitations are not exceeded.
  2. Students may not be employed in the same administrative unit as a family member where the employing relative has direct or indirect responsibility for recommendations or decisions involving the student in such matters as initial employment, retention, salary and similar personnel matters. Family members are defined as parents, spouse, children and their spouses, siblings, and their spouses and children. (See also the University’s Policy on Nepotism and Conflict of Interest).
  3. Monitoring for compliance with the provisions of this document involving collective bargaining agreements and payroll disputes shall be the responsibility of the Assistant Vice President for Human Resources.
  4. Grievance procedure: A grievance (any unresolved difference or dispute between the employer and employee with respect to the interpretation, application, or violation of any rules, regulations, or policies of the department or the University) will be processed in the following manner:
Level 1:Bring grievance to immediate supervisor. If unable to reconcile problem…
Level 2:Appeal to Dean, dictator, department head or supervisor. If unable to reconcile problem…
Level 3: Appeal to Grievance Sub-Committee or Student Employment Committee. If unable to reconcile problem…
Level 4:Appeal to Vice President for Administration or his/her designee.
All steps after Level 1 require a written statements by each party prior to the meeting. These will be retained by the Student Employment Committee and the Department for their files.

Note: Any exceptions to the provisions of this policy involving collective bargaining agreements and payroll disputes must be obtained in advance and in writing from the Assistant Vice President for Human Resources.