Generally, student employees should not work more than 20 hours per week during the academic term in which they are enrolled as they are first and foremost a student.
STUDENT HIRE GUIDELINES:
- Hire must be requested at least 2 weeks prior to their start date.
- This ensures proper time to process the hire and obtain all required documentation and approvals.
- A student cannot work with you/for you prior to or after their start and end dates.
- Allowing a student to work prior to or after their start and end date is a Department of Labor violation. The university will be fined, and the college would be responsible for any fines associated with the violation.
- A student cannot work for you unless their hire is officially approved within the University of South Carolina HR system (notification will be sent to you).
- University HR is no longer approving hires in the system until all HR paperwork is completed (i.e. I9 paperwork).
- Undergraduate students cannot be salaried workers. They must be hired as hourly workers.
- We are unable to pay students in lump sums at specific times.
- After a student is hired officially within the University HR system it takes one month for them to receive their first paycheck because they are hired on a pay lag. After this they receive a paycheck every 15th and 30th of the month (pending on the length of their employment).
- FTE employees cannot be hired as a student.
- Important student hire resources for supervisors can be found here.
STUDENT EMPLOYMENT HOURS CAPS FALL/SPRING:
Be as accurate as possible in establishing the number of hours the student is expected to work each week. Many students have multiple jobs and Inflating the hours per week may cause issues given the recommended limit of 20 hours per week.
- Undergraduate students working multiple jobs must not work over 40 hours per week across all active on-campus appointments.
- International students cannot work more than 20 hours per week during the academic year while classes are in session. International student employees may work over 20 hours per week during official university breaks or during the summer if they intend to enroll for the subsequent semester.
- Federal Work Study students cannot work more than 20 hours per week.
- Work Study Hire Dates: August 4, 2024 through May 10, 2025
- Graduate students are generally capped at 20 hours per week, however graduate students may submit a Graduate Assistant Appeal to the Graduate School to request increased hours during the Fall and Spring semesters up to 25 hours per week. No appeal is necessary during the summer, but graduate students are capped at 28 hours per week. The new minimum wage rate for graduate students is $15.00/hr.
STUDENT ENROLLMENT REQUIREMENTS:
- As outlined in HR policy 1.86 Student Employment, student employment during fall/spring extends to:
- An undergraduate student enrolled at the university in at least six (6) credit hours is eligible for student employment.
- Enrollment requirements applicable to graduate assistants are defined by University Policy ACAF 4.00 Graduate Assistantships.
- Graduate students without graduate assistantships have a one (1) credit hours minimum enrollment requirement to be eligible for student employment (for fall and spring semesters).
STUDENT EMPLOYMENT HOURS CAPS OVER SUMMER:
Please note that the allowed increase in hours per week is strictly during summer months from May through the middle of August for continuing students. Note the hours per week listed below refer to total allowable hours across all active on-campus appointments.
- Undergraduate students must not work over 40 hours per week.
International students may work more than 20 hours per week but not to exceed 40 hours per week.
- Federal Work Study students are capped at 20 hours per week.
- Graduate students with Assistantships are capped at 28 hours per week, but no appeal is necessary during the summer.
- Graduate students without assistantships must not work over 40 hours per week. Minimum wage rate is $15.00/hr for all graduate students.