DoCS Student Employement Guide

Classification of Student Employment 

• Class 5 Regular Student Employee (05100): A student who is paid with funds that come from the employing department.
• Class 5 Federal Work Study Student Employee (05200): A student employee who is paid by a federal work student award. Continued eligibility is determined by the Office of Student Employment.

Employment at Will 

• Student employment is “at-will” and your employment may be terminated with or without cause, and with or without notice, at any time at your or the University’s discretion. For more detailed information, review Rutgers University Policy 60.9.52.

Equal Opportunity Employment 

• Please refer to the Rutgers University Equal Opportunity Policy.

For International Student Employees

• F-1 and J-1 international students sponsored by Rutgers have permission to work on-campus while pursuing their studies and maintaining their legal status. For more detailed information, please visit Rutgers Global On-Campus Employment.
• If you are international student working while your Social Security number application is being processed; you have 90 days from the completion date of your I-9 form to obtain an SSN. Once you have obtained your SSN, it is essential you update your employee record to keep your employment active:
  • Follow this link and login with your NetID.
  • On the drop-down menu, select SSN, and input your SSN.
  • On the bottom, select attachment and upload an image of your SSN card.

Student Code of Conduct

• While performing job responsibilities, student employees are expected to abide by the University Code of Student Conduct (2021) (PDF), which sets specific expectations for Rutgers University student behavior.

Compensation 

• Regular student employees hourly rates are determined by their offer letter.
• Federal work study students receive a specific allocation to indicate the total wages allowed to earn during the academic year.

Direct Deposit

• You are encouraged to sign up for direct deposit, this service authorizes Rutgers University to deposit all or part of your paycheck directly into your savings or checking account. To set up your direct deposit:
  • Visit my.rutgers.edu/portal/ and login with your NetID.
  • Visit this link to follow the step-by-step instructions on how to set up direct deposit.

Tax Exemptions 

• Student employees are not automatically exempt from paying taxes, as their earnings remain subject to federal and state income taxes. However, certain student workers will be exempt from Social Security tax and Medicare tax (FICA taxes) withholding. For more information, please visit Rutgers University Finance and Administration.

Meals & Breaks (Unpaid)

• Up to 4.5 hours of work = 15 min break.
• Over 6 hours of work = 30 min break, which can include the first 15 min.

New Jersey Earned Sick Leave (NJESL)

• Students are required to notify their supervisor when they are sick and/or unable to work. Student employees accrue sick time according to the New Jersey's Earned Sick Leave Law (NJ ESL). To view your available balance visit: my.rutgers.edu and select the Employee Self-Service tab.
• In addition to notifying your supervisor, students must record sick time taken by adding a comment on their timesheet. Only hours that the student has already accrued will be paid.

Pay Days 

• The University pays its student employees on a bi-weekly basis (every other week). If you signed up to receive your pay via direct deposit, you may view your paystub online by visiting my.rutgers.edu under the ‘my pacycheck’ tab.
• If you receive paper pay checks, these are distributed on the Thursday following the end of the pay period. The pay schedule is also available on the Payroll website.

Reporting Your Hours 

• Student employees are required to complete timesheets daily and submit their hours weekly by no later than Thursdays at 12pm. Submitted timesheets are sent for approval from your supervisor. Late timesheets submitted after the Thursday cut off, may not make the current pay-cycle. Falsification of a timesheet is grounds for immediate termination of employment. For detailed instructions on how to submit your hours please visit DoCS Hourly Employees: How to Submit Your Timesheets

Time Off and Planned Breaks 

• Planed time off should be discussed and agreed upon in advance between your supervisor.
• Official breaks include days in which the university is closed.

Work Hours

• The maximum number of hours per week that you can work:
  • Fall & Spring Semester: 20 hours
  • Summer & Winter Terms: 35 hours
• Employment during the breaks is not a requirement and is contingent upon the needs of the department.

Workweek

• Generally, you are not expected to report to work on days the University is closed. However, some departments do remain open. Please speak to your supervisor regarding the office hours of your particular department.

Work Schedule

• Each semester, you and your supervisor should establish your work schedule. Every attempt will be made to schedule work hours at convenient times and in accordance with your class schedule. You should discuss any special requests or schedule conflicts well in advance with your supervisor. Once your work schedule has been agreed upon, your inability to maintain this schedule will impact the coverage needs of the department and may result in your termination from employment.

Absences

• If you will be late or are unable to work, you are required to notify your supervisor directly as soon as possible. Failure to notify your supervisor will be considered an unexcused absence. Frequent absences and lateness impair the value of your service and could result in your employment termination.

Appropriate Work Attire

• You are expected to report to work in attire that is neat, clean and reflects the core values of the University, as well as the specific job you hold. When in question, supervisors have the discretion to make decisions on what constitutes appropriate attire.
• If reporting into the Lifelong Learning Center, you are required to bring your RU ID card to access the building.

Graduating Students

• Upon your graduation from the University, you will transition from a student status to alumni status. Once your student role transitions into alumni, your access will be turned off and your student worker eligibility goes away.
• Student employees are required notify their supervisor of their upcoming graduation.

On-the-Job Injury or Illness

• If you have been injured or has become ill on the job, immediately contact your supervisor. In cases requiring more extensive first aid, please report to the Student Health services office.
• In the case of a medical emergency, dial 911 or call the Rutgers University Police Department (RUPD) at 848.932.7211. Rutgers Student Health is not an emergency medical center.

On Campus Parking

• If parking your vehicle on a campus parking lot, you need to purchase a parking permit. To purchase your parking permit, you may visit: ipo.rutgers.edu/dots/parking.
• If parking at the Lifelong Learning Center, use the link above to purchase an additional permit. To avoid a ticket, additional parking privileges must be purchased and added to your virtual permit.

Punctuality

• Your supervisor expects you to be at work when you are scheduled to begin and to not leave before the end of your scheduled hours. Your supervisor also expects you to take any agreed-upon breaks. If circumstances prevent you from arriving to work on time, or if you need to leave early, you must make every effort to give your supervisor as much notice as possible.

Rutgers Ethics Program 

• All university employees are expected to abide by a strict ethical code. Please visit ecoi.rutgers.edu to complete your Annual Outside Activity Questionnaire. 

Resignation Procedure 

• If you wish to resign from your position, first notify your supervisor. Additionally, please email a signed, and dated, resignation letter with your last day worked to your supervisor and cc dochr@docs.rutgers.edu. Student employees must submit all timesheets prior to their last day

State-Mandated Training

• Approximately two weeks after your start date, expect to receive an email to complete your State-Mandated Online Training. Topics may include harassment, Title IX, supervision.

The Rutgers Student Employment Office provides student employees with various resources, such as:

• Federal Work Study Program
• Employment Verification
• Handshake

The Rutgers University Policy Library lists the rules and regulations of the university as well as the rights and responsibilities of its employees.

Visit the Student Tech Guide to learn about resources to help you stay connected, get free software, troubleshoot your devices, and much more