Student Employment Procedures
18 November 2011
Overview
Student Employment is a division of BYU Human Resource Services. The Student Employment
staff assists students and departments with their employment needs. Generally, the university
gives preference to day-continuing students for part-time job opportunities. It has been a longstanding priority and practice to provide as many student employment opportunities as possible
within the operational needs of the university. This practice will assist students with their financial
needs and provide work experience as they attend the university.
Student job openings are posted in Student Employment (2024 WSC) as well as on our website
at: www.jobs.byu.edu.
Students who work on campus are required to observe the Church Educational System Honor
Code, Dress and Grooming Standards, and the Nepotism Policy. Student employees should
dress appropriately for the environment in which they work and may be required to adhere to a
dress standard for the individual department in which they work. This standard may include
uniforms or specified safety equipment.
All University hiring and setting of wage rates are centralized through Student Employment.
Beginning wages and subsequent pay increases must conform to the university’s approved
schedule of wage rates for student employees. This helps to maintain fairness in recruiting,
meeting state and federal employment laws, and properly interpreting campus policies.
Conditions of Employment
In order to work on campus, students must provide the necessary documents to establish
employment eligibility and identity to satisfy the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Form I-9.
To comply with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) provisions, the I-9 must
be completed and certified by an authorized BYU employment representative before beginning
work.
International Students must be cleared to work through the International Services Office prior to
accepting a position on campus.
To satisfy Internal Revenue Service regulations, students are required to present their social
security card.
At BYU, the employment relationship exists at the will of either party, employer or employee, and
may be terminated at any time with or without notice and for any cause whatsoever or for no
cause, other than for reasons prohibited by law.
Nepotism Policy
The hiring of relatives or near relatives must be carefully controlled and administered. In any
instance involving potential nepotism, job openings must be listed with the appropriate
employment office and be open to all qualified applicants.
3/7/2016
Colleges/departments may not employ a person in a position within the administrative scope of
control of a near relative. This applies to full-time and part-time personnel (or special employees)
including students.
Persons considered relatives or near relatives for the purposes of the Nepotism Policy include:
parent, spouse, brother, sister, child, grandparent, grandchild, uncle, niece, nephew, or in-laws.
(Step and half relationships, i.e., step-brother, step-father, half brother, half sister, etc., are also
considered near relatives).
Work Schedules and Devotionals
Students wishing to work should plan their class schedule in such a way that they are available
for a four-hour work shift, either morning, afternoon, or evening. However, work shifts of less than
four hours may also be available.
A ten-minute rest or break period for each four hours of work may be taken. Employees may not
take the break at the beginning or end of work periods or accumulate break time for use later.
Rest or break periods are part of the paid working hours of an employee.
An unpaid thirty-minute or one-hour meal period will be provided in each work shift over five
hours. It is at the discretion of management when the break should be taken, with the
recommendation that a lunch break be taken after each five-hour shift. The employee is relieved
from all work duties and is free to leave the premises, and the meal period does not count as time
worked. There may be unusual situations in which an employee cannot be relieved of all duties
and is not able to leave the premises. In these instances, the employee may eat the meal on the
job and count the meal period as time worked. Management should make every effort to deal
fairly with student employees in practicing consistent and equitable procedures.
Student employees are expected to attend weekly devotionals and forums without being
compensated. Students who are employed in areas designated to continue operations during
those times have special exception to this policy.
Concurrent Jobs
In some cases there may be sufficient reason for a department to consider employment of a
student who is already working for another department at the University. In this event, the hire
ePAF will be routed to the concurrent department for their approval. Students may not be
employed on more than three account codes. For unusual circumstances, departments may
appeal to Student Employment for an exception to this policy.
Temporary Employees
To help preserve campus jobs for students, University departments employ students in all
positions except those that are approved as non-student positions. Colleges and departments
may not use off-campus employment agencies to obtain employees. Departments may employ
non-students to meet temporary needs only when students are not available to fill positions. Staff
& Administrative Employment can ordinarily fill a department’s need for temporary employees.
Employment of non-students requires prior approval from Staff & Administrative Employment.
3/7/2016
International Student Regulations
International Students may work on campus after obtaining approval from a representative in the
International Services Office (1351 WSC). The U.S. Code of Federal Regulations states that
employment for international students must not exceed twenty hours per week while school is in
session. Violation of this policy will result in immediate termination and loss of the right to work in
the United States. The BYU workweek begins Saturday 12:01 a.m. and ends at midnight the
following Friday.
During their yearly vacation period, and when classes are not in session, International Students
may work up to 40 hours per week without taking classes.
Fall/Winter Student Employment Guidelines
To qualify to work on campus during fall or winter semesters, a student must meet one of the
following enrollment criteria:
Resident Students


Undergraduate students must be enrolled in at least 6.0 credit hours per semester.
Graduate students must be accepted into a BYU graduate program and be enrolled in at
least 2.0 credit hours per semester.
Students enrolled in at least 1.0 but less than 6.0 credit hours per semester may work in the
following areas only:
o
o
o
Custodial Services
Grounds
Dining Services
International Students


Undergraduate students must be enrolled in at least 12.0 credit hours per semester.
Graduate students must be accepted into a BYU graduate program and be enrolled in at
least 9.0 credit hours per semester.
International students may not work with a reduced credit load unless they are given prior
approval from the International Services Office.
Exceptions: Students may be granted an exception to this policy if they are in their last
semester of study prior to graduation or if they have been given approval from Student
Employment.
**Independent Study, Salt Lake Center, Evening Classes, Post Baccalaureate and audited
courses only do not meet the enrollment requirements to qualify for student employment on
campus. Day-Continuing students may include credits from Salt Lake Center and Evening
Classes towards student employment eligibility
FICA – Social Security Tax: The FICA tax is currently 7.65% percent of gross earnings and
is paid by both the student employee and the department when enrollment drops below the credit
3/7/2016
hours required for exemption. During fall and winter semester, the FICA status is determined by
the following criteria:
FICA Exempt Students: Undergraduate students enrolled in at least 6.0 credit hours and
graduate students enrolled in at least 2.0 credit hours during fall and winter semesters are
exempt from paying FICA (neither the student nor the department pays the FICA Tax).
FICA Non-Exempt Students: Undergraduates enrolled for less than 6.0 credit hours and
graduate students enrolled for less than 2.0 credit hour during fall and winter semesters are
required to pay FICA (both the student and the department pays the FICA tax).
International Students are exempt from paying FICA tax.
Work Hours: During fall and winter semesters, undergraduate students should not work more
than 20 hours per week, unless special exceptions have been granted. Graduate students may
work up to 30 hours per week provided the job duties are within the student’s field of study.
International students may not work more than 20 hours per week according to federal
regulations (see International Student Regulations above) unless they are on approved
vacation.
International Students are allowed to work over 20 hours per week during their annual vacation
period (to be determined by the International Services Office) and during school holidays and
breaks.
Spring/Summer Student Employment Guidelines
In order to work on campus during spring or summer terms, a student must meet one of the
following enrollment criteria:




Enrolled in day school the previous winter semester and will also be enrolled for the next
fall semester. Meeting this criterion permits working spring and/or summer terms without
taking any credits for those terms (see FICA section below).
High school seniors who have been accepted to day school for fall semester may be
hired as a student employee after they have graduated from high school (see FICA
section below). Students must be at least 16 years of age to work on campus.
Visiting Spring/Summer Only students who are enrolled in day school for at least 3.0
credits for one of the terms (see FICA section below).
Students graduating in August should be enrolled in at least 3.0 credits during either
spring term or summer term or have been accepted into a BYU graduate program
beginning fall semester.
**Independent Study, Salt Lake Center, Evening Classes, Post Baccalaureate and audited
courses only do not meet the enrollment requirements to qualify for student employment on
campus. Day-Continuing students may include credits from Salt Lake Center and Evening
Classes towards student employment eligibility.
General Information: Individuals who are enrolled in evening school (generally 8.5 credit
hours) AND have been accepted into a day school program may also be eligible to work as a
student employee during spring and summer terms.
3/7/2016
Graduating Students: Graduating students may work up to two weeks beyond graduation in
their student jobs. During this two-week period, those students will be required to pay FICA.
According to federal regulations, International students may not work past their graduation date.
FICA – Social Security Tax: For FICA tax purposes, enrollment will be determined
independently for each term. During spring and summer FICA status is determined by the
following criteria:
FICA Exempt Students: Undergraduates enrolled in at least 3.0 credit hours and graduate
students enrolled in at least 1.0 credit hour during spring and summer terms are exempt from
paying FICA (neither the student nor the department pays the FICA Tax).
FICA Non-Exempt Students: Undergraduates enrolled for less than 3.0 credit hours and
graduate students enrolled for less than 1.0 credit hour during spring and summer terms are
required to pay FICA (both the student and the department pays the FICA tax).
International students are exempt from paying FICA.
Work Hours: Student employees may work 40 hours per week during spring and summer
terms; however, if a student employee works more than 40 hours in a workweek, the department
for which the student is working when overtime begins to be accrued is responsible for the
payment of all overtime during the workweek. Departments should carefully monitor their student
employees’ work hours.
Hourly/Contract Student Employees
Federal wage and work hour regulations require that an accurate record be kept of all hours
worked by non-exempt employees, including student employees. For this reason, it is important
to classify in proper categories, non-exempt (hourly) versus exempt (graduate contract)
employees. Therefore, students may not be employed on both an hourly (Y-Time or
timecard) and contract basis at the same time. If a student accepts two or more regular
employment opportunities, one of which is hourly, all work assignments must be hourly
employment.
Employment Procedures for Hourly Students
Departments should post all vacant hourly student jobs through the Student Employment System
at: www.byu.edu/hr/. Assistance with the System is available at 2-3562. Appropriate application
instructions and preferred qualifications should be included in the postings. Employee selections
should be made on the basis of qualifications without regard to race, color, creed, gender,
national origin, or disability.
After the department interviews and selects a student, a Hiring Manager authorized to access the
Human Resource/Payroll System will submit a hire ePAF (Electronic Personnel Action Form).
If the student's I-9 is not OK, the student should be sent to Student Employment with:


Original Social Security Card or Social Security Card Receipt
Employment Eligibility Documentation (I-9)
3/7/2016
The student will complete the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Form I-9 required by
federal law to prove eligibility to work in the United States. This form must be completed before
beginning any work or training.
Employment Procedures for Contract Students
Departments may hire graduate students as Teaching Assistants or Research Assistants if their
duties meet the following criteria:

Teaching Assistant - a graduate student (an individual who has received a bachelor's
degree and is accepted and currently enrolled in a degree-seeking graduate program at
BYU) who:
o is materially involved in classroom instruction.
o requires specialized knowledge of teaching material and exhibits independent
discretion and judgment.
o is involved in predominantly intellectual activities in advancing classroom
instruction.
This assignment could range from full charge and responsibility for a class or required
laboratory section to material involvement with a professor in the instructional enterprise.

Research Assistant - a graduate student (an individual who has received a bachelor's
degree and is accepted and currently enrolled in a degree-seeking graduate program at
BYU) who:
o is materially involved in original research
o makes independent judgments and selections regarding research design,
procedures, and data collection
o exhibits independent intellectual judgment in analysis and reporting of research
Graduate intern appointments should be designed to qualify as either teaching assistants
or research assistants. All other job-related activities must be treated as hourly
employment.
Departments should refer to the standard contract pay schedule approved by the University in
preparing contracts for teaching and research assistants. If circumstances warrant a different
contract amount than the stipend scale suggests, downward deviations of 15 percent and upward
adjustments not to exceed 10 percent are allowed. Other deviations from the standard contract
pay schedule must be appealed through Student Employment.
Departments hiring students on contract should have the student and department representative
sign the contract prior to submitting the ePAF (Electronic Personnel Action Form).
International students must be sent to the International Services Office with a copy of their signed
contract to get an approval signature. International Services will then fax the signed copy to the
department where the student will be working.
All original contracts are kept with the Hiring Department.
3/7/2016