Human Resources

At the time of hiring, supervisors must provide student employees with student employment paperwork:

• Student Employment Authorization
• Student Employee Information
• Student Employment Agreement
• Direct Deposit (optional)
• W-4
• I-9 (ID Verification Required)

Departments are required to adhere to all employment practices, rules, and policies. Any fines charged to the university due to non-compliant policy violations will be charged to the responsible department.

• The administration observes the same non-discrimination practices for student employees as required for other employees. Departments shall ensure that all affirmative action and other institutional policies are followed when hiring student employees.
• Students are not allowed to work in a department where a conflict of interest or perceived conflict could be construed (i.e. student could not be supervised by partner).

Background checks for students will be administered by the Office of Human Resources. Costs for background checks for students will be the responsibility of the requesting department.

• Students may work up to 40 hours per week during academic breaks which include the winter holiday break and spring break.
• It is the institution’s policy that graduating students will be allowed to work through the term of graduation, including the subsequent break with their final day of work being on or prior to the day before the next term’s classes begin. The Academic Calendar can be found here.

• A student can work for one term per calendar year without meeting enrollment requirements.
• When a student requests to use free term, the supervisor must alert Human Resources to be sure the student meets requirements, and so HR may note the Student Employment Verification page within the Portal when the free term was taken for the academic year.
• Students are allowed to work up to 40 hours during free term.
• If they select summer term, and are not enrolled for the fall term (for any reason other than graduation), their final day of work must be on or prior to the day before fall classes begin.
• If they select spring term, they cannot work again the following summer unless they meet enrollment requirements.
• Only students who met enrollment requirements in the term immediately prior are eligible to use a free term.

Students are allowed to work up to 40 hours per week during spring break. If they do not meet enrollment requirements for spring term, their final day of work must be on or prior to the day before spring classes begin.

Students working a shift of four successive hours are entitled to a paid, 15 minute rest break.

• Students working more than six successive hours are required to take at least an unpaid, one half hour lunch break.
• Linked is a table outlining break requirements, and more information on work breaks is available on the BOLI website.

Student employees may be covered by SAIF for any injuries sustained while working.

• Any injury should be reported to the supervisor immediately.
• A Form 801 must be filled out if the employee sees a doctor and MUST be turned in within 24 hours of the incident.
• An Occupational Injury Report form should be filled out with a supervisor within 24 hours if an injury occurs but no outside medical care is obtained.
• All forms must be submitted to the Human Resources Office.

Federal Work Study can be used to pay a student so long as the student received a work study allocation and the department has work study funds available.

If a student works for two different departments, the student must communicate between the two department supervisors regarding how to share work study funds.

Work Study may not be used between commencement and June 30th.

The Educational Activity Stipend (EAS) is geared toward providing students in paraprofessional positions some financial support. These positions often have an educational aspect and consist of campus leadership positions. Normal office functions and other common service positions do not qualify. While these positions are calculated based on time, they often require varying hours each week.

Students receiving stipends are not employees of Western Oregon University for any purpose, including the Fair Labor Standards Act, minimum wage or any other law and policy. The relationship between the University and students receiving a stipend is that of school and student and not of employer and employee.

Their stipends are paid through the HRIS/Payroll system requiring necessary payroll documents per the checklists.

• There may come a time in which students may be terminated due to deficient work, insufficient budgets, or the student chooses to leave for a variety of reasons.
  • Students are “at-will” employees thereby are subject to termination with or without cause, at any time, at the option of WOU or the employee.
  • Documentation must be maintained in the student personnel file specifying the business reason for termination.
• Students separating from WOU as a student due to medical withdrawal may continue working through the end of the term of withdrawal.
• If a student is terminated or resigns, a final roster must be submitted to Human Resources ASAP.
  • If a student is terminated by the department, final pay is due on the last day worked.
  • If a student resigns with greater than 48 hours notice, final pay is due on the last day worked.
  • If a student resigns with less than 48 hours notice, final pay is due within five (5) business days.

• Students are considered eligible for FMLA if they have worked 1,250 hours over the past 12 months (approx. 24 hours per week).
• Students who wish to obtain additional information on using FMLA can contact the Human Resources Office via phone (503-838-8490) or by visiting the office on the third floor of the Administration Building during work hours (M – F: 8am – 5pm).

• FICA includes Social Security and Medicare taxes levied on both the employee and the employer (unless employees are not subject to such taxes.
• Student employees who work less than 40 hours per week while attending classes are not subject to FICA withholdings.
• For breaks exceeding five weeks (summer break), IRS guidelines state that students are not eligible for FICA exemptions (excludes international students). During the summer months (July – September), students will automatically have Social Security (6.2% of gross pay) and Medicare (1.42% of gross pay) taxes withheld.

Any activity for which a student receives money paid for work or a service. Payment must be made through the Human Resources Office.

The Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) of 1993 guarantees an employee 12 weeks of unpaid, job protected leave for certain family and medical reasons.

Oregon’s Sick Leave Law requires that the university allow employees to accrue one hour of sick leave for every 30 hours worked. This law does not apply to work-study students.