UMass Boston

Eligibility & Conditions of Employment

The regulations below are those specifically related to your employment as a student at UMass Boston. Violation of the Conditions of Student Employment or any other procedures set out in this Handbook may result in termination of the student employee.

  • As a student employee, your employment is through part-time, temporary, non-contractual, non-benefited positions. Student employment does not make you a regular employee of the University or the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Your employment is limited to the amount of funding committed to paying your wages. Once this commitment is reached, your employment is terminated.
  • In order to participate in the student employment programs, you must be an active student. If, at any time or for any reason, you cease to be an active student, your employment will be terminated. Students wishing to work through the programs must provide their Social Security number for payroll purposes. This allows the Student Payroll and Registrar's Offices to verify your status as an active student.

Policies Concerning Withdrawals

Ineligible to enroll for the next semester

Students will be terminated from payroll after the last day of finals if they are not eligible to enroll in classes for the next semester. Students may lose eligibility due to a negative service indicator, withdrawal or suspension from the University. Students with a negative service indicator can be rehired after the administrative hold is resolved and are able to register for classes.

Withdrawals

Students who are withdrawn or suspended are not eligible to work on the student payroll system.

Students who are on the payroll can not have a withdrawal date prior to the last date worked. Be sure to talk with your academic advisor and financial aid counselor about the ramifications of withdrawing from classes. Notify your work supervisor and Student Employment Services prior to your withdrawal. 

Please Note:

  • As part-time, temporary, non-contractual, non-benefited employees, students may not, under any circumstance, work more than 40 hours per week. This hour limitation applies to all positions held through any University student employment program, including Graduate Assistantships. Thus, students holding multiple jobs at the University must limit their total hours to 40. (Full-time permanent staff members may not hold student employment positions in addition to their full-time appointments.) Individual departments often establish hourly limits beyond those described here. It is important that you speak with your supervisor before making any changes to your work schedule.
  • As a student employee, you may not work during any of your scheduled classes or exams. While classes are in session, students are encouraged not to work more than 25 hours per week. This allows enough time for you to become an active participant in both your education and your job.
  • Work-Study Deadline for Fall Admitted students is October 15th and Work-Study Deadline for Spring Admitted students is March 1st.  Students must secure work-study employment and sign up for payroll by the respective deadline in the semester to prevent the work-study award being canceled automatically for the academic year. 
  • Work-study students and their Supervisors should plan and monitor earnings accordingly to the amount of work-study fund awarded. Employment will end once the amount is fully earned within the academic year (July 1 to June 30).  The start dates and end dates for the academic year may vary depending on the students.
  • Students with a graduation date of December are eligible to work until the last day of finals in the Fall semester.  Students with a graduation date of June are eligible to work until the last day of finals in the Spring Semester. Students with an August graduation date should contact SES to determine the last eligible date to work, because each employment program has different requirements.
  • Student employees may not begin work until all paperwork has been cleared through SES.

 

IMPORTANT:

SES requires all new employees to complete Form I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification no later than the first day of employment.   Any hours worked before an I-9 Form is completed will be considered volunteer time and will not be paid. Employment eligibility may be revoked for violation of this policy.

  • Student employees may only receive wages for the hours that are actually worked. If your weekly schedule is affected by vacations, holidays, or sickness, you may wish to discuss with your supervisor the possibility of making up the missed time.
  • You must be paid for all authorized hours worked. The Fair Labor Standards Act prohibits employers from accepting voluntary service from any paid employee.
  • Student employment is limited to the funding commitment made by the department. The funding commitment is established before the student's first day of work and should be used as a guide in establishing the number of hours worked per week. One way to prepare for this is to divide the funding commitment by the pay rate. This provides the number of hours you may work before the commitment is exhausted. It is important for both you and your supervisor to monitor the total number of hours worked, so that there are no surprises when the funding commitment is exhausted and work must be terminated.
  • International students face additional restrictions in their employment. International students studying at UMass Boston on a J1 or F1 visa are eligible for campus employment only. International Student Services (2nd Floor Campus Center, Room 2100) can provide information on obtaining a Social Security Number and on the restrictions surrounding off-campus employment. It is important to note that international students may not work more than 20 hours per week while classes are in session or 40 hours per week when classes are not in session.