Students are hired via Quest which can be accessed through 
Campus Activities and Student Engagement. Student employees are hired for either the academic year, per semester, or summer. Therefore, they need to be hired (or rehired) in Quest each "term". If a student works year-round, hire them for summer and do a separate Quest submission for the academic year.
Hiring Compliance
When interviewing student employees, provide page 3 of 
I-9. Let the student know they will be required to bring their original document(s) from column A or B and C, if offered and hired for the position.
- If the student will not have the original document(s) available and is offered the position, the start date must be delayed until the student has the original documents and is able to provide them with the new hire paperwork. This is in compliance with the USCIS (the federal agency which oversees employment eligibility compliance).
- If you interview in spring but the student will not start until fall, ensure you contact students 2-3 weeks prior to the start of the semester to reconfirm they are still interested in working and reconfirm the need for the I-9 documentation.
Completing a Criminal, Financial, and/or Sexual Harassment Reference Check for Your Student Employees
Refer to below when hiring students and requesting criminal background checks and misconduct reference checks:
POT-Y: CBC only
POT-VP: CBC and MRC
If the position is cash-handling: add the Financial Check
Complete a
Background Check Request about 2-3 weeks prior to the student employee's start date. Do not have the student employee start work if the checks are not fully completed and they have passed.
Non-UWSP Students or Minors
If you are hiring a student employee who is not a UWSP student, use the Non-UWSP Student Quest Form to hire the student employee.
Considerations for Hiring Non-UWSP Students who are minors:
- Additional rules and regulations need to be followed when hiring a minor, includingbut not limited to work permit requirements, limitations on the type of work and hours, break requirements, additional safety requirements.
- If you are interested in hiring minors or posting a job for non-UWSP employees to consider who would/could be minors, please consult with Human Resources prior to posting or filling your position.
- Background
checks for those entrusted with the minor’s care (contact us for
guidance), work limitations (no hazardous work allowed), etc. See the
UWS Minors on Campus and UWSP Minor Protection and Adult Leadership webpage.
Work-Study
Work-study periods follow the academic year and summer months and align with the biweekly pay periods.
Summer 2024: May 19, 2024 to August 24, 2024.
2024 - 2025 academic year: The academic work-study award period starts on August 25, 2024 and ends on May 17, 2025.
Maximum Work Hours Ability
Student employees can only work a maximum of 25 hours per week during fall and spring semesters. They can work up to 40 hours during winterim break and summer break.
If the student employee has more than one position at UWSP, all hours worked count towards the threshholds above. Thus, it's critical to speak with your student employees to confirm if they have other employment at UWSP. If so, they cannot go above the hours listed above per week between all jobs held. Also, ensure your student employees know that they are responsible for notifying you if they get another job at UWSP after starting in your department. As needed, coordinate with their other supervisors to verify the student is not going beyond the hours work threshholds. May move to hours expectation for ease of info on this page.
Student Employee Active/Inactive Status
When a student employee is not going to consistently work (i.e., not working for more than 2 pay periods), notify Human Resources at hr@uwsp.edu to notify us and end the student's employment. This helps ensure that only actively working student employees remain active in HRS. This supports compliance in a number of areas. Remember to rehire the student in Quest prior to the student starting work again.
Student employees who are hired for an ongoing role for the academic year in fall semester do not need to be rehired in Quest for spring semester.
Graduating Student Employees and Working Ability
If a student graduates in fall semester they cannot work past the start of the following spring semester.
Example: Student graduates in December 2024. They cannot work past January 25, 2025.
If a student graduates in the spring semester they cannot work past commencement.
Example: Student graduates in May 2025. They cannot work past May 17, 2025.
You may ask for approval for an exception to the above timeframes. To request an exception please contact, Nora Boomer, HR Manager at nboomer@uwsp.edu.
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