Student Employment Guidelines

 

Follow these guidelines to navigate the Student Assistant appointment process. 

  1. Student Assistant appointment processing starts by identifying whether or not you have a final candidate to appoint to the position.
    • If the department does not have a final candidate to appoint, then they will need to find one. Do this by using CHRS Recruiting guides hereOpens in new window to create a job requisition and/or ensure a job requisition gets posted for applicants to apply. The department will review the student applicants and eventually identify a final candidate they want to hire.
  2. Once the department identifies a final candidate to appoint, you must verify the following information before proceeding: 
    1. Academic standing & number of enrolled units: Ensure the candidate meets academic requirements.
    2. Work history: The Dept IT Coordinator (DITC) can provide the student’s work history in Account Management. You can also check work history with Student Employment.
    3. Financial aid status: Check with Financial Aid to determine if the student qualifies for financial aid. If the student qualifies for aid, obtain Financial Aid’s approval.
    4. Job code/classification: Determine the appropriate job code/classification by using the Student Assistant Job Code/Classification tables on pages 4 and 5.
    5. Position number: Ensure the position number matches the job code. Consult your budget analyst for the correct position number, which should align with the dept and job code.

      The above factors determine the student’s eligibility for employment, the appropriate job code/classification, and which appointment path to use
  3. You are now ready to determine the appropriate appointment path. The student’s work history will determine whether you use CHRS Recruiting to create an offer or if you submit an MPP Approval for Student Assistant Appointment Form.

    Use the table below to determine the correct appointment path.

    Student Employee Guidelines


    Student Assistant’s Work History    		 Use CHRS Recruiting Use MPP Approval Form
    Hiring a student that has never been employed in a stateside student assistant position. ✔  
    Hiring a former student assistant who is returning to a student assistant position after more than 12 months of separation. ✔  
    Reappointing a currently employed student assistant without a break in service.   ✔
    Appointing a currently employed student assistant to a second student assistant position (concurrent appointment).   ✔
    Reappointing a former student assistant who last worked in a student assistant position in the past 12 months.   ✔
    Giving a pay increase to a currently employed student assistant.   ✔
  4. Complete and submit the MPP Approval for Student Assistant Appointment FormOpens in new window or CHRS Recruiting OfferOpens in new window to cfulfill the department’s role in the appointment process.


Keep the following details in mind regarding appointment dates and federal work study students:

Student Appointment Dates for Summer 2025:

  • CHRS Recruiting Offer Dates:
    • Start Date: on or after 6/2/25
      • CHRS Recruiting offer start dates must be set at least 2 weeks after the date of preparing the offer.
        • For example, if you were preparing an offer on 5/28/25, set the start date to 6/11/25. This allows time for the offer to be reviewed, approved, and subsequently accepted by the student. It also provides time for the student to complete onboarding documents and the Payroll sign-in process.
      • End Date: 8/30/25
  • MPP Approval for Student Assistant Appointment Form Dates:
    • Summer start and end dates are clearly specified on this form.
    • For pay raises, set the start date for the pay increase to the beginning of the next pay period. The beginning of the next pay period will always be the Direct Deposit (DD) day on the Staff Payroll CalendarPDF File .
      • NOTE: Pay increases that are not scheduled to start at the beginning of the next pay period will take longer for Payroll to process.  


Federal Work Study Reminders:

  • Students who qualify for Financial Aid/Federal Work Study (FWS) must stop working and submitting time by 8/30/25. 
  • When using CHRS Recruiting to appoint FWS students, include Financial Aid in the approval process for job requisitions and offers.
  • Before using the MPP Approval Form for FWS students, verify their award and get approval from Financial Aid.


Questions?

Student Assistant Job Code/Classification Codes

Use this table to determine which Job Code/Classification is appropriate for Student Assistants.

 

Job Code/
Class Code

Job Title

Eligibility Requirements
Students can work up to 20 hours per week when classes are in session and up to 40 hours per week when classes are not in session.

Additional Information

1870

Student Assistant
  • Must be enrolled in at least 6 units.
  • Use this job code if the student is enrolled in Summer with 6 or more units.

Earnings are exempt from retirement and Medicare tax.

1874

Bridge Student Assistant

Must meet one of the following criteria:

  • Enrolled in less than 6 units during the academic year.
  • Enrolled in less than 6 units during the Summer session.
  • For students who are working for a single, additional term immediately following graduation.

Earnings are not exempt from retirement and Medicare tax.

1868

Student – NCS
(NCS: non-citizen status)
  • Must be enrolled in classes.
  • Must have a Social Security Card.
  • Only for international students or students without citizenship.

Based on the student’s tax status, earnings may or may not be subject to retirement and Medicare tax. Students on an F-1 Visa are generally hired in this classification, unless their job duties include instruction, grading or tutoring – then they must be hired as an ISA (1150).

NOTE: All student assistants (except for job code 1868) may work an additional term as an 1874 immediately following graduation through the day before the start of the new semester.

Federal Work Study Student Assistant Job Code/Classification Codes

Use this table to determine which Job Code/Classification is appropriate for financial aid/Federal Work Study (FWS) Student Assistants.

 

Job Code/
Class Code

Job Title

Eligibility Requirements
Students can work up to 20 hours per week when classes are in session and up to 40 hours per week when classes are not in session.

Additional Information

1871

Student Trainee, 
On-Campus Work Study
  • Enrolled in at least 6 units.
  • Applied for and received Federal Work Study (FWS) as part of their financial aid award.
  • Approved by Financial Aid.

Earnings are exempt from retirement and Medicare tax.

1872

Student Trainee, 
Off-Campus Work Study
  • Enrolled in at least 6 units.
  • Applied for and received Federal Work Study (FWS) as part of their financial aid award.
  • Approved by Financial Aid.

Earnings are exempt from retirement and Medicare tax.

1875

Bridge Student Trainee, On-Campus Work Study
  • This job code is only used in Summer.
  • Applied for and received Federal Work Study (FWS) as part of their financial aid award.
  • Approved by Financial Aid.
  • Must be newly admitted for Fall or a continuing student enrolled in the Fall semester.
  • Summer enrollment is not required (enrollment can be from 0 – 5 units for the summer session). 

Earnings are exempt from retirement and Medicare tax.

1876

Bridge Student Trainee, Off-Campus Work Study
  • This job code is only used in Summer.
  • Applied for and received Federal Work Study (FWS) as part of their financial aid award.
  • Approved by Financial Aid.
  • Must be newly admitted for Fall or a continuing student enrolled in the Fall semester.
  • Summer enrollment is not required (enrollment can be from 0 – 5 units for the summer session).

Earnings are exempt from retirement and Medicare tax.

NOTE: All student assistants (except for job code 1868) may work an additional term as an 1874 immediately following graduation through the day before the start of the new semester.