Purpose

To provide opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students to obtain employment and work experience at Memorial University.

Scope

All undergraduate and graduate students and those provisionally accepted into Memorial University for the next immediate academic semester. Students from other universities and colleges may be included.

Definitions

Classified Rate — The established rate of pay for a position as determined using the job evaluation system.

Graduate Assistantships — A contractual agreement between the University and a student for a specified number of hours of teaching and/or research support delivered within a particular period of time, such as an academic semester or part of a semester. Hours of work cannot exceed the maximum number of hours permitted to maintain full-time status as a graduate student unless otherwise approved by the Dean of Graduate Studies. See Collective Agreement for the Teaching Assistants' Union.

Off-Semester Employment — Part-time or full-time employment where the individual was registered full-time in the previous academic semester and is currently not registered full-time or has been formally or provisionally accepted into Memorial for the immediate next semester.

On-Semester Employment — Employment on a part-time basis (i.e. maximum of nineteen hours per week or less) where the student is classified by the Office of the Registrar as having full-time status.

Student Assistant — A student employed by an academic or administrative unit. A Student Assistant performs activities to assist a unit in carrying out its mandate but are not to engage in activity normally completed by a full-time employee or that would qualify as bargaining unit work.

Work Term Student — A student employed during their work term semester through Memorial's Co-operative Education or another recognized post-secondary institution co-operative program.

Policy

Memorial University encourages and supports the employment of undergraduate and graduate students. The administration of student employment is a shared responsibility between the Department of Human Resources, the School of Graduate Studies, and Student Life. Each area is responsible for the following:

Department of Human Resources - Administration of undergraduate student employment, including On-Semester, Off-Semester and work terms/internships.

School of Graduate Studies - Providing guidance for Graduate Assistantship employment (including research assistantship and teaching assistantship).

Student Life - Administration of student employment programs, for example, Memorial's Undergraduate Career Experience Program (MUCEP), International Student Work Experience Program (ISWEP), and the Graduate Student Work Experience Program (GradSWEP).

UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT EMPLOYMENT
The University supports the employment of full-time Memorial University students from operating or grant funding where the following guidelines have been established:

• Employment of individuals who:
  • are students currently enrolled full-time in an academic semester at Memorial University, or
  • were students enrolled full-time in the previous academic semester at Memorial University or another recognized post-secondary institution, or
  • are formally or provisionally accepted as a student by Memorial University for the immediate next semester
• Employing units are required to verify the status of the recommended Student Assistant prior to submitting the information to the Department of Human Resources.
• Grant funded student employment opportunities may be subject to additional eligibility criteria as outlined within the terms of the grant.

Hours of Work

• The maximum number of hours an undergraduate student may work in On-Semester Employment shall be a maximum of nineteen hours per week. Students are responsible for informing the hiring unit if they have another position within the University.
• During Off-Semester Employment, a student may work a maximum of forty hours per week at the applicable student rate. Hours above forty hours per week will be subject to overtime rates at one and one half regular student rates.
• During periods of summer hours, students should work the same number of hours as others in the unit they are employed in.

Rates of Pay

• Rates of pay for undergraduate students, both during an academic semester as well an in an Off-Semester, are regardless of academic year of study;
• Work Term Student Rates for students are standardized, based on academic program and year of study;
• Rate of pay is assigned based on the duties and qualifications required for a position; if a graduate student is hired in an undergraduate student position, the rate of pay will be based on undergraduate rates.
• Payment of students will be on a bi-weekly basis for regularly scheduled hours. For students working irregular hours, the employing unit will submit hours of work via Departmental Time Entry for payment.
• All rates, with the exception of graduate student rates, are subject to payment of 4% vacation pay.

Employment of International Students

• International students must be registered on a full-time basis, be in possession of a valid student authorization (visa) in accordance with Section 10(a) of the Immigration Act, and have a current Social Insurance Number (SIN).

GRADUATE STUDENT EMPLOYMENT

To be employed as a graduate assistant, students must be registered full-time in a graduate program at Memorial. Employment of full-time graduate students is to be administered as per the appointment process set forward in Article 12 of the Collective Agreement for the Teaching Assistants' Union. Graduate Assistantship positions that are available after the assignment process has been completed OR positions available in non-academic department will be posted for a minimum of five (5) days on the School of Graduate Studies website.

Part-time graduate students can be hired in classified positions and are paid a Classified Rate in accordance with the existing job evaluation system. Units employing graduate students at a Classified Rate are required to submit a completed Request to Fill a Position Form, an Application for Non-Academic Employment and an Application for Direct Deposit to the Department of Human Resources.

Full-time graduate students can change their status to part-time in order to be eligible for full-time employment. Application to change status should be submitted to School of Graduate Studies.

Related Documents

Application for Direct Deposit
Application for Non-Academic Employment
Request to Fill a Position
Student Employment Rates
Undergraduate Student Employment Agreement
Undergraduate Student Employment Action Form 

Procedures: