How to hire and support student employees
Student employment requirements
- Student employment is ancillary to a student’s primary role as an enrolled student. Federal regulations require systematic tracking of hours worked by student employees (Fair Labor Standards Act, IRS taxation and the Affordable Care Act).
- Departments are responsible to monitor their own student employee hours using a Student Employment Eligibility Form for each student employee.
- The University employs WMU degree seeking students who are a minimum age of 18 or older. The exception are degree seeking students who are 17 years old and will turn 18 during their first semester of enrollment.
- Under University policy, non-exempt (hourly paid) employees are entitled to take breaks as outlined below. Breaks are not cumulative.
- One 15-minute break for each four hours worked.
- Two 15-minute breaks in a day when working six or more hours, with one break during the 1st half of the workday and one during the 2nd half of the workday.
- One lunch period during regular University hours. Lunch schedules may vary by department and can be adjusted to meet departmental needs. A lunch period of 30 minutes or more is non-paid time.
WMU Student Employee Work Hour Policy
| Enrolled Student Type | Minimum Credits to be Enrolled by Time of Year | Hours Allowed to Work Per Week (All Jobs Combined) | FICA Exempt* |
Undergraduate Student |
Fall/Spring: Enrolled in at least 6 credit hours and hold no faculty or staff positions. Summer I/II: Enrolled in at least 3 credit hours and hold no faculty or staff positions. |
25
|
Y
|
International Undergraduate Student** |
Fall/Spring: Enrolled in at least 6 credit hours and hold no faculty or staff positions. Summer I/II: Enrolled in at least 3 credit hours and hold no faculty or staff positions. |
20 hours per federal law
|
Y
|
Graduate Student |
Fall/Spring: Enrolled in at least 3 credit hours and hold no faculty or staff positions. Summer I/II: Enrolled in at least 2 credit hours and hold no faculty or staff positions. |
25
|
Y
|
International Graduate Student** |
Fall/Spring: Enrolled in at least 6 credit hours and hold no faculty or staff positions. Summer I/II: Enrolled in at least 2 credit hours and hold no faculty or staff positions. |
20 hours per federal law
|
Y
|
Graduate Assistant*** |
Fall/Spring: Enrolled in at least 6 credit hours and hold no faculty or staff positions. Summer I/II: Enrolled in at least 3 credit hours and hold no faculty or staff positions. Must be enrolled in 3 credit hours to perform assistantship. |
20 hours per week. May work 5 additional hours in a student job.
|
Y
|
International** Graduate Assistant*** |
Fall/Spring: Enrolled in at least 6 credit hours and hold no faculty or staff positions. Summer I/II: Enrolled in at least 3 credit hours and hold no faculty or staff positions. Must be enrolled 3 credit hours to perform assistantship. |
20 hours per federal law
|
Y
|
*Enrolled student employees are FICA exempt, unless they hold a staff position. Then all earnings are taxed. FICA is the combined Social Security tax and the Medicare tax of 15.3%. Employees pay half, and employers pay the other half. Requirements for FICA tax exemptions.
**International student requirements
***Graduate College requirements
Non-Enrolled Students (including international students)
|
Non-enrolled students (including international students) may work 39 hours per week in summer I and II sessions if enrolled in the immediate past spring semester or eligible to enroll in the upcoming fall semester. If graduated, must be accepted in a WMU degree program in the upcoming fall semester. FICA tax applies to all earnings; employing department and student will be responsible for these costs. |
For more information call Brenda Case-Parris at (269) 387-2745.