Brown University is committed to maintaining fair and consistent compensation and employment practices for all student employees across campus. To support this goal, the University has established a classification and compensation framework for student positions.

Student positions are assigned a grade level and hourly rate based on the skills and responsibilities required. All hourly rates must fall within the approved range for the assigned grade level.

Departments must use the Student Hourly Wage Ranges when determining compensation.

When setting pay rates, departments should consider:

• Skills required to perform the job
• Local market rates for similar work
• Brown’s minimum student hourly wage

To update an hourly rate, submit Request Compensation Change in Workday. Job aids are available in Workday Learning under Student Worker Management.

Merit increases and periodic increases based on length of service are encouraged. Any adjusted hourly rate must remain within the approved pay range for the position’s grade level and should be processed using Request Student Compensation Change in Workday.

Student Managers must approve time entries before the payroll cutoff each Monday for the prior workweek.

If the payroll deadline is missed, departments must submit an underpayment request in Workday.

To help prevent issues, managers should regularly review student time reports in the Student Recruitment app.

• Standard workweek: Sunday–Saturday
• Students are paid bi-weekly (every other Friday)
• Graduate student fellowships or stipends are paid monthly (last business day of the month)

Payroll Deadlines and Pay Dates

Students are strongly encouraged to limit their work to no more than 20 hours per week during the academic year.

International students on a visa must not exceed 20 hours per week while classes are in session. Working beyond this limit during the academic term is a violation of student visa requirements.

• Non-exempt student workers working 6 hours must receive a 20-minute unpaid break
• Non-exempt student workers working 8 hours must receive a 30-minute unpaid break
• Breaks may not be taken at the beginning or end of a shift or used to extend a meal break

There is no legal requirement for paid breaks; however, students may be allowed one 15-minute paid break during a continuous 4-hour shift if approved by their supervisor.

Student employees classified as non-exempt are eligible for overtime pay.

• Overtime applies to hours worked beyond 40 hours in a standard workweek (Sunday–Saturday)
• All Brown jobs are included when calculating total hours
• Overtime is paid at 1.5x the regular rate

If a student works at multiple pay rates, overtime is calculated using a blended (weighted average) rate.

Supervisors must be informed in advance if a student is working in multiple roles due to potential overtime implications.

Federal and state law requires employees to be paid for all hours worked within the correct pay period. Wages cannot be delayed or “banked.”

If a student is underpaid or unpaid:

• The student should notify their supervisor immediately
• Managers must submit an Underpayment request in Workday

Most student positions are hourly. Stipend or lump-sum compensation is only permitted for approved scholarship-based programs, such as:

• UTRAs
• Mellon Minority Fellowships
• Royce Fellowships

All stipend-based roles must be approved in advance by Student Employment. Additional details on compensation categories are available on the Categories of Student Employment page.

Student employees are eligible for paid Sick and Safe Leave under the Rhode Island Safe and Healthy Families and Workplaces Act.

• Students receive 6 hours of Sick and Safe Leave annually
• Leave is refreshed each January 1
• Accrual rates may change based on state law
• Sick and Safe Leave is recorded directly in Workday Time Tracking

Students must follow standard call-out procedures when using leave.

• Student employees are not eligible for paid vacation
• Student employees are not eligible for holiday pay when not working