University Human Resources

Student Employees

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Student Employees

Student Employment is an integral part of our campus community that benefits both students and departments. Student jobs exist in both academic and administrative departments and consist of a wide range of opportunities - some requiring basic skills, while others call for more extensive knowledge or experience in a particular area.

Student Employment holds virtual open office hours on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1 p.m. - 2 p.m. Student Employment representatives will be available to answer questions and provide assistance with student processes in Workday.

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Student employment at Brown is centrally managed in University Human Resources (UHR). UHR is responsible for maintaining compliance with government and federal regulations, including I-9s and the Fair Labor Standards Act. University Human Resources, the Payroll Office, and employing departments are responsible for ensuring all employees, including student workers, are paid in accordance with federal and Rhode Island state laws. The Payroll Office produces paychecks, W-2s, and manages applicable tax regulations.

Federal Work-Study and Campus Employment

Many students have an academic year work component as part of their financial aid package, referred to as Federal Work-Study or Campus Employment. Confusion sometimes exists concerning what the amount awarded represents and how the funds are to be used.

Federal Work-Study (FWS) is awarded to students as part of their award as a work opportunity; it is not a requirement. It is assumed that students will work during the academic year to earn funds to cover some of the indirect expenses in their budget (personal, books, or travel). In order to hire any student, a department must already have funds in its operational budget to pay the student.

University Work Scholarship - Sidney Frank Scholars

Posting a Student Job

As outlined in Pathways to Diversity and Inclusion: An Action Plan for Brown University, University Human Resources is committed to recruiting a diverse pool of applicants for all open positions, including those for student workers. Equitable student hiring practices means that we select student candidates based on their qualifications and that we make all student positions accessible to all students.

To ensure that all student positions are readily accessible to all students, all student jobs must be posted in Workday. Student positions must be posted for a minimum of five business days, and departments should work to post positions in advance of the start of each semester. On rare occasions, and with senior-level approval, limited exceptions* to posting will be considered.

Departmental Student Job Promotions

A job of a higher grade level is only available to a student who has worked in a specific position of a lower grade level within the same department. Students who meet the prerequisite may be promoted from within the same department, and the position does not need to be posted. The promotion must still comply with established Grade Level and Hourly Rate Requirements, as determined by Student Employment/University Human Resources. Students must be provided with a job description of the new job.

*This exception does not apply to prerequisites based solely on a requirement of having taken a specified class and/or having skills or prior experience outside the department; these jobs must be posted. For the exception to apply, a student must be currently or previously employed by the department, and the work performed by the student must be the prerequisite for the higher-level job.

Student Work Eligibility

  • All undergraduate students currently enrolled in a degree-granting program at Brown are eligible to apply for on-campus employment (a work-study and/or financial aid award is not required). 
  • First-year students are eligible for on-campus student employment as of July 1st of the year in which they are to begin their studies at Brown.
  • December graduates are not eligible to continue work as student employees following the completion of their studies in December.
  • In most cases, May graduates may continue working as student employees until the last pay period in August. International students must work with the Office of International Student and Scholar Services (OISSS) to confirm work authorization after graduation.
  • International students must consult the OISSS to ensure their immigration documentation is in place to be eligible for employment. 
  • Students who are on a leave of absence from the University (inactive student status in Banner) are not eligible for student employment. 

Student Onboarding

In order to be eligible for a student job, students are required to complete student onboarding in Workday.  Students are not eligible for employment until onboarding and the presenting of I-9 verification documents are completed.

Student Form I-9 and Onboarding Instructions

  • The Federal Form I-9 is used to verify the identity and employment authorization of individuals hired for employment in the United States. 
  • All U.S. employers must ensure proper completion of the Form I-9 for each individual they hire for employment in the United States. 
  • An important step in completing the Federal Form I-9 is presenting the proper documentation within 3 days of job start date per Federal I-9 Regulations. These documents must be presented to the representatives at the HR Service Center. Students should refer to the List of Acceptable Documents for guidance on the types of documents required. 
  • Per Federal Government Regulations, all documents presented must be in original form and unexpired.
  • A U.S. Social Security Number is required for all individuals who are receiving earned income/wages in the United States. 
  • Students who do not have a Social Security Number must apply for one through the Social Security Administration Office.
  • There is a 10 day waiting period that begins when the individual arrives in the United States. Once the individual has been in the United States for 10 days, they are eligible to begin the application process. 
  • The Office of International Student and Scholar Services (OISSS) can assist international students with obtaining and completing the required documentation to apply for an SSN.
  • Students have 90 days from the date they start working to present their Social Security Card to the HR Service Center.
  • A U.S. Social Security Card is required to elect Direct Deposit in Workday. 

All International students must enter their information into Sprintax Calculus by first emailing foreignnationaltax@brown.edu and requesting a username and password from the Foreign National Tax Office.