University Human Resources

Student Payroll

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Student Payroll

All undergraduate student employees are considered non-exempt employees for the purposes of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Undergraduate student workers must be paid an hourly rate. Federal and State law requires that students working in non-exempt positions, be paid an hourly rate no less than the federal or state minimum hourly wage and they must be paid for every hour worked. 

Stipend or “lump-sum” compensation is permitted only for scholarship awards and other instances, which must be approved by Student Employment in advance. Examples of allowable lump sum awards include UTRAs, Mellon Minority Fellowships, and Royce Fellowships. Details of allowable student compensation and opportunity categories, along with examples and instructions can be found on the Categories of Student Employment page.

Payroll Office deadlines & pay dates

  • Student Managers must approve students' hours before the payroll cut off every Monday morning for the prior week worked.
  • Brown’s standard work week is Sunday - Saturday. 
  • Students are paid on a bi-weekly basis (every other Friday).
  • Graduate Students who receive fellowships or stipends from the University are paid on a Monthly basis (last business day of the month).
  • Students are strongly encouraged to limit their work to 20 hours per week while school is in session.
  • International students on a student visa can work no more than 20 hours per week when school is in session. Working more than 20 hours when school is in session is in violation of  student visa requirements.
  • During non-academic sessions (Winter or Summer Break), international students do not have a restriction on weekly hours worked.

Breaks

  • Non-exempt Student Workers who work 6 hours must be provided a 20-minute unpaid break. Non-exempt Student Workers who work 8 hours must be provided a 30-minute unpaid break.
  • There is no legal requirement for paid breaks. However, student employees who work four consecutive hours may take one 15 minute (paid) break during that time as approved by their supervisor. Breaks may not be taken at the beginning or end of the shift, or to prolong a lunch break.

​​​​​​Overtime

  • Non-exempt Student Workers must notify their supervisors of additional work arrangements at Brown University because of the potential impact on overtime pay. 
  • Non-Exempt Student Workers receive overtime pay for all hours worked in excess of 40 hours in a standard Workweek. 
  • If a student works an excess of 40 hours within a standard workweek, overtime compensation is required per the FLSA.  Federal law requires that employees who work in non-exempt positions, including students, must be paid time and one-half for the time worked in excess of 40 hours in one workweek (This is total hours for all on-campus positions).
  • When a student worker works at two different hourly rates of pay and is eligible for overtime, the rate of pay (for purposes of calculation of overtime) is the blended rate of the two hourly rates during the work period for which the calculation is made. Overtime pay is calculated at the rate of one and one-half times the weighted average of the two rates.

Missing or Incorrect Payment

Federal and State Laws require all employees to be paid for all hours worked within the corresponding pay period. Hours may not be banked or payment for wages delayed. If a student has been paid improperly for the hours worked in a pay period, it is their obligation to notify their supervisors directly. For any students who have worked and have not received payment, Student Managers must submit an Underpayment in Workday.

Brown University seeks to ensure consistent compensation and employment practices for all students working on campus. As a result, Brown University has instituted a classification and compensation system for student positions. As jobs are developed, departments are required to utilize the Student Hourly Wage Ranges to determine the grade level and hourly rate for the position.

The grade level and associated hourly rate are based on the level of responsibility and skills required to perform the job. The hourly rate must be within the range for the grade level.

Determining Hourly Rates

In addition to utilizing the Student Hourly Wage Ranges, departments should also keep the following in mind when establishing the appropriate hourly rate for a student position: the skills needed to perform the job; the hourly rate paid for those skills in the local area for jobs requiring the same or comparable skills; and Brown University’s minimum hourly rate for student workers.

Hourly Rate Increases

Merit increases and periodic increases for length of service are encouraged. The increased hourly rate should fall within the hourly rate range for the grade level of the position and changed using Request Student Compensation Change in Workday.  If the hourly rate exceeds the range for the grade submit Edit Student Job in Workday to adjust the Grade Level and hourly rate accordingly.

  • Student employees are eligible to take paid time out of work under the Rhode Island Safe and Healthy Families and Workplaces Act, also known as Sick and Safe Leave. Sick and Safe Leave may be recorded directly through Time Tracking when entering hours in Workday. 
  • Student employees are required to follow normal call-out procedures. Student workers will receive six hours of Sick and Safe Leave for use during each calendar year. 
  • Beginning January 1st of each year, students will receive a new accrual of Sick and Safe leave hours. This accrual rate may change periodically in accordance with the law. 
  • Student employees are not eligible for paid vacation or holiday pay (when not working on the holiday).

University representatives are prohibited from providing students advice on tax issues.