Overview of Student Employment

This page provides a general understanding of student employment classification, time reporting, and benefit eligibility.

Student Employment Classification & Eligibility

All student employees are designated as temporary and nonexempt under state and federal wage and hour laws. Nonexempt employees are covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), entitling them to overtime pay for hours worked in excess of 40 hours in any given week. Student employees can work up to 15 hours/week during the academic year. Students are allowed to work up to 40 hours/week when classes are not in session for a full week, such as spring, summer, and winter breaks; we highly discourage working overtime.

Only active Whitman students are eligible for student employment positions, and additionally, students must be enrolled in 6 credits in order to work. A student holds student employment status and can only be paid through the end of the current pay period during which they are an active student. Upon graduating, withdrawing from school, or leave of absence status, a student is no longer considered active and is not eligible to work under student employment status. For example, students graduating in May can work as a student through the end of the May pay period, which ends June 8. International student visa rules stipulate that they are no longer eligible to work once their program has ended, which is the day of commencement. 

Employment with Whitman College is on an at-will basis. Employees may be terminated at any time, with or without cause or notice, and for any lawful reason or no reason at all. Student employees who voluntarily resign are requested to give at least two weeks notice in writing of their intent to terminate.

Reporting Time Worked

Each month, student employees are required to report time worked in quarter-hour increments (15 minutes = 0.25 hours) on an electronic timesheet and approved by their respective supervisor. Timesheets can be accessed at my.Whitman.edu. Student employees are expected to maintain an accurate daily record of hours worked. It should be noted that falsifying a timesheet is a form of theft and can be a terminable offense. Timesheets must be completed by the student employees and approved by the supervisor to be considered completed.

Hours are reported from the 9th of the month through the 8th of the following month, and payday is the 18th of every month or the business day closest to the 18th. 

Information on how to enter time can be found on the Student Payroll website. Please direct any questions to the Payroll Coordinator at studentpayroll@whitman.edu or visit Memorial Building, Room 110.

Benefit eligibility

Students are not eligible for medical, vision or dental benefits, life insurance or long-term disability plans, tuition remission, vacation leave or holiday pay. 

Student employees whose wages are eligible for FICA taxes during the summer months only are eligible to contribute to Whitman’s 403(b) plan. Student employees will receive an eligibility notice from TIAA. At that time, they may enroll following the directions included in the notice. Please reach out to the Office of Human Resources at hr@whitman.edu with any questions.

Students are eligible for paid sick leave. Student employees accrue paid sick leave at a rate of one hour of paid sick leave for every 40 hours worked. Student employees can view their sick leave account balance on my.Whitman.edu. The record is updated monthly at the completion of the payroll cycle.

Student employees are entitled to use accrued paid sick leave beginning on the 90th calendar day after the start of their employment. Paid sick leave will be paid to student employees at their normal hourly pay rate. Sick leave will be paid in quarter-hour increments. Sick leave will not be paid in excess of the balance.

Unused paid sick leave of 40 hours or less will be carried over to the following year, which begins each January. Student employees will not be paid out for unused sick leave upon termination of employment. 

Paid sick leave is intended to replace lost income, upon certain situations listed below. It is not an entitlement or earned benefit. Student employees may use paid sick leave:

• To care for themselves or their family members (as defined in Washington Paid Sick Leave Rules) during their normally scheduled shift.
• When the workplace has been closed for any health-related reason.
• For absences that qualify for leave under the state’s Domestic Violence Leave Act.

Student employees are responsible for notifying their supervisors as soon as possible if they are unable to be present for work and keep them informed of the expected return. Sick leave may not be used for unauthorized leave from work.

Supervisors of student employees should not require verification of the need for leave, or that the student employee search for or find a replacement to cover hours as a condition of taking sick leave. A supervisor may consult the Office of Human Resources should unique circumstances arise requiring further review. Retaliation by the college and/or individual supervisor for a student employee’s lawful use of paid sick leave and other rights is prohibited.