You’re Hired

Congratulations on your new job at Syracuse University!

              • Be on time for your work shift.
              • Meet with your immediate supervisor to discuss your job responsibilities, any training for the job, your schedule and a contact name and phone number you should call if you cannot work your scheduled shift. Ensure that someone will be supervising you at all times.
              • Ask for a tour of your work place and meet your co-workers.
              • Confirm with your supervisor that you are on the payroll system and ask how to enter your hours on MySlice and who will approve them. The payweek is from Thursday to Wednesday, and the deadline to enter your hours for the current payweek is typically on Wednesday.
              • Ask your supervisor where you should pick up your paycheck. You can also consider enrolling in direct deposit to have your pay deposited directly into your bank account.
                  1. If you are working on-campus, enroll by logging into your MySlice account and follow the link in the Employee Services section.
                  1. If you are working off-campus, ask your supervisor how to enroll in their direct deposit plan.
              • If you are using Federal Work-Study, keep track of how much you earn to ensure you do not go over your award amount.
              • Problems with pay, such as missing hours or potential errors, should be brought to the attention of your employer as soon as possible to resolve the issue, or contact the Student Employment Office for assistance.

            Syracuse University students who work on campus or in University-sanctioned off campus jobs are considered part-time casual wage employees. Conditional language is included on all on campus student job postings and offer letters:

            As a part-time student employee, you are an employee at-will, meaning you have the right to end your employment at any time for any reason, and the University may do the same. If employed using a Federal Work-Study award, once the balance is exhausted, the employer reserves the right to end your employment. Your employment is also specifically conditioned on your being and remaining a student in good standing, satisfactory performance of work, availability of work, and legal eligibility to work in the United States. Work may become unavailable due to health or safety concerns, or a change in instructional format.

            All Federal Work-Study and non-Federal Work-Study earnings are subject to federal and state income tax. Students must submit a W-4 form to the Payroll Office. Payroll will mail a W-2 statement to the student’s permanent address as it appears in the Student Records System by Jan. 31 for the previous calendar year. Students paid by an off-campus employer will receive their W-2 statement directly from their employer.

            Student employees are not eligible for benefits such as holiday pay, vacations or retirement plans, but they are eligible for worker’s compensation under provisions of New York State law. Worker’s compensation covers expenses for medical care and certain benefits for loss of pay resulting from injuries or disabilities incurred on the job. Supervisors should be contacted as soon as possible in the event of on-the-job injuries to complete the necessary reports.

            New York State Sick Pay

            Effective Friday, Jan. 1, 2021, student employees are now eligible for New York State sick pay benefits.  In short, for every 30 hours worked, they will accrue 1 hour of sick time, up to 56 hours in one calendar year.  Sick time accrues on all jobs and will carry over from year to year.  Student employees can enter their sick time directly into MySlice and you would approve the hours as part of your normal process.

            If you are an international student, there are specific rules for working on-campus.  The Center for International Services website contains helpful information about on-campus employment, the I-9 verification process, and obtaining a Social Security number. Visit the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement website for more information.

            Your workplace should be respectful and free from harassment. If you feel that you or someone you know is being harassed, please contact the Student Employment Office at 315.443.2268 or cuseworks@syr.edu for assistance.

            Additional Resources are available at the Office of Community Standards STOP Bias. If you or someone you know is experiencing sexual or relationship violence, please seek out these University resources.

            While departments must pay at least minimum wage, it is up to individual departments in establishing their hourly rate. This is why pay rates tend to vary. The minimum wage is:

              • Minimum Wage: $15.00 (effective 12/29/2023)
              • Food Services Minimum Wage: $15.30

            Through a ‘Cuse Works experience, we strive for students to gain one or more of the University Shared Competencies and professional skills. The Student Employment Goal Setting and Performance Evaluation worksheet enables your employer to provide you with clearly defined skills and competencies they expect you to develop as a member of their team and serves as a touchstone for discussions on work performance throughout your employment. This worksheet is filled out by your employer, but you can download and view the worksheet template below. 

            View/Download the Student Employment Goal Setting and Performance Evaluation Worksheet [.docx]