STUDENT EMPLOYMENT HANDBOOK

RockValleyCollege.edu/StudentJobs

STUDENT EMPLOYMENT HANDBOOK This booklet is designed to explain the many opportunities available and policies relating to, the Student Employment program at Rock Valley College. If you have any questions about student employment at RVC, call the Student Employment Office at (815) 921-4163.

STUDENT EMPLOYMENT – QUICK LOOKUP GUIDE Located on the Main Campus: Student Employment Office................................................... (815) 921-4163 Student Center (SC), second floor, room 2334 Title IX Coordinator & Interim Dean of Students.........(815) 921-4281 Rick Daniels Student Center (SC), second floor, room 2111 Disability Support Services Director.................................. (815) 921-2371 Lynn Shattuck Student Center (SC), ground floor, room 0120 Payroll Department...................................................................(815) 921-4425 Support Services Building (SSB), second floor, room 2200

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TABLE OF CONTENTS Student Employment – Quick Lookup Guide.............................................................. 2 The Student Employment Philosophy............................................................................ 4 Types of Student Employment.......................................................................................... 4 Eligibility for Student Employment on Campus......................................................... 4 Application Process for Finding a Job on Campus.................................................. 5 Payroll ......................................................................................................................................... 6 Wage Rate/Deductions....................................................................................................... 6 Work Regulations .................................................................................................................. 7 Disciplinary Procedures....................................................................................................... 8 Summer Employment............................................................................................................ 9 Things Students Should Know About the   “College Work Study” (CWS) Program................................................................... 9 Sexual & Other Harrassment......................................................................................... 10 Americans With Disabilities Act.....................................................................................10 Notice of Nondiscrimination & Disclaimer................................................................ 11

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THE STUDENT EMPLOYMENT PHILOSOPHY 1. Employment is an important source of assistance to the student. 2. Work experience is a vital and significant factor in preparing the student for a future career. 3. The college’s commitment to educating students is advanced through student employment, from which an essential knowledge of work ethics is gained. 4. Student employment on campus is positively related to student academic success. 5. Student employees are a valued resource and contribute to the effective operation of the college.

TYPES OF STUDENT EMPLOYMENT Student employment is provided through two sources of funding: 1. Rock Valley College Student Employment Program: RVC student employees are paid entirely through unsubsidized college funds. 2. Federal College Work Study Program (CWS): a federally funded program for students who demonstrate financial need. CWS employees are paid 75% from federal funds and 25% from college funds. Students may also inquire about off-campus employment opportunities by contacting the Career Services, Advising & Placement Office in the Student Center on the second floor.

ELIGIBILITY FOR STUDENT EMPLOYMENT ON CAMPUS 1. Must not be classified as a high school student (or in the Dual Credit or Running Start Program). 2. Must not have already received a bachelor’s degree. 3. Must be enrolled for a minimum of six (6) credit hours, except summer. Late starting classes do count toward the six (6) credit hours. 4. Must be eligible to work in the United States. 5. Must not be in default on any student loan or owe a repayment of any Title IV monies. 6. Must maintain satisfactory academic progress as outlined by RVC policy. 7. Must not also be employed by RVC as a regular part-time, full-time employee, or temporary employee. 8. Must be enrolled in an eligible Financial Aid curriculum. 9. Must follow the application procedures. 10. RVC Human Resources Policy (as of October 24, 2013): All student workers are required to undergo a background check prior to their first day of employment.

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APPLICATION PROCESS FOR FINDING A JOB ON CAMPUS 1. All students interested in working on campus must apply for financial aid by completing the current Free Application for Student Aid (FAFSA). The only exception is international students who are not required to apply. International students are only eligible to be paid from RVC funds. a. The amount of need demonstrated by the results of the FAFSA, the Student Aid Report (SAR), will determine a student’s eligibility for either the CWS or RVC Student Employment Program. b. Students must have a complete financial aid file before they can begin working on campus (with the exception of international students). The Student Aid Report, all required documents, and the Financial Aid Award Letter create a complete student aid file. 2. Students should visit: RockValleyCollege.edu/StudentJobs to view job openings. Students should also print off the application form and the “Schedule Planning Worksheet.” 3. After reviewing the current student job openings, the student should complete and deliver the job application form to the department they are interested in working. The supervisor will set up an appointment for an interview. 4. When the student goes for the interview, they must take along a copy of their financial aid award letter, and the “Schedule Planning Worksheet.” Appropriate dress is casual/business professional. 5. If hired, the student will be directed to the Student Employment Office, located in the Financial Aid office, to pick up the necessary forms that must be filled out prior to employment. These forms include the: a. background check – all RVC employees must undergo and pass a background check prior to employment b. Student Information form – provides recessing biographical information c. Employment Eligibility Verification (I-9) d. Federal and State W-4 form e. Orientation PowerPoint sheet f. FERPA – Student Employee Statement of Understanding of the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) g. Satisfactory Standards of Progress h. Photo I.D., SSN card, or other documents establishing both identity and employment (see I-9 form) 6. A Work Authorization form will be sent to the supervisor once the background check has cleared all and required forms have been received. Your supervisor will then notify you of your start date. 5

PAYROLL Student employees record hours worked by using RVC Online Services: http://Online.RockValleyCollege.edu. Once the Student Employment Office has received completed paperwork initiating your hire it may take up to seven (7) business days to activate the Employee Menu for RVC Online Services. Upon activation of the Employee Menu, Payroll will notify the student employee via RVCMail (email) that time entry may begin for the current pay period and instructions on how to complete the electronic timecard will be attached. Payroll will notify the student employee and their supervisor via email in regards to a manual process for submitting hours worked, if the cut-off date for electronic timecard processing has passed. Pay periods run from the 1st through 15th and from the 16th through the last day of each month, therefore student employees are paid on the 15th and the last day of each month. If those dates fall on a weekend or holiday, payday will occur on the previous business day (e.g., if payday falls on a Saturday or Sunday, payday will be on Friday). If a student employee believes an error has been made on their check, the supervisor and/or Payroll Department should be contacted. The Payroll Department is located on the second floor of the Support Services Building (SSB), or can be reached at (815) 921-4425. STUDENTS SHOULD RETAIN CHECK STUBS FOR MONITORING TOTAL WAGES EARNED. Direct deposit is available and strongly encouraged. Electronic pay stub information is available via RVC Online Services if you participate in Direct Deposit. Electronic pay stubs are accessible from any computer, with Internet access, and are available to view the day before payday. If students do not sign up for direct deposit, they will need to pick up their paycheck from the RVC Police Department in the SSB.

WAGE RATE/DEDUCTIONS As of July 1, 2010, all student employees starting salary is $8.25 per hour. Federal law requires FICA and Medicare deductions during summer employment if the student is not enrolled at least half-time.

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WORK REGULATIONS The following regulations apply to all student employees: 1. During the fall and spring semesters, student employees can work up to 20 hours per week when enrolled for six (6) or more credit hours. (Summer employees should refer to the “Summer Employment” section – page 9.) 2. Student employees must perform the designated job duties and follow the assigned departmental procedures in a satisfactory manner. Students should be evaluated each semester by the supervisor. 3. Student employees are expected to work the hours and times assigned and as agreed upon with their supervisors. Student employees should notify their supervisors immediately if they are unable to report to work due to illness, bad weather, etc. 4. Except for emergencies, personal use of the college phone, cell phone, text messaging, use of laptops for emails, and IM’s is strictly prohibited during work hours. If you are entitled to a break, personal business should be handled then. Cell phones should be turned to vibrate mode or turned off and only checked on break or after shift. 5. Breaks are scheduled at the discretion of the student employee’s supervisor when the workload permits. The policy for breaks for student employees is the same policy followed by RVC for regular employees. If the student works a full day, the maximum time allowed for a work break is 15 minutes in the morning and 15 minutes in the afternoon. 6. Student employees cannot be paid for lunch breaks. 7. A student may not be paid for instruction in a classroom, laboratory, or other academic setting where college credit is received. 8. Supervisors may not accept voluntary services from any paid student employee. Students must be paid for all hours worked. 9. Student employees are not eligible for unemployment benefits. 10. Each department should establish dress standards appropriate for the location, season, and type of work to be performed. Students are expected to comply with such requirements. 11. The use of alcoholic beverages and illegal drugs while working on campus is absolutely forbidden. Students are given a copy of RVC’s substance use and abuse policy upon hire. 12. Student employees cannot be enrolled at RVC and another school at the same time and work as a student employee at RVC. Students must be using any financial aid they are eligible for and be enrolled at RVC. 13. Student employees cannot work an additional part-time job at RVC while working as a student employee. 14. Students may work in more than one department, but they are still limited to a total of 20 hours per week. 7

DISCIPLINARY PROCEDURES Student employees may terminate their campus jobs for a legitimate reason, and remain in good standing. Student-initiated termination requires that the student inform their supervisor and the Financial Aid Office/Student Employment in writing, citing the reason at least two weeks before the termination date. Students who terminate their jobs in good standing will be eligible for rehire. Recognizing that problems may arise in the work setting, it may be necessary for a supervisor to discipline a student employee. While the preferred outcome of discipline is positive change in the performance/behavior brought to the involved student’s attention, several steps of increasing severity may be utilized. In the case of supervisor-initiated termination, the supervisor should adhere to the following procedure: 1. The supervisor will discuss with the student in an effort to correct the deficient behavior. The supervisor should follow up the discussion with a summary of the meeting in writing. 2. Should the behavior or some similar infraction continue to be problematic, the supervisor should issue a written warning. 3. If the above attempts at corrective discipline fail, the supervisor may recommend termination of the student from the area. Supervisors may report infractions for adjudication to the Director of Financial Aid Office or to the Dean of Students. 4. Students have a right to submit a rebuttal. In cases where a student’s behavior is deemed extreme, the college reserves the right to immediately terminate the employment of a student employee. Students in violation of Rock Valley College’s Student Code of Conduct may be terminated from employment and will not be eligible for future employment on campus.

EXAMPLES OF VIOLATIONS THAT MAY LEAD TO TERMINATION INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO, THE FOLLOWING:

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Violation of FERPA Sexual or other harassment Profanity of any kind Dishonest acts such as the alteration of time cards or theft Falsification of college records Insubordination Excessive absenteeism or tardiness Absenteeism or tardiness without notifying supervisor Consistently poor work performance or failure to work assigned schedule Willful destruction of college property Removal of coworkers’ property without permission Fighting or attempting to cause bodily harm Possession of a firearm or other weapon on campus Use or being under the influence of alcohol or drugs while on duty

SUMMER EMPLOYMENT Students are eligible for summer employment. 1. Students enrolled for six (6) credit hours may be eligible to work 20 hours per week while they are in classes. 2. Students not taking classes in the summer are eligible to work 25 hours per week. 3. Students working in the summer must be students and documentation of their fall enrollment is required: a. Proof of their schedule at RVC must be presented. b. If they are a student at another college, proof of their fall schedule or an acceptance letter must be presented. 4. Summer student employees cannot be high school students (or in the Dual Credit or Running Start Program) or someone who has earned a bachelor’s degree.

THINGS STUDENTS SHOULD KNOW ABOUT THE COLLEGE WORK STUDY (CWS) PROGRAM 1. Federal funds allow the College to employ eligible students. 2. The same jobs are normally available to students participating in the RVC Student Employment Program or the College Work Study (CWS) Program. Occasionally, because of budgetary considerations, some jobs will be posted for CWS only. 3. If a student is awarded College Work Study (status) this does not guarantee that they will find a job on campus. Jobs are posted on the RVC website, and are filled on the discretion of the department supervisor after the interview process. 4. All the work-study earnings are taxable income. Students should retain check stubs for monitoring their total wages earned. All student employees are assigned a maximum amount they may earn during the school year. Funding, budget constraints, and the time of year the student begins employment also play a part in the total earnings. This does not guarantee that they will earn this amount. It is possible that the college or individual departments will run out of federal CWS and/or RVC funding before the student does. The student’s maximum amount they can earn may also be decreased if the student takes out a student loan or is awarded additional grants or scholarships after they begin working. Award reevaluations are made by the Financial Aid office. 9

SEXUAL & OTHER HARASSMENT Rock Valley College is committed to providing an educational environment that is free from all forms of harassment as defined and otherwise prohibited by state and federal law. It is the policy of Rock Valley College that sexual harassment or any other form of harassment of a student by another student, an employee or third party, is prohibited and will not be tolerated. Any student or employee who is found after appropriate investigation to have violated this policy will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including expulsion or termination. Students who feel they have been a victim of harassment of any type, by another student, an employee, or third party, may submit a formal written complaint within 60 days of the alleged harassment incident to: Title IX Coordinator, Rick Daniels (Interim Dean of Students) Student Center – room 2110 (Main Campus – second floor) (815) 921-4281 | [email protected] Deputy Title IX Coordinator, LaShun McGhee (Dean of Students Specialist) (815) 921-4284 | [email protected]

AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT The “Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990” is a national mandate to end discrimination against persons with disabilities in social and economic life. The College acknowledges and affirms its commitment to provide a work place and facilities with equal access for all employees. Federal and state laws require that the college provide reasonable accommodations for known disabilities of employees, unless to do so would pose an undue hardship. Students are encouraged to contact: Disability Support Services Director Lynn Shattuck ([email protected]) prior to the beginning of the first semester of enrollment in order to have any accommodation services in place. The Disability Support Services (DSS) office* is located on the Main Campus on the ground floor of the Student Center (SC) – Room 0120, (815) 921-2371. *near the Testing & Tutoring Centers

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NOTICE OF NONDISCRIMINATION

It is the policy of Rock Valley College to provide equal opportunity in its admissions, employment, and educational programs and activities consistent with federal and state law. Discrimination is prohibited on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, sex, age, physical or mental disability, marital status, order of protection status, sexual orientation, veteran status, or unfavorable military discharge, use of lawful products while not at work, genetic information, or other legally protected categories. Inquiries regarding compliance with state or federal nondiscrimination requirements may be directed to the: Title IX Coordinator & Interim Dean of Students Rock Valley College 3301 N. Mulford Road Rockford, IL 61114-5699.

DISCLAIMER

The information in this Student Employment Handbook is subject to change without prior notice or obligation.

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Student Employment Office (in Financial Aid) Student Center | 3301 N. Mulford Road Rockford, Illinois 61114-5699 (815) 921-4163 RockValleyCollege.edu/StudentJobs Equal Opportunity Affirmative Action Employer/Educator Rev. 2/2016 Qty. 100