Student Employment Policy

Policy Statement:

Lewis & Clark College offers opportunities for student employment in order to provide students with valuable work experience through the performance of necessary jobs on campus (as well as through off-campus community service-related jobs for some federal Work-Study-eligible students) and in order to assist students with the funding of their educational expenses. 

Purpose: To provide a clear and consistent policy regarding the terms of employment for all student employees (including, but not limited to, those working on- or off-campus through federal Work-Study and those working on-campus through Lewis & Clark Work-Study) and to direct the Office of Human Resources to develop procedures to implement this policy.

Applicability:  This policy applies to all students employed by the College, except for benefits-eligible employees who are also taking classes.  Student-employees employed in off-campus community service-related jobs may also be subject to specific policies or procedures applicable to their workplaces.

Policy:

1. Nondiscrimination. In the implementation of the College’s student employment policy, no student shall be discriminated against on the basis of actual or perceived race, color, sex, religion, age, marital status, national origin, the presence of any physical or sensory disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, any other basis prohibited by applicable federal, state, and local laws, or any other extraneous considerations not relevant to the position.

2. Work-Study Preference. Student employment through the Federal Work-Study and Lewis & Clark Work-Study programs provides financial assistance in the form of on-campus work responsive to the student’s class hours and schedule. Because of the critical role student employment often plays in a student’s ability to fund a Lewis & Clark education, preference in hiring will be given to students who have been awarded federal Work-Study or Lewis & Clark Work-Study as part of their financial aid award.

3. Hours of Work. Student-employees are students first and foremost.  In recognition of this, undergraduate students should not work more than 20 hours per week during periods of enrollment, unless an exception is approved by an appropriate college academic official. Graduate and law students, and undergraduate students working during a period of non-enrollment (such as summer), may work up to 40 hours per week.

4. Benefits. Student-employees are not eligible for most employee benefits and do not receive paid leave for holidays, jury duty, or vacation. Student-employees are eligible for sick leave and will accrue one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked.  Pay for sick leave must be paid with funds other than federal Work-Study funds.

5. Student Employee Conduct. Student-employees are subject to College policies applicable to both students and employees, including applicable conduct policies.  Failure to adhere to such policies may have implications for a student-employee’s status as both a student and an employee.  If a student-employee’s behavior related to employment is problematic, such information is to be immediately reported to the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities and the Office of Human Resources so concerns can be addressed in a coordinated manner. Cases involving graduate or law student-employees will also be coordinated with the associate dean of the respective school.

6. Procedures. The Office of Human Resources, in consultation with the Division of Student Life, the Office of Financial Aid, and the offices of the academic deans, is to develop procedures to implement this policy.