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Timekeeping

Time Entry and Approvals

Student employees must record their hours worked in , Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵ’s timekeeping system, by the end of the pay period, unless otherwise noted. When finished, click "Approve." To make edits, click "Remove Approval."

Supervisors must approve and commit the timecard before 1 p.m. CST on the Monday following the end of the pay period unless otherwise noted. 


Maximum Work-Hour Limits

The Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) is a federal law that mandates that temporary employees may not work more than 1,000 hours in a rolling 12-month period. Once the limit is reached, temporary employees must either stop working or be transferred into a benefits-eligible staff position. Contact askHR@northwestern.edu for additional information. 

It is recommended that students work no more than 20 hours per week on average during the normal academic year (fall, winter, and spring quarters) when classes are in session including finals weeks and to comply with ERISA regulations.

  • 1,000 hours  ÷  52 weeks per year  =  19.23 hours per week on average

Breaks and Meals 

  • Illinois law requires a 20-minute unpaid meal period if working 7.5 continuous hours or more. The meal period must be taken no later than 5 hours after starting work.
    • If working 7.5 hours or more, student employees should enter their hours in Workforce and deduct 20 minutes from their time entry. Students who swipe at a timeclock must swipe in and out for the unpaid meal period. 
  • Paid breaks lasting no less/longer than 15-minute are required when working four straight hours.

Overtime

  • If a student exceeds 40 cumulative hours worked per week amongst all Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵ paid positions, they will be paid time and half for every minute worked after 40 hours.
  • Student temporary employment is intended to be part-time in nature and students should not often work enough hours whereby they would earn overtime wages. 

Attendance

  • Students are expected to arrive on time to their scheduled work shift.
  • If students are going to be late, need to leave early, or not work that day, they are expected to contact their supervisor as soon as possible prior to their shift.  

Work on Holidays and University Breaks

  • Student employees may work on designated university, federal, or state holidays and during breaks between the academic quarters. Student will be paid their regular hourly rate.
  • If the student is an FWS student, any wages earned on holidays or during university breaks will count toward their overall FWS allotment earnings eligibility.  

Paid Leave and Paid Sick Time for Student Employees

  • Effective July 1, 2024, student employees accrue .
  • For every 35 hours worked, student employees earn the following:
    • One (1) hour of Paid Leave
    • One (1) hour of Paid Sick Time.
  • Paid Leave and Paid Sick Time are earned in full hour increments up to a maximum of 40 hours for each leave type per fiscal year (September 1 – August 31).
  • Student employees are eligible to be paid for unused Paid Leave Time upon termination from all active assignments. Unused Paid Sick Time is not paid out upon termination.
  • For Federal Work Study student employees, used Paid Sick Time and Paid Leave is paid from a central university account, not with FWS wages or department funds. Unused Paid Leave upon termination will also be paid via the central account.

  • can be found on the Office of Human Resources website. Questions about eligibility and accrual balances can be directed to askHR@northwestern.edu.  

Pay Advances

  • Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵ University does not issue pay advances. No hours should be reported for a student before the work is performed.