What Should I Know About Student Employment?

Learn about eligibility requirements and other policies related to student employment

Policies

STUDENT EMPLOYMENT FAQs

How do I find a student employment position?: Students who meet eligibility requirements may work in any of our hiring departments and can begin exploring opportunities via Handshake. To find positions designated as on-campus employment, click the “On-Campus” filter.

Students may also go directly to any department on-campus to inquire about student employment opportunities.

Please be aware that there are a limited number of jobs available on-campus, therefore we encourage you to also apply to nearby off-campus positions as well if you are eligible to do so.
What do I need to be eligible for student employment?: To view student employment eligibility criteria based on your student status, please visit our policies page.
How do I apply for employment on campus?: Follow the application instructions for the job you are applying to.

POST-HIRING INFORMATION

Will hiring managers contact me once I’ve applied to a position?: Updating candidates on the status of their application is not a requirement, however it is highly recommended for managers to do so.
What do I need to do to be cleared to start my on-campus job?: Upon receipt of a Hiring Document, the Office of Student Employment will email you onboarding instructions. Before beginning work as a Hofstra student employee, you must complete onboarding paperwork, and have this paperwork reviewed and accepted in an appointment with the Office of Student Employment.

Among other onboarding paperwork, you must complete the Federal Form I-9 to verify your eligibility to work in the US. You will need to present ORIGINAL, UNEXPIRED identification (copies are not permitted), as mandated by the federal government. Acceptable forms of identification are listed at on the US Center for Immigration Services website.
Do I need to re-complete onboarding paperwork for each job I hold on campus?: No, however, tax exemption certificates are only valid for one year. Any employee who claims “Exempt” from withholding is required to complete a new W-4 form by February 16th of each year to continue being exempt for the following year. Otherwise, his/her exemption will become single with 0.
Must I accept the job offered to me?: No. After interviewing with a department manager and receiving a job offer, you decide whether or not to accept the job. If you decide not to accept a job, you may consider other jobs which are available, on a first-come, first-served basis.

STUDENT EMPLOYEE PAY

How and when are student employees paid?: Students are paid in arrears and semimonthly in accordance with the dates set forth on the Student Pay Schedule, which can be accessed on the Hofstra portal. You can pick up your paycheck at the Payroll Office on each Pay Day, however we strongly encourage students to enroll in Direct Deposit as your pay will be uploaded directly to your bank account.

ON-CAMPUS JOBS

How many hours may I work?: Please visit our policies page to view weekly hour maximums based on your student status.
May I have more than one job?: Students are permitted to work in only one on-campus job at a time.
Do I need to do anything if I leave a job before the end of the academic year or summer?: If you leave your position before the end of the academic year or summer, you must notify the Office of Student Employment by email and must include in such notification your last date of work.

Note: This notification requirement does not apply to short-term positions, i.e. day- or week-long positions.
May I continue in the same job between academic years? Or between an academic year and summer?: Yes, if you are invited to do so by your employer and if you maintain eligibility requirements.

Note: The employment periods for student employees are the academic year and summer. Your assignment to the position is valid until you leave that position, leave Hofstra, earn the full amount of your Federal Work-Study grant, or the last day of the period in which you are working, whichever occurs first.

Students must be rehired through the submission of a Work Permit (hiring document) or EPAF by the student employee manager between employment periods before they can continue working.

INTERNATIONAL STUDENT EMPLOYEE FAQs

Note: Employment eligibility for international students is governed by federal law. Hofstra University’s Office of International Student Affairs is responsible for verifying the work eligibility of our international students. All questions by international students or managers regarding eligibility and other special requirements relating to employment of the international student should be addressed to the Office of International Student Affairs.

Is an international student eligible to work in the United States?

You should not assume that an international student is automatically eligible to work in the United States. Unauthorized employment is a most serious violation and puts your ability to remain in the United States in jeopardy. Students should consult with the Office of International Student Affairs before accepting any employment.

What documents should the international student bring to the Office of Student Employment?

Hiring Document
Social Security Card (or receipt from the Social Security Administration Office)
Unexpired foreign passport
Form I-94
Form I-20

Students who do not have a Social Security Card must apply for one immediately and may not begin working until they do so.

How do I apply for a Social Security card?

Search Hofstra.edu/ssn in your browser for more information on how to apply for a Social Security card. Further questions can be directed to the Office of International Student Affairs.

What happens when the student receives his or her Social Security Card?

Once an international student receives the Social Security card and accompanying number in the mail, s/he must make an appointment with the Office of Student Employment.

Meeting with a Payroll representative.

The Internal Revenue Service has special tax withholding rules that apply to wages paid to international student employees who are nonresidents. The Payroll Specialist will see that all tax related forms are completed accurately and submitted to the correct governmental agency.

How often does the student need to meet with Payroll?

An international student must contact the Payroll Office at the beginning of each new calendar year. At that time, the Payroll Office will advise whether an in-person meeting is required. An international student is also required to contact the Payroll Office any time there is a change or update to his or her immigration status or Form I-20. The Payroll Office may be reached at: payroll@hofstra.edu or 516-463-7101

When may the international student begin working?

When the international student emails the receipt from the Social Security Office to the Office of Student Employment, he or she will be emailed onboarding instructions, which includes completion and submission of the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services Form I-9, which requires you to present certain original documents regarding your identification to the Office of Student Employment. The student MAY NOT BEGIN WORKING UNTIL S/HE HAS COMPLETED THIS FORM I-9 and presented the necessary documents(see question 2 above).

May international students work in a Federal Work Study position?

No, international students are not eligible for Federal Work Study positions.

FEDERAL WORK-STUDY FAQs

What is federal work-study?: Federal work-study is a form of financial aid that can only be earned through working an hourly student employment position. To explore available hourly student employment positions, visit Handshake.
How do I know if I am eligible for federal work-study?: For more information on federal work-study eligibility criteria, and how to be considered for a federal work-study award, please visit the Student Financial Services website or contact a Student Financial Services counselor at SFS@hofstra.edu or (516)463-8000.
Does having federal work-study mean I am guaranteed a job on-campus?: Understand that your award amount is not guaranteed, you must first find and secure an on-campus work-study position. Available positions are listed on Handshake, and can also be found by contacting Hofstra departments directly.
What happens if I exhaust my federal work-study award?: If you are working in an hourly student employment position, and are being paid through Federal Work-Study, it is your responsibility to monitor your use of grant funds and notify your manager when you no longer have grant money available. Your award balance can be viewed on the Financial Aid Services section of your Hofstra portal. Your continuation of work will be contingent upon whether your department has budget available.