Hiring / Interviewing for Student Employment

The following flowchart will guide supervisors and new student employees through the onboarding process.

Student Employment Onboarding Process Flowchart

The best way to recruit a new student employee is through the MSU Denver job posting system. However, before a supervisor posts a job, it is important that they develop an internal job description for their office and assign an appropriate pay rate. The Federal Work-Study Guidelines indicate, “Employment must be governed by employment conditions, including pay, that are appropriate and reasonable according to the type of work performed, geographic region and employee proficiency.” It is recommended that employees start at Level 1 to allow for merit increases. If a supervisor decides to increase a student’s level, the student’s job description should increase in complexity and duties to justify a level change.

After a supervisor has a job description and determined the rate of pay they may post a job on the Student Employment website. (Pay rates indicated on a job posting cannot decrease once a student applies for a job.

Click Here for the PeopleAdmin Training Materials

For problems with requesting a posting or if there’s an error in your job posting please contact the Student Employment Team at [email protected]

• Interviewing and Screening Process
• Off-Campus Program Information
• Student Employment Pay Matrix as of 2022

1. Please complete and submit the following:
   1. MSU Denver Supervisors 
      • ePAF (Electronic Personnel Action Forms) –   ePAF (Electronic Personnel Action Forms)
        • Student Employment ePAF Cheat Sheet  – Student Employment ePAF Cheat Sheet
        • Student Employment ePAF Pre-Check List – Student Employment ePAF Pre-Check List
   2. Off Campus Agency Supervisors 
      • Returning Students: SEF 2.0 Spreadsheet – SEF 2.0_Fall 2022 – Spring 2023
      • New Student: Supervisor Packet – Supervisor Packet
2. Direct New Student Employee (first time MSU Denver Employee) to register for a Student Employment New Hire Orientation at Student Employment Calendar
3. New employees will need to use the SE LiquidFiles dropbox link (https://secureshare.msudenver.edu/filedrop/StudentEmploymentDropbox) to submit and finalize their employment paperwork.  Students must have all paperwork completed and signed, BEFORE they start working. Refer to the Semi-Monthly Payroll Schedule for the deadlines.
4. A confirmation email with the approved start date will be sent to you, the supervisor, and the new student employee.
5. Students will need to watch the 3 on-boarding videos under the “Getting Started” section on their first day of work and complete the quiz.
6. If the student is interested in earning work-study funds please complete and submit the appropriate Work-study Request (WK) form to the Office of Financial Aid.
7. Reiterate the responsibilities of the job and any expectations that you may have. Student employees should be reminded that the Student Employment Program is an at will employer. Students failing to adhere to clearly stated policies, guidelines and expectations may be terminated.
8. Create a clear and easily understood work schedule that works for both the student employees and the supervisor/department. Please remember education comes first and flexibility is important during and near finals, midterms and papers. This does not mean however, that students can work whenever they are so inclined. They must contact their supervisor if they plan to be late, have a test, or have other unforeseen circumstances. Constant tardiness and calling in repeatedly, may lead to termination.
9. Inform the student employee who they should directly report to and who the back-up is in case you are not available during time entry. Also, inform student that manual checks will not be issued for late timesheets. Late hours will be added in on the next payroll cycle. Provide proper training and supervision to new student employees. This will help alleviate problems that may occur in the future.
10. Review departmental guidelines and procedures, including emergency procedures and exits, dress code requirements, and any other important details.  See the Managing Employees Section.

NOTE: It is a violation of federal and state laws to allow student employees to begin work without completing employment paperwork (I-9, W-4, Worker’s Compensation Notification, etc.). Student employees fall under the same hiring practices as any new employees. To allow students to start working without completing this paperwork is not only a violation of legal hiring practices, but unfair to students because their pay may be delayed.

Please check the “Getting Started” section for details.