Student Employee Information
General Information
Definition:
Employment of a student of Iowa State University who was hired as a work study or non-work
study employee.
Authority:
Students working as part-time public employees twenty hours per week or less, except graduate or
other postgraduate students in preparation for a profession who are engaged in academically related employment
as a teaching, research or service assistant.
Iowa Code - 20.4 (4) Public Employment Relations - Exclusion
All presidents, deans, directors, teachers, professional and scientific personnel and student employees
are under the jurisdiction of the state Board of Regents.
Iowa Code - 8A.412 (5) Merit System - Applicabaility - Exceptions
Expectations for Student Employees
- Do not replace merit or P&S staff
- Are registered as Iowa State students for at least one credit hour in the semester of employment
- Can continue as a student employee though the end of month of graduation, as long as otherwise authorized and permitted, i.e. international students cannot work beyond the end of the semester in which they graduate unless they are registered as a student for the following fall semester
- Are allowed to work during the summer as non-student employees (not taking summer classes), if registered for the next fall semester
- Are limited to 20 hours or less per week when classes are in session, except during summer session
- Will be paid for hours worked. Hours worked over 40 in a work week will be paid at time and one-half. Hours will be tracked by Workday time tracking and be paid as a student employee
Student FICA Information
- Wages earned by undergraduate students who are enrolled at Iowa State University and are at least half-time students are exempt from FICA and Medicare taxes. Students attain half-time status by enrolling in at least 6 credit hours during the fall and spring semesters and 3 credit hours during the summer session. Graduate students must be registered for 5 credit hours or more during the fall and spring semesters and 3 credit hours or more during the summer session to be exempt from FICA and Medicare taxes.
- Wages earned during the summer months by students not registered in summer classes are subject to FICA and Medicare withholding.