Hiring Graduate Students 2016-17

To: School/Division HR Officers and Secondary Contacts
Business Managers
Student Services Managers

From: Steve Matson, Dean
Beverly Wyrick, Director of Finance/Administration
ConnectCarolina HR/Payroll

Graduate students may be hired for a semester, academic year, calendar year, or other time frames as needed. Each school/division has varying effective dates in order to meet their business need. The stipend calculator tool can assist users in determining what salary to enter on the ePAR form, given the graduate student’s start/expected job end dates, to ensure the intended amount of pay.  The stipend calculator can be found on The Graduate School’s website and is attached to this email. The example attached is for an academic year appointment.

Graduate students who receive tuition awards must meet the minimum stipend requirement for the fall and/or spring term.  Below are common scenarios for students hired with a 9-month appointment, or semester appointment, in academic year 2016-17:

The Start/Pay-Through dates used on the stipend calculator are for the purpose of determining the salary amount.

Helpful Reminders:

• The expected job end date for the Hire or Job Change ePAR should always be one day greater than the Pay-through date on the stipend calculator.
• Be sure to review the instructions on returning EPA students from short work break here https://ccinfo.unc.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/219/2016/01/EPA-Student-Work-Break-JUN2.pdf.
• Use the Multiple Jobs Summary or UNC Employee Information page in the HR Work Center to review the student’s employment and job status prior to taking any action. These pages provide the following information:
  • HR and Payroll status, which helps determine if the employee is active or on a work break.
  • Appointments and their expected job end date.
  • Department, job code, and FTE.
• The Multiple Job Summary or UNC Employee Information pages can also help departments avoid hiring a student into the same job twice, as well as avoid term/re-hires or transferring the student out of the wrong appointment.
• Students should be returned from work break if they will be returning to their appointment. Or, if they will not be returning, then they should be terminated.
• When completing the ePAR to return a student from work break, do not check the box to bypass compensation and funding. Instead, be sure to include compensation and funding on the action. This will allow the originator and all approvers to confirm the compensation and funding are accurate.
• Please be advised, if a student is transferring from a job that is on Work Break into a new appointment, they must first be returned from Work Break. The Hire/Transfer action will not update their Payroll status.
• When submitting hires, returning from work break, and termination, always be mindful of payroll deadlines.
• Payroll calendars:
  • 2016 HR/Payroll Deadline Calendars: https://hr.unc.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/222/2012/11/2016-calendars.pdf
  • Biweekly Schedule: https://finance.unc.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/298/2015/12/biweekly_run_sch.pdf
  • Monthly Schedule: https://finance.unc.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/298/2015/12/month_run_cutoff.pdf
  • Note: Calendars are subject to change. Please review on a regular basis to ensure you have the most up-to-date information.

For policy questions, contact Beverly Wyrick at 919-962-6318 or bwyrick@email.unc.edu.

For system-related questions, submit a help ticket at http://help.unc.edu/.