HR/Payroll Cluster Team Newsletter
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Guidelines for Hiring Temporary Staff |
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When hiring individuals on a temporary basis, please keep the following in mind:
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Who qualifies as temporary staff:
- Individuals with no prior affiliation with WashU
- Former employees who have left within the past year
- Graduating students transitioning into staff roles
- Duration of appointments:
- If the work is time-limited and expected to last 6 months or less, the individual may be hired as temporary staff.
- If the assignment is expected to last longer than 6 months, the individual must be hired as regular staff.
- Compensation review:
- Departments/HR partners must work with the compensation team to determine the appropriate job profile and confirm that the pay is within the established salary range.
- Offer letter requirement:
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An offer letter must be issued before the individual begins work. Work with your department's HR partner to create the offer letter.
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These guidelines ensure compliance with University hiring practices and support consistency across all departments. All hiring requests must be approved; please reach out to your HR partner before proceeding.
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I-9 Completion: Compliance Reminder |
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It is critical that all new hires and rehires complete the Form I-9 within three business days of their official hire date. This process is coordinated with Human Resources and the I-9 Team, who conduct routine audits to ensure the University remains in compliance with federal regulations and avoids potential fines.
When determining a start date, please make sure it allows the new employee time to complete the I-9. HR partners should also run the onboarding status report frequently to confirm timely completion.
Key points to remember:
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Employees must complete Section 1 of the I-9 and provide original, unexpired documents proving identity and work authorization.
- Only original documents may be used. Copies are not acceptable.
- The list of acceptable documents can be found on the last page of the I-9 form.
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Representatives may not suggest which specific documents an employee should present.
- University representatives must review these documents in person to determine if they appear genuine, and record the information on the I-9.
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Your diligence in following these steps helps ensure University compliance and smooth onboarding for all employees.
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I-9 Reverification for Foreign National Employees |
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Foreign national employees and students at WashU may have an expiration date listed for work authorization on their Form I-9. When this occurs, the employee must provide updated documentation and complete reverification with the I-9 Team. Human Resources will contact the employee when their work authorization is near expiration, and the employee can work with the department HR partner to complete the reverification.
If reverification is not completed before the work authorization expires:
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- The employee must cease working immediately.
- The employee will be placed on leave without pay until reverification is complete.
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Once reverification is finalized, the employee will be removed from leave status and may resume working and receiving pay.
Timely action is critical to avoid interruptions to work and pay.
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Part-Time Employment for Graduate Students |
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To help graduate students stay on track toward their degree, part-time employment should not exceed an average of 10 hours per week. Before starting any part-time work, students should check their program’s policy, which may be more restrictive than the University's guidelines, depending on funding or federal reporting requirements.
If a student and their advisor(s) believe additional hours would support the student’s academic progress without delaying degree completion, an exception may be requested through the Office of Graduate Studies. Approved exceptions must be documented and kept on file.
Students supported on federal grants must follow all related restrictions, and schools are responsible for ensuring compliance.
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Contingent Worker Guidelines | |
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Contingent workers are individuals who are not WashU employees but need access to University systems for business purposes. Please note:
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Contingent workers are not paid through WashU Payroll. Anyone receiving salary, compensation, or a stipend must be classified as a Workday Employee Worker Type.
- Academic affiliates are not considered contingent workers.
- A contract end date is required and cannot exceed one year from the contract start date. Once the contract ends, the individual’s WashU Key access will be removed. Continued access requires a new review and approval process.
- Departments expecting a visitor or contingent worker should notify their HR partner as early as possible, because paperwork must be completed and approved through several University offices.
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Timekeeping, Meal Breaks, and Paid Time Off Policies
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Managers and supervisors play a critical role in maintaining employee time records. Timely, accurate entry and approval of time and time off for non-exempt, bi-weekly employees ensures correct payroll processing, compliance with University policy, legal record keeping, and employee satisfaction.
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 | Timekeeping and Approvals |
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All non-exempt employees must enter hours worked on a daily basis for the most accurate recording of time.
- Managers/supervisors must review and approve time and time off promptly.
- Timesheets should be reviewed to ensure employees are not using more sick or vacation time than they have available. Employees should not have negative balances.
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Accuracy is critical—time reported is a legal record. Use the comment box in Workday to document any changes to timesheets or leave records.
- Non-exempt employees who work more than 40 hours/week must be paid overtime, even if the work was performed without prior permission.
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| Meal Breaks |
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Standard meal breaks are 30 minutes, unpaid, and employees must be completely relieved of duties.
- Meals under 28 minutes will be paid and may result in overtime.
- Meal breaks must be recorded using the "Meal" code in Workday—employees cannot simply log out.
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| Paid Breaks |
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Breaks up to 20 minutes are paid as regular compensation.
- Requirement for remote employees working in Illinois: Employees working 7.5 hours or more must receive a 20-minute lunch break no later than 5 hours after the shift begins.
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| Vacation and Other Paid Time Off |
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Per WashU policy, non-exempt employees are not eligible to receive benefit pay (such as vacation or sick pay) for hours exceeding their normal standard workweek of 37.5 hours. The only exception is holiday pay. Example scenarios are below.
Supervisors are encouraged to carefully review and approve time submissions to ensure compliance with this policy.
Example:
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- Scenario 1
- Hours worked Monday to Thursday: 37.5 hours
- Hours requested as vacation time on Friday: 7.5 hours
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Under this policy, the employee cannot take 7.5 hours of vacation time on Friday because they have already worked their standard 37.5 hours for the week.
- Scenario 2
- Hours worked Monday to Thursday: 33 hours
- Hours requested as vacation time on Friday: 4.5 hours
- In this case, the employee can take 4.5 hours of vacation time on Friday because, combined with the 33 hours already worked, it totals the standard 37.5 hours for the week.
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Best Practices and Guidelines for HR Processes |
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To ensure smooth and timely HR operations, please follow the guidelines below.
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| New Hire Information |
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Submit new hire information to your HR partner using this webform in a timely manner. Processing can take up to two weeks.
- All paperwork must be completed before an employee begins working.
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| Employee Status Updates |
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Notify your HR partner immediately of employee status changes, leaves, or terminations to ensure that accurate information is recorded in Workday. Use the HR/Payroll webform to submit these changes.
- Employee changes may take 3–5 days to process.
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| Part-Time Adjunct Lecturers (Spring 2026) |
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If a letter has not yet been requested for any part-time adjuncts, please do so by the end of November 2025, especially for new hires requiring onboarding.
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Please utilize the resources on the A&S HR webpage to help streamline HR and payroll processes and ensure efficiency and accuracy.
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Cluster HR Partner Contacts and Expectations |
- Primary Contact: Your HR partner is your main resource for HR and payroll-related concerns.
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Response Time: HR partners aim to respond to communications within the same business day, or within 24-48 hours.
- Task Completion: Most HR and payroll tasks should be completed within five business days. If any task requires more time, your HR partner will notify you accordingly.
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Out of Office: HR partners will inform their respective units if they will be out of the office for an extended period, allowing for any immediate concerns to be addressed ahead of time.
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Washington University in St. Louis
Arts & Sciences
1 Brookings Dr 1094
St. Louis, MO 63130
artsci.washu.edu
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