On-Campus Employers

HANDSHAKE HIRING PROCESS

All hourly campus positions must be posted on Handshake and made accessible to all students. Applications must be collected via Handshake, in advance of making hiring decisions. Job postings must adhere to the required posting information template and undergo review and approval from the Campus Employment team before being made public and open to applicants. The turnaround time for job posting approvals is up to 2-3 business days during most of the year, and 3-5 business days during busy periods (Aug. – Sept., Jan. – Feb.). Once the hiring process is completed, selected students must be marked as “Hired” on the Handshake posting. This step ensures that they receive a record of their job description and allows the University to maintain an accurate record of their position. Additionally, it’s critical to communicate with applicants who were not chosen for the position, providing them with a courteous notification of their application status, ensuring a transparent and respectful process for all involved. It is best practice to communicate next steps in the hiring process (interviews, declined application, etc.) within one week of the application deadline.

See Handshake How-To Resources here.

“CLOSED NETWORK” HIRING PROHIBITED

Campus employers are required to adhere to a fair and equitable hiring process that aligns with state and federal labor laws. Exclusive hiring through personal/professional/academic networks or  ‘closed networks’ is strictly prohibited to ensure equal opportunity for all candidates. While students can retain their roles from one semester to the next, any vacant positions must be posted publicly on Handshake and employers must actively consider applications from interested individuals. It is not permissible for campus employers to simply reappoint past student employees to new positions within their department without conducting a new application process. This policy prohibiting closed network hiring applies to all hourly campus positions, including academic and research-based roles.  Employers are also prohibited from selecting interview candidates based on pre-existing relationships. Instead, the job description should clearly outline the criteria for evaluating applicants, to promote consistency and fairness in the treatment of all prospective candidates.

PAYROLL PROCESSES

Once a job offer has been extended and accepted, and before work begins, be sure to report the new hire in the ‘Student Employment System’ accessible via WesPortal. Note: the student must have successfully submitted their Payroll forms before they can be added to the Student Employment System. This process is vital for on-boarding and payroll; the Student Employment System requests details including the employee’s supervisor, expected duration of employment, whether the role necessitates a background check,  and which smart key should be used for the student employee’s hourly wages. Please allow for at least two business days between reporting the hire in the Student Employment System and the actual start of employment. Work may only begin once an employee is able to successfully clock in and out of their position on Workforce Time. It is the combined responsibility of the student and supervisor to ensure that the student has completed the necessary paperwork with the Payroll Office to become eligible to work before any hours are worked. Note that position numbers are linked to smart keys and remain consistent from  year-to-year, as long as the position is funded through the same smart key. However, campus employers are required to  “Hire” the student on Handshake with an up-to-date job description and “Hire” in the Student Employment System yearly or as the position changes  in order to facilitate payroll administration.

CONTINUED EMPLOYMENT – RE-HIRE STUDENT EMPLOYEES

Returning student employees are welcome to continue their campus job(s) from semester to semester and year to year. To ensure that both the student and the University maintain an up-to-date job description on record, all positions for returning students must be submitted to Handshake at least once per academic year. If these job postings are not seeking new applicants, they will not be made public for students to apply. However, if the position is open to both new applicants and returning employees, the posting must be made public and returning employees can be re-hired through the same posting. To  re-hire returning employees, follow these steps:

• Option 1: Complete this Microsoft Form. It will ask for the job description and the re-hired students’ names and WesIDs.
• Option 2: Post the position on Handshake and clearly mark the top of the job posting section as “CONTINUED EMPLOYMENT“. If you have previously posted the job, duplicate the Handshake posting using these instructions. Email campusemployment@wesleyan.edu with the name(s) of the student(s) and WesIDs for us to re-hire them on the administrative side of Handshake.

POINTS OF CONTACT

• Handshake: campusemployment@wesleyan.edu For posting a job, recruiting candidates, and managing applications
• Workforce Time: payrollhelp@wesleyan.edu For time recording, attendance, student employment system, payroll forms, and review/approve timesheets
• Work-Study: finaid@wesleyan.edu For questions regarding federal and institutional work-study and the University’s 50/50 wage-split program