Hourly Employment Policies and Guidelines

Below are the policies and guidelines that must be followed for each of the hourly employment groups (Academic Hourly, Extra Help, Graduate Hourly, & Student). If you have any questions regarding these policies please contact the Hourly Employment Coordinator (currently Hanna Lafond-Hyman hannal@illinois.edu) .

If you would like to begin the process of hiring an hourly employee, please view the Recruitment/Search Process page.

• According to Illinois State Law and campus rules, employees expected to work seven and one-half (7 1/2) continuous hours or longer shall be permitted at least thirty (30) minutes (unpaid) for a meal period that begins no later than five (5) hours after the start of the work period.

• Pay: determined based on the job duties, the rate typically falls between the minimum wage and the Graduate Assistant rate.
• Academic Hourly employees cannot be registered as a student of the U of I at any time during the duration of their position. If they register for classes, their Academic Hourly position must be ended before their classes begin and they must switch to the appropriate student position (undergraduate student or graduate hourly) if they will continue working.

• Pay: determined based on the Civil Service title, each title has a set pay rate
• Extra Help employees cannot be registered as a student of the U of I at any time during the duration of their position. If they register for classes, their Extra Help position must be ended before their classes begin and they must switch to the appropriate student position (undergraduate student or graduate hourly) if they will continue working.
• 900 hour limitation: Upon or before the employee reaches 900 hours of Extra Help work in any consecutive 12 calendar months, the employee must take a 30 day break from all Extra Help appointments and a 6 month break if they have accumulated 900 hours for one Extra Help position. It is the responsibility of the department and the employee to closely monitor hours each pay period to ensure that the employee does not exceed the 900-hour limitation.

• Pay: determined based on the job duties, the rate typically falls between the minimum wage and the Graduate Assistant rate.
• Graduate students cannot begin working a graduate hourly position until they have started graduate level classes at the U of I.
• Graduate students cannot continue working graduate hourly positions after they graduate due to no longer being in student status. Their graduate hourly position must be ended and they must switch to an Academic Hourly or Extra Help position if they will continue working. Please view the Academic Hourly & Extra Help Recruitment page for more information on these employee classes and how to request them.

• Pay: typically is the minimum wage, justification is required for a pay rate more than the minimum wage
• Please view the Office of Student Financial Aid Guidelines & Policies page for student employee enrollment requirements and maximum work hour policies/guidelines.