Hourly Employment Policies and Guidelines

Below are the policies and guidelines that must be followed for each of the hourly employment groups.

Hourly Employment Groups include: Academic Hourly, Extra Help, Graduate Hourly, &  Undergraduate Hourly Employees.

If you have any questions regarding these policies please contact the Hourly Employment Coordinator, Grace Flavin gflavin@illinois.edu or Library HR libraryhr@library.illinois.edu

To begin the process of hiring an hourly employee, please review the Recruitment/Search Process page.

• In accordance with Illinois State Law, University of Illinois System Policy and Rules, UIUC Campus Administrative Manual, and UIUC 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 and Rest Periods are a normal part of the work schedule and cannot be accumulated or be included as a basis for a flextime work schedule.
• When scheduling breaks and meal periods for hourly employees working an uninterrupted shift, less than 7.5 hours:
  • Review and Reference the Library HR Best Practice Guide Scheduling Hourly Employee Breaks and Meal Periods.

An undergraduate student employee at Illinois currently enrolled and taking a certain amount of credit hours for the semesters of the appointment, as approved by the Office of Student Financial Aid (OSFA), Student Employment. 

• Student Status: Enrolled Undergraduate Student at the University Of Illinois Urbana Champaign
• Eligible to Start: As soon as they become an enrolled student, and Supervisor MUST receive automated approval email that the position has been approved through JOYCE.
• Pay: Undergraduate hourly positions are typically is the Minimum Wage and determined based on the duties
  • Justification is required for if requesting a pay rate more than this
  • OSFA, Student Employment – provides Classifications and Scale of Biweekly Wages for Student Employees
  • Not benefits eligible
• Hours Eligible to Work: OSFA, Student Employment provides Enrollment Requirement and Maximum Work Hours
  • International students may meet with the International Student and Scholarly Services (ISSS) Office prior to interviewing/accepting an hourly position to ensure they understand their Visa Types and their Limitations.
• Ending Undergraduate Hourly Positions: Dates determined by OSFA, but generally, if their last term of enrollment was in the Spring, they may continue to work their Undergraduate Hourly position until the first date the Fall Academic Year begins. Then must transition to another status (Graduate Hourly, Extra Help, or Academic Hourly).

A graduate hourly is a graduate student position working on an hourly basis for temporary special projects. The student must be registered in the Graduate College for the semesters of the appointment.

• Student Status: Active Graduate Student at the University Of Illinois Urbana Champaign
• Eligible to Start: Upon starting graduate level classes at the University Of Illinois Urbana Champaign, and Supervisor MUST receive automated approval email that the position has been approved through JOYCE.
• Ensure the position description accurately describing a Graduate Hourly position. For questions regarding this, please reach out to your Unit Head or AUL.
• Pay: Determined based on the job duties
  • The rate typically falls between the minimum wage and the GA/PGA hourly-equivalent rate.
  • Library HR maintains the Graduate Hourly Pay Rate Guidelines for University Library Supervisors to reference in determining an appropriate rate based on job duties
  • Not benefits eligible
• Hours Eligible to Work: Office of Student Financial Aid – Student Employment Enrollment Requirement and Maximum Work Hours
  • Recommended to confirm with the student that they have confirmed their eligibility to work the expected hours needed for the position.
    • All Graduate Students should be already aware of the Graduate College Handbook & Graduate Policies
    • International students may meet with the International Student and Scholarly Services (ISSS) Office prior to interviewing/accepting an hourly position to ensure they understand their Visa Types and their Limitations.
• Ending Graduate Hourly Positions: Upon Graduation or ceasing their studies, Graduate Hourly positions must end since their position is directly tied to their status as a graduate student. Once they are no longer in ‘student status’, their graduate hourly position must end. If you wish to continue to employ them in an hourly capacity past this time, you must submit a request to hire them in either an Academic Hourly or Extra Help capacity.

Academic Hourly employees hold temporary or intermittent academic professional positions and are paid on the basis of service hours provided. Hourly job for individuals NOT registered as a student at the University at any time during the duration of their position.

• Please review the Academic Hourly & Extra Help Recruitment page for more information on these employee classes and how to request them.
• Student Status: NOT registered as a student at the University Of Illinois Urbana Champaign
  • If at any time they register for classes, their Academic Hourly position must end PRIOR to them beginning any classes.
  • If you wish to continue their hourly employment, you will need to add an appropriate hourly position
• Pay: Determined based on the job duties
  • The rate typically falls between the minimum wage and the GA/PGA equivalent rate.
  • Typically academic hourly appointments will not be eligible for benefits, however, employees that work 30 hours a week or more may be eligible for limited health and leave benefits.

Extra Help employees are appointed to temporary civil service roles to fill intermittent or emergent needs and are paid on the basis of service hours provided. Hourly job for individuals NOT registered as a student at the University at any time during the duration of their position.

• Please review the Academic Hourly & Extra Help Recruitment page for more information on these employee classes and how to request them.
• Student Status: NOT registered as a student at the University Of Illinois Urbana Champaign
  • If at any time they register for classes, their Extra Help position must end PRIOR to them beginning any classes.
  • If you wish to continue their hourly employment, you will need to add an appropriate hourly position
• Pay: determined based on the Civil Service title, each title has a set pay rate
  • Typically extra help appointments will not be eligible for benefits, however, employees that work 30 hours a week or more may be eligible for limited health and leave benefits.
• 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.