Student Employment Policies

4.00.00 Absences/Time Off
Student Employees are not eligible for vacation and holiday pay. However, students may request time off for vacation, public holidays, and institutional breaks. It is up to the supervisor to insure that the department is adequately staffed to handle customer/client service when approving time off. Therefore, students should never assume that requests for time off will be granted. It is always a good idea to make requests well in advance to allow for alternative arrangements to be made. Student employees should always be on time and ready to work each time that they have been scheduled to work. Should a required event arise that conflicts with their established work schedule, they should discuss this and make arrangements with their supervisor at least two days prior to the planned absence. Lack of preparation by the student may result in denial of requests for time off by the supervisor. Also, students should be sure that they will be able to fulfill their responsibilities when considering whether to request time off. Employees who are unable to fulfill the requirements of their position due to excessive time off will be subject to disciplinary action up to and including termination.

4.05.00 Breaks
Federal and State laws regulate how the student’s work day should be arranged when he or she has worked a certain number of hours. The following three breaks are a list of the different periods and when each of them should be taken according to the hours the student works.

4.05.05 Paid
Students are allowed a paid rest period of fifteen minutes for each four-hour work period. Rest periods may not be skipped or accumulated to reduce time from regular hours of work in order to leave work early.

4.05.10 Un-Paid
Also, a half-hour, un-paid meal break must be taken in any work period over five hours. This break should only be skipped in an instance of extreme need by the department. Also, the break doesn’t apply to a student who works his or her five or more hours during two different times of the day, i.e. 2.5 hours in the morning and then 2.5 hours in the evening.

4.05.15 Lunch
Student employees with a routine schedule of 30 minute meal periods have the voluntary option, subject to the approval of their supervisor, of extending the lunch period to one hour provided they postpone their normal break times and add them to (or stack them to) their lunch period.

4.10.00 Employee Sharking
It is desirable that student employees work for the same department for the duration of the school year. This avoids the loss of investment in training that results when a student quits. Departments should not try to recruit employees who are currently employed with other departments without first consulting with the employees’ supervisors. Students may transfer between departments with the consent of their supervisor or at the beginning of the fall semester.

4.15.00 Overtime
While supervisors are encouraged to schedule their student employees so as to avoid overtime and its additional cost, student employees will be paid overtime for all hours worked that exceed 40 hours in any work week (Sunday through Saturday) or more then 8 hours in any day. Overtime hours will be paid at 1.5 times the student’s hourly wage.
Calculating Overtime for Different Wage Rates
If a student works overtime hours for a period in which he worked two jobs at two different rates, the Weighted Average Method will be used to calculate the overtime rate. Essentially, the total wages earned under both rates will be added and this total will be divided by the total number of hours. This rate will be multiplied by 1.5 to determine the overtime rate.

4.20.00 Personnel Files
A Personnel file is kept by the OSE on every student employee and contains the application, pre-employment material, all major documentation concerning the student's employment record, position information, wage information, benefits documentation, performance evaluations, and documentation of warnings or disciplinary action.

An up-to-date personnel file is important for the student and TMC with regard to pay, deductions, benefits and other matters. Any change in the following items should be reported immediately to the OSE:

Legal name
Address and telephone number (local and permanent)
Emergency contact
Marital status or number of dependents
Driving record and status of driver’s license (if your work requires operation of a motor vehicle)
Military or draft status
Exemptions on your W-4 tax form
Any change in immigration status

Students may view the contents of their personnel file under the supervision of an OSE staff member one time per year.

4.25.00 Raises
Performance based raises may be given by the supervisor at any time, but must remain within the wage range as determined by the classification level of that position. Departments who would like to give raises should submit a Student Employee Wage Change Form to the OSE. These forms are available in the OSE.

4.30.00 Sick Leave
Sick leave benefits are not extended to students. However, it is not intended that student employees lose their jobs because of reasonable absences associated with illness. In the event of illness, the student employee should notify his supervisor as early as possible on each day of absence. Failure to notify a supervisor prior to missing work may result in disciplinary action.

4.35.00 Summer/Winter Employment
Summer

To be eligible for employment in a temporary summer student position, the full-time student must be enrolled as a TMC traditional undergraduate student in the current semester and intend to enroll in TMC & S classes in the subsequent fall semester. The fall semester enrollment must be in the Bible Institute Program, traditional undergraduate classes, MABC, or Seminary classes.

Eligible students interested in working for TMC during the summer may apply at the OSE once summer positions are posted. Positions are traditionally posted in early April. The number and type of positions available are limited by departmental budgets

While hiring for the summer is not limited to Work Study students, departments should be aware that non-Work Study students will not be allowed to continue working beyond the end of the summer semester. Department heads are responsible for ensuring that adequate budget is available to fund necessary summer employment positions.

Winter

In some cases students may be needed to work over the short period of Winter Break. Available jobs will be posted on the OSE Job Board found on the OSE Web-site.

4.40.00 Work Related Injuries
The Master’s College provides worker’s compensation insurance at no cost to student employees regardless of whether they work on-campus or as part of the off-campus Work Study Program. This provides comprehensive coverage to all student employees for injury or illness sustained in the course of employment requiring medical, surgical, or hospital treatment. Subject to applicable legal requirements, workers’ compensation insurance provides benefits after a short waiting period, or, if the employee is hospitalized, immediately.

Students who are injured while working should immediately report to their supervisor so necessary care can be arranged. No matter how minor an on-the-job injury may appear, it is important that it be reported immediately. This will enable an eligible employee to qualify for coverage as quickly as possible. Student employees are required to sign a statement indicating that they are aware of their right to worker’s compensation benefits and understand the procedures for reporting injuries.

4.45.00 Discipline and Restoration
Purpose

The Master’s College is committed to equipping its students spiritually, academically, and professionally. The Student Employment Program is a part of that process. A key objective of the program as a whole and of the disciplinary procedures described below is to assist student employees in developing an excellent work ethic, which brings glory to God. So, as we approach the discipline of a student employee, we must keep in mind that our goal is to see that student grow both spiritually and in the ability to contribute to the operations and testimony of the college.

Policy

Supervisors are expected to communicate clearly what their student employees’ responsibilities are within the department. Student employees are expected to know, understand, and fulfill those responsibilities. If student employees at any time do not fully grasp their responsibilities, they are expected to ask their supervisor for clarification. Supervisors are to make themselves reasonably available to answer such inquiries. One way that the college has designed to accomplish this is the Serving with Direction Form. The use of these forms is discussed in 5.45.00.

It is the responsibility of the supervisor to promptly advise employees when they are not meeting their responsibilities. This may be done on either an informal basis or through formal action. When a supervisor determines that formal disciplinary action is required, he or she should follow the progressive steps listed below to create within employees a desire to change a behavior, work ethic, standard, or attitude. However, if an infraction results that a supervisor believes requires that some or all initial steps be bypassed, the Director of Student Employment should be consulted.

Consistent with our belief that Scripture is sufficient for every aspect of life, these procedures follow the biblical model of confrontation and restoration as delineated in Matthew 18. The goal of this process must be like Paul’s as he urged the Galatians to seek restoration in Galatians 6.

4.45.05 Informal Discussion
Supervisor presents the problem to the student in an informal discussion.

Presents the perceived problem and allows the employee an opportunity to give an explanation or reason for the problem.
Discusses the reasons given by the student and tries to give the employee an opportunity to give a solution and plan of action to correct the problem
Determines if the solution postulated by the employee is sufficient. If it is not, gives different or additional solutions to be carried out.
Ends the meeting on a positive tone.
Calls Manager of Student Employment to keep him informed of the concerns about the student.

4.45.10 Formal Verbal Warning
Student is given a formal verbal warning.

If the problem is not sufficiently dealt with within a reasonable amount of time, or the Manager of Student Employment feels the infraction is serious enough, a formal verbal warning is given.
Informs the student that this is a formal verbal warning and that corrective action must be taken immediately
Reminds the student what specific corrective action is expected.
Documents the event on a Performance Improvement form.*
5)Sends the original form to the Office of Student Employment (OSE) for the student’s personnel file. The supervisor may keep a copy for their records and upon request, give a copy to the student.

4.45.15 Formal Written Warning
Student is given a formal written warning.

If the student does not respond to the verbal warning in a reasonable amount of time, or if the Director of Student Employment, in conjunction with the Vice President for Advancement, feels the infraction is serious enough, a written warning will be issued to the employee.
The problem and expected solution will be presented to the employee in a written form. The written warning will be prepared by the OSE based upon one or more of the following:

A meeting between the supervisor and an OSE staff member; and/or
Notes prepared by the supervisor.

The employee should be given the written warning by the supervisor with an OSE staff member present.
The employee is told that the problem is serious and must be immediately rectified.
The employee must sign the written warning, acknowledging receipt and understanding of the warning; the supervisor will also sign it acknowledging that he or she has communicated it to the employee.
A copy of the written warning will be placed in the student’s personnel file.

4.45.20 Final Written Warning
Employee is given a final written warning.

If the problem has not been properly acted upon by the employee in a reasonable amount of time, or the Manager of Student Employment feels the infraction is serious enough, a final written warning is given.
The final written warning will be prepared by the OSE.
The final written warning should be given to the student by the supervisor with the Manager of Student Employment present.
The student employee will be informed that failure to immediately rectify the problem will result in termination of employment.
The student employee will be told that this step is essentially the second step of church discipline, as delineated in Matthew 18: 15-17.
The employee must sign the written warning, acknowledging receipt and understanding of the warning; the supervisor will also sign it, acknowledging that he or she has communicated it to the employee.
A copy of the final written warning will be placed in the student’s personnel file.

4.45.25 Termination
Termination

This is the final step and is the most severe. It is taken when the other steps have failed to solve the problem, or if the Manager of Student Employment considers the infraction to be serious enough.
The termination must first be discussed between the supervisor and the Manager of Student Employment.
The evidence and information regarding the individual will be assessed and they will as a group determine if termination is proper.
If termination is deemed proper, a meeting between the student, the supervisor, and a member of the OSE staff will be held.
The student will be told of the termination at the beginning of the meeting and will then be given the reasons for the termination.
Documentation of the termination will be placed in the student’s personnel file.
The student employee will not be allowed to work for The Master’s College in any capacity, except in cases of successful appeal or restoration as outlined below.

4.45.30 Appeals
The employee has the right to appeal any of the steps of discipline. Such appeals must be within the guidelines set forth below. Any attempts to appeal to other officers or employees of The Master’s College will not be recognized.

The student must submit a Letter of Appeal to the Office of Student Employment, to give reasons for his actions or attitudes, as well as steps taken toward reconciliation and repentance, and how the student has demonstrated change.*
The Office of Student Employment, in conjunction with HR and Student Life, will review the Letter of Appeal, consulting, if necessary, with the student’s former supervisor (who initiated the discipline process) and any individuals involved in counseling the student, to make a final, binding decision.*
The results of this decision will be documented in memorandum form which will be prepared by the OSE.

The memorandum should summarize the decision and the reasons for the decision.

One copy will be given to the student.

If the appeal is denied, a copy of the memorandum will be placed in the student employee’s personnel file.

If the appeal is approved, a copy of the memo is not placed in the student employee’s personnel file and any documentation concerning the step which was successfully appealed is removed from the file and destroyed.

* Revised July 2010

4.45.35 Restoration
A student who has been terminated and denied appeal according to the procedures outlined above will no longer be eligible for employment at The Master’s College. However, a student may have this eligibility restored if all of the following conditions exist:

An entire semester has passed since the termination.
The student still qualifies for Student Employment under the guidelines set by the Office of Financial Aid.
The student has exhibited repentance in the areas which led to termination.
The student’s Resident Assistant and Resident Director recommend that the student be restored and can give testament to the consistent growth in the student’s life over a period of at least three months.
A faculty or staff member with hiring authority, available budget, and full knowledge of the details concerning the termination and subsequent growth in the student’s life is willing to hire and serve as a mentor for that student.

4.50.00 Student Responsibilities
When accepting a position at The Master’s College, the student employee is making a serious commitment. During employment, mutual investment takes place from the student employee to his supervisor, and from the supervisor to his student employee. College students who work and study will find the quality of their education has been enhanced by this experience.

The student employee is responsible for and is expected to abide by the instruction that is communicated to each student at the Orientation Session (or in an entrance interview) at the beginning of the semester. Furthermore, the student employee is responsible for and is expected to abide by all the material written in this Student Employment Handbook. Above all, the student employees should bear in mind that it is none other than God Himself whom they are serving in the service of others.

Certain other responsibilities of the student employee include, but are not limited to, the following:

Abiding by the Student Handbook prepared by the Office of Student Life
Self-evaluating current skills
Having a willingness to learn
Being self-motivated
Developing leadership skills
Observing confidentiality with work-related information
Responding in a due manner to communication from the Office of Student Employment in whatever form it comes (e.g., written, verbal, e-mail)
Establishing and maintaining a regular work schedule
Notifying the supervisor before missing any scheduled work time
Submitting time cards within the deadlines set by the Office of Student Employment