Paychecks, Benefits, and Other Important Stuff
A. Paychecks
There are 19.5 pay periods during the academic year. All Graduate Students are paid on a biweekly basis. If you do not have direct deposit, paychecks are usually available after 11:00 A.M. on Wednesday mornings designated as paydays. To view paystubs, go to http://www.hrss.umn.edu
Students accepted into the graduate program are appointed Assistantships for the period of time stated in his/her appointment letter. Assistantships are considered fifty percent (50%) appointments and, unless you receive a fellowship, you are expected to serve as a Teaching, Research or Administrative/Technical Assistant during the academic year. Appointments cannot exceed seventy-five percent (75%) or thirty (30) hours per week without special permission. No student can be paid for more than forty (40) hours per week.
There are several methods by which graduate students can be paid in addition to his/her regular appointment:
- If you perform work over-and-above your regular appointment for a stated "lump sum," the gross amount must be distributed so that the number of hours in any given pay period does not exceed sixty (60). This is because the University does not allow graduate students to be paid lump sums.
- Some graduate students work for faculty on specific projects or programs outside his/her teaching assistant appointment and are paid up to twenty-five percent (25%) in addition to his/her regular pay.
- If you augment your regular appointment by working for faculty as a Research Assistant on an hourly basis, you will be required to complete and turn-in a time card. Please contact the accountant for instructions relating to completing time cards.
The restrictions relating to appointments does not apply during the summer . You can work up to forty (40) hours per week (except foreign nationals). Contact Central Payroll (624-4585) regarding summer employment restrictions for foreign nationals. The total amount paid to graduate students teaching summer classes varies according to the number of credits. Summer appointments are, by default, without tuition benefit. If you intend to register for summer classes, be sure you notify the accountant so that you are appointed to a tuition-bearing payclass .
All questions relating to wages and appointments should be directed to the accountant. For questions relating to payroll deductions, contact Central Payroll at 624-4585. Questions relating to employment policies should be directed to the Graduate Student Employment office at 624-7070 or visit their website at: http://ww1.umn.edu/ohr/gao .
B. Registration Requirements
Graduate Students must be registered in order to be eligible for employment and benefits. This includes recipients of fellowships. There are no exceptions. Graduate students who have received their Ph.D. cannot be retained as a Research Associate/Fellow for more than one semester. If his/her appointment exceeds one semester, a "blanket search" must be conducted. This does not apply to Teaching Specialists, Instructors or Lecturers or Research Associates/Fellows being paid exclusively on sponsored accounts.
C. Visas and Social Security Numbers
Foreign nationals cannot be paid without the proper visa (F-1, J-1 or H-1) and social security number. You are responsible for renewing your visa. If your visa expires, all payments will be suspended until it is renewed. All foreign nationals who are new to the University are asked to bring their visa, passport and I94 card to the fifth floor of the West Bank Office Building. You will complete an I-9 form and directed to the nearest Social Security Office to complete a request for a social security number.
Wages and awards paid to foreign nationals are subject to federal withholding tax unless they are deemed exempt. In order to be exempt from federal withholding, there must be a treaty provision that exists between the United States and the individual's country of residence. Secondly, the individual must meet the treaty eligibility requirements for the particular treaty article being claimed. Third, the individual must possess a Social Security number or ITIN number. And fourth, the correct tax treaty exemption forms must be completed and submitted. Please ask the department accountant for a copy of, "Claiming Tax Treaty Benefits" or go to the following website and find the document listed in the section relating to paying foreign nationals: http://www1.umn.edu/ohr/payroll/employ.htm . Foreign nationals are also required to file a tax return at the end of the calendar year. You will receive a W-2 or 1042S statement from central payroll which will include payroll and tax information necessary to complete your return. For more information, refer to the following website: http://www.isss.umn.edu .
D. Overpayments and Underpayments
If an employee receives a paycheck he/she is not entitled to or is overpaid , notify the accountant immediately. Individuals will be held responsible for repaying the amount overpaid either through reductions in future earnings or with a personal check made payable to the "University of Minnesota." Conversely, if an employee has been underpaid or does not receive a paycheck at all, notify the accountant immediately. If the error is the fault of the accounting office, a contingent check will be issued. If the error is the fault of the employee, back-pay will be included on a subsequent paycheck.
E. Summer Stipends
Summer stipends are processed by the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid (624-1665) and disbursed by Central Payroll. Distribution of summer stipends usually occurs in the first part of June. If you have any outstanding fees which remain unpaid at the end of the academic year, the fees will be deducted from your stipend.
F. Change of Address
Please remember to notify the accounting office and Student Support Services Assistant of changes in your address , phone number, etc. You can make changes online at the University's website, but the department maintains a database containing information which is used to process reimbursements and other documents. If our information is not current, your checks and other information could be lost in the mail.
G. Benefits
Boynton Health Service is the health service provider for Graduate Students. If you have been employed by the department during the academic year, your health benefits extend throughout the summer. Please call the Graduate Assistant Insurance Office in Boynton at 625-6936 if you have any questions relating to health insurance. The department will pay your tuition as long as you are registered and maintain your employee status. If you register late, the University might bill you for tuition. You are not responsible for paying tuition, but you are responsible for any late fees .
H. Book orders
The Principal Secretary, Angeline Fugelso, needs to be notified as soon as possible regarding orders for course-related books. Please do not wait until the "last minute" to place book orders. The bookstore might not have the book in stock and it will have to be ordered from an outside vendor which will cause a significant delay.
I. Establishing your e-mail account
Be sure to contact the Computer Network Supervisor about establishing an email account for you if he/she has not already done so. The University produces several publications which are placed in your mailbox or available at newsstands located throughout the campus. However, most of the information relating to changes in University policies and notices regarding upcoming events are communicated through email.
There are four (4) bins located on the office door of the accounting office. They contain the various forms which should be used to acquire reimbursement for travel and other expenses. The fourth bin contains requisition forms for undergraduate research and teaching assistants. Please read these forms before you complete them to make sure the receipts represent allowable expenses . If you are unsure whether or not something is allowable, please contact the accountant. This will avoid any unpleasant surprises.