Records - Frequently Asked Questions

Employee/Staff
Employee/Academic
I-9s
Social Security
Employee Files

Employee/Staff

How many hours can students work?
The total number of hours per week should not exceed 20 hours. During the summer, winter, and spring break, a student can work up to 40 hours per week. Remember, their primary function is to go to school.
How many hours can foreign students work?
Foreign students can work a total of 20 hours per week.
What paperwork needs to be completed if I want to hire a student, but the student works in another department?
You should prepare a Personnel Action Form (PAF). Use the action/reason code of "HIR/CON."
What paperwork is needed to hire a temporary (5 months or less)?
Employee Onboarding Verification Form
Personnel Action Form (PAF)
Personal Data Form (PDF)
Appointment Notification Form
W-4 - Federal, State
City Earnings Tax Form
Direct Deposit Form
I-9 (Employment Eligibility Verification Form)
Who completes the new hire paperwork?
- For all posted positions, Human Resources completes the new hire paperwork.
- For student employees, the hiring department completes the new hire paperwork.
- For temporary (5 months or less) employees, the hiring department completes the new hire paperwork.
What paperwork needs to be completed for a newly hired employee or for an employee who is rehired?
Personnel Action Form (PAF)
Appointment Notification Form

NOTE: If any other information has changed, the corresponding paperwork must be completed. For example:

- If an address has changed, complete new Personal Data Form (PDF).
- If there has been a bank change, complete a new Direct Deposit Form.
- If the I-9 has expired, complete a new I-9 form.
Can employees be paid monthly and bi-weekly at the same time?
No. Employees must be paid either on a monthly or bi-weekly basis. Employees (and students) can work, both on a monthly and hourly basis at the same time, but the hourly part will be paid monthly.
I want to give an employee a raise. How much can I give?
No more than 10%. Anything over 10% must have the Chancellor's approval.
I have an employee who has finished a project. How do I remove them from WebTime?
A Turnaround needs to be prepared to terminate the employee. Make sure the Turnaround has the proper actions/reason code and effective date.
When an employee terminates, what date do I use as the effective date?
Always use the next day following the actual last day of duty. Example: if an employee's last day of work is 1/2/08 then use 1/3/08 as the effective date.
If an employee is working here and gets a promotion or a new position, what paperwork needs to be completed?
An Appointment Notification Form needs to be signed.
What if I am hiring a foreign student worker?
If you are hiring a foreign student, send the student with his/her employment packet to Sandra Crawshaw in International Studies. Sandy will complete Section 2 of the I-9 and help complete the W-4 and City Earnings Tax form and then send the packet back to the hiring department. Then the hiring department will send it to HR.
How do I know if a student is FICA Exempt?
A student should be listed as FICA Exempt on their PAF if they are enrolled at least half time here at UM-St. Louis. (NOTE: 6 credit hours Fall/Winter and 3 credit hours Summer) Some foreign internationals may also be FICA Exempt, which is determined by the international tax specialist, Sandra Crawshaw.
How do I obtain a Job Description ID?
Contact Patricia Camp in HR, ext. 6466.
Are graduate students eligible for a faculty/staff ID?
Yes. All employees are entitled to a ID card.
An employee has recently married. What forms does he/she need to complete and what do I need to do to get his/her name changed in the system?
The employee should complete a new W-4 form and give it to you. You should complete a PAF and forward both the W-4 and PAF to HR. If the employee's address has changed, a Change of Address form should also be completed.
Should I prepare any paperwork for an individual who will be housed on our campus, but is paid by another source?
Yes. A COURTESY PAF should be prepared, which will entitle the individual to an ID card. This will give him/her library privileges, use of University facilities, and a bookstore discount.
If an employee is currently working on one of our other University campuses and I must pay him/her, what do I need to do?
If the employee is part-time, you will need to prepare a Hire/Concurrent PAF; if full-time, then you should prepare an Additional Pay form. This form should be sent to HR which we will send to the appropriate campus.
An employee's name has a suffix, i.e. Jr., Sr., IV. How should it appear on the PAF?
Is should appear as follows: Doe Jr.,John Frank
If our department receives a request for verification of employment for one of our employees, should we complete it?
No. All verifications of employment should be forwarded to the HR office for completion.

Employee/Academic
How does a new faculty obtain an ID card?
An ID authorization form is issued at the request of the HR office upon receipt of the hiring paperwork from the department. In some cases, the ID is obtained by attending the new faculty orientation sessions presented by the Office of Academic Affairs.
Is there a salary scale or job specifications for academic titles?
There are no job specifications for academic titles. There is a part-time salary scale created by the Evening College for Lecturers and Adjunct faculty which is used as a guideline by most academic units.

I-9s
Who can complete the I-9 form?
Only the department designee trained by Human Resources can complete Section 2 of the I-9 form.
Do I keep a copy of the I-9 in my files?
No! Human Resources will keep these files.
Where are the documents kept?
Human Resources keeps all the original documents.
How long are the documents valid?
After three (3) years, the document expires and a new form must be completed.

However, if the employee is still active, he or she does not have to complete a new form. Only if the employee has been terminated does he or she need to complete a new form.
Who can sign the document?
The only person who can sign the form is the department designee who has been trained by Human Resources.
What should I be most careful about in completing the I-9?
You must be careful about turning in the form within three (3) days. If three days have already passed, submit the information to HR as soon as possible.
If a person checks "Permanent Resident Alien" on the I-9, what should I do?
If the person checks "Permanent Resident Alien," ask for his or her "Resident Alien" card (or "Green Card"). If the card has expired, contact Sandra Crawshaw.

Social Security
Why is the Social Security card needed for employment?
We are required by the Internal Revenue Service to make certain that each employee's name in our records match the name on his/her social security card.
What if the employee does not have a Social Security card?
Employees must have a Social Security card for the PAF. They can use a receipt from the Social Security office if they do not have their cards yet. If they apply for a Social Security card online, they will have to wait until they get their card, because they cannot use their online applications.
Do I need to send HR two copies of the Social Security card?
No, one copy of your Social Security card is sufficient.
What if the employee wants his or her name to be different than what is on the Social Security card?
Employment records are under the exact name that is on the Social Security card. If he or she wants the name to be different, he or she must go to the Social Security Office to make those changes.
What if the Social Security card has writing on the card or it looks different?
If the Social Security card looks different or if it has writing on it, make sure to contact Sandra Crawshaw.
What if the Social Security card is not signed?
In order for the Social Security card to be valid, it must be signed. Therefore, if it is not signed, have the person sign it.

Employee Files
What information is contained in my employee file?
As a staff member, your file contains your work history at UM-St. Louis, and biographical information including educational background and home and office addresses.

Academic files in Human Resources only contain payroll history.
Can I view my file?
Employee files are the property of the University. You may come to HR to see your file by contacting us at least 24 hours before you would like to come.