Student Employment

Maximum Work Hours

Student employment should not interfere with students' educational goals. Students are not permitted to work during their scheduled classes or examinations. Students are not to work more than 20 hours per week when classes are in session. A normal work week is 10 to 20 hours per week. Students are permitted to work multiple jobs, but the total number of hours from all jobs are not to exceed these limits.

  • International students may not work more than 20 hours per week during Fall and Spring semesters when classes are in session. International students may not work more than 28 hours per week when classes are not in session during Fall and Spring semesters. International students can work up to 28 hours per week during the Summer semester, if enrolled for less than six (6) hours during the current summer session. International Students who are registered for six (6) or more hours during the Summer semester may not work more than 20 hours per week.
  • All other students are not to work more than 20 hours per week when classes are in session and not more than 28 hours per week during breaks when classes are not in session.
  • Both student employees and supervisors should ensure that the student employee never exceeds the maximum work hours per week from all jobs worked at Western Illinois University.
  • Employees are expected to inform their supervisor(s) if they will exceed the maximum work hours per week limit. Every effort should be made to inform supervisor(s) before going over the limit so that adjustments can be made to keep the hours under the maximum work hours per week.
  • Student Employment monitors maximum work hours and will notify the employee and supervisor if the maximum number of hours allowed to work are exceeded.
  • The first violation will result in a warning notice; the second violation will result in termination of the student work authorization(s) for the current semester or break period; the third violation will result in termination of the student work authorization(s) with ineligibility for student employment for a year.
  • If the hours reported are incorrect, please contact the supervisor. The supervisor must verify that the hours were misreported and provide documentation via email to Student Employment.
  • Students will need to contact Student Employment regarding re-eligibility for student employment due to termination for maximum hours violation.
  • Student employees are covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and must receive overtime pay if they work in excess of 40 hours per week. FSLA does not require overtime pay for work on Saturdays, Sundays, holidays, or regular days of rest, nor does it require extra pay for night or weekend work. More information is available at: http://www.dol.gov/dol/topic/wages/overtimepay.htm. Federal Work-Study funds will not be utilized to pay overtime.