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CALS HR Guidance for Hiring Interns, Visiting Academics, and Volunteers

Guidance for Hiring Interns, Visiting Academics, and Volunteers [dated February 2023] [PDF]

Interns (Paid and Unpaid)

  • Internship programs are designed to allow qualified individuals (U.S. citizens/permanent residents or foreign nationals) to explore potential career interests, conduct research, and learn through activities that call upon and enhance their studies and/or relevant experiences.
  • If the individual is working within a laboratory/field environment, animals, or driving a vehicle on behalf of the University, they must be hired as an intern (paid or unpaid)
    • The department is responsible for ensuring the individual is registered and compliant with Fleet Services Policies - http://tiny.cc/Fleet_Services.
  • A paid intern is considered a temporary employee and is appointed through Workday and paid through the payroll system
    • The intern’s compensation must be commensurate with the work assignment
  • An unpaid intern is appointed through Workday and must meet the following criteria:
    • The individual benefits from the learning/experience gained through the internship
    • The individual does not displace regular employees, but works under the close observation of a regular employee
    • The individual is not necessarily entitled to a job after the training period
    • The employer and the individual must understand that the individual is not entitled to wages for the time spent as an unpaid intern
  • If there is a request for a stipend/living allowance, the department is responsible for working with the Business Service Center to process the stipend payment
    • The stipend request must first be approved by Human Resources (Laurie/Sharon)
    • The department is responsible for being familiar with the guidelines/requirements - http://tiny.cc/Living_Allowances.
    • HR Rep will let the department know once it has been approved.
  • Documents required to approve the hiring of an intern (paid and unpaid):
    • CV/Resume
    • Justification form
    • If there is a stipend/living allowance request, it must be included in the justification (including the following information based on the guidelines/requirements - http://tiny.cc/Living_Allowances).
    • Internship plan
      • Learning objective, how the individual will benefit from the learning/experience gained through the internship, and how it will be known the goals have been accomplished
      • Who will train, mentor, and coach the intern
      • Responsibilities and activities the intern will be performing
  • The department cannot send a letter of invitation until Human Resources has approved the internship; Human Resources will still draft the appointment letter.
  • Due to the time it will take to review requests for interns (paid and unpaid) and to ensure that the department is not at risk of receiving penalties from the Department of Labor, it will take Human Resources five business days to approve the request.
    • If the individual requires a visa/work authorization, the department needs to allow extra time to request approval from Human Resources.

 

Visiting Academics

  • Should be used for individuals with a Ph.D. and should strongly be considered for an appropriate academic title (comparable with experience and level) - http://tiny.cc/Visiting_Academics.
  • Visiting academics should have Department Chair approval.
  • There is hesitancy to pay the visitors fee, but using the internship title should not be used to avoid the payment; it does not align with the college’s policy (http://tiny.cc/CALS_Visiting_Fee_Policy).
  • If there is a request for a stipend/living allowance, the department is responsible for working with the Business Service Center to process the stipend payment
    • The stipend request must first be approved by Human Resources (Laurie/Sharon)
    • The department is responsible for being familiar with the guidelines/requirements - http://tiny.cc/Living_Allowances.
    • HR Rep will let the department know once it has been approved.
  • Documents required to approve the hiring of a visiting academic:
    • CV/Resume
    • Justification form
      • Summary of work being performed
    • If there is a stipend/living allowance request, it must be included in the justification (including the following information based on the guidelines/requirements - http://tiny.cc/Living_Allowances).

 

Volunteers