Students can work remotely if approved for remote work by their employer and the hiring department.

Provost Duerk announced on August 8th that for those students enrolled in full online learning, only those students who had prior student positions (either in the spring or summer) may continue to work on-site, if cleared to return to campus, with the following provisions:

1. The student must not use or participate in any on-campus resources.  Students must affirm that they will not use resources for which they have not provided fees.
2. If the student is selected for random testing as an employee, they must participate.
3. Students are not to depart their work area.  They are to come to their job, perform it, and leave.

New students or students who did not have a prior student job and who have enrolled in full remote learning cannot work on-campus. However, these students can perform remote work.

Since departmental needs vary, specific guidelines cannot be provided; however, generally, supervisors should discuss expectations for remote work with student employees and outline an agreement in writing of the expected duties to be performed. Other factors to consider include how productivity and quality of work will be measured, expected frequency of interaction between the supervisor and the student employee, and a schedule of work hours.

Most students schedule between 10 and 20 hours a week for work. In order to maximize their academic performance, students are discouraged from working more than 20 hours per week during a period of enrollment. Students may not work during times they are scheduled to be in class. In cases of class cancellation, a student may work by providing reasonable evidence that the class has been cancelled. Employers are expected to be sensitive to students’ academic duties, in particular during periods of exams and school projects. Deviations from the established work schedule should be discussed in advance to ensure agreement by both the student and the supervisor.

If your student employees will be working remotely, they need to complete the Telecommute Agreement. The University of Miami continues providing a pre-tax COVID-19 Technology Work from Home stipend equal to $11 per week to support employees temporarily working from home. The stipend is designed to cover a reasonable portion of the cell phone and other technology expenses they may have incurred while working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Hourly paid student should clock-in/out as they normally would if working on-site (either using the Federal Work Study or Student Assistant time type. The Admin-Other time type is NOT to be used for students working remotely. Students cannot clock in/out during times they are schedule to be in class.

If you cannot employ all students remotely, employers should use their discretion in assigning remote opportunities adhering to established federal, state and local employment regulation practices.

If your student employees will not be working in your department at this time, it is necessary for you to END the job assignment in Workday.

While guidance from SEVP states that continuing international students who were working on campus in the Spring semester may continue their on-campus employment remotely if the on-campus employment opportunity transitioned to remote work, they may not start a new on-campus job remotely.

Please note: Payments made as compensation to international students who will remain abroad during Fall 2020 and engage in full remote learning may have tax implications for the University. Such payments would need to be reviewed by a local country tax expert to verify if any social dues or taxes would need to be paid by the University. Any and all tax inquiries have to go through the Controller’s Office Tax area and the costs will have to be borne by the unit.

New international students who are outside of the U.S. are not in F-1 or J-1 visa status should inquire with their on campus employer if remote work from outside the U.S. is possible.

Only international students who were working on campus in the Spring semester and their on-campus employment opportunity transitioned to remote work are eligible for remote work. Students may not start on-campus employment remotely if they are in the U.S. Per Immigration regulation, an international student may start on-campus employment, given they are in F-1 or in J-1 status with employment authorization from International Student and Scholar Services), are enrolled full-time, have an Social Security Number and work on campus, and not remotely.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recently extended the provision allowing employers to check employment eligibility documents remotely (video call or email) so there is no need at this time for the e-verifier to meet with the student in person to complete section 2 of the Form I-9.