New Hires - Start Here
Contact
Student Employment Labor Relations Partner, Joelle Pulver.
Onboarding & Orientation
All new Student Workers are required to complete required paperwork and training. It is also highly recommended that each new Student Worker attends new hire orientation.
Required Paperwork
- Employment eligibility verification (Form I-9)
- Tax forms
- Direct deposit enrollment, if applicable
- Departmental paperwork – Appointment Notification, etc.
- Visit the HR Onboarding Resources page for more information.
Orientation
Student Workers are eligible to attend one paid New Student Worker Orientation session.
HR holds regularly scheduled orientations that include breakout sessions with WAWU-UAW Local 4929 representatives.
- In-person staff meeting, scheduled by the department
- Via HR in-person or virtual sessions, scheduled by the Student Worker: New Hire Orientation Scheduling - Student Worker
Required Training
Student Workers are required to complete specific training as part of their employment. A full list of training required will be provided to the employee as part of the Appointment Notification letter.
Civil Rights and Title IX Compliance (CRTC) Training
Pay Rates
Per the 2026-28 WWU-WAWU/UAW 4929 CBA, rates for most hourly and salary Student Workers increase by 2% effective September 16, 2026. Here’s how this will be implemented:
Undergraduate/Hourly
| Job Level | 9/16/26 Minimum Hourly |
| 1 | $20.19 |
| 2 | $21.72 |
| 3 | $23.25 |
*Graduate students are able to accept roles designated as Undergraduate/Hourly. If in full-appointment assistantships with the Grad School, they must get approval to accept an additional position.
Longevity Increase
Information coming soon!
Student Worker Benefits
Paid Leave
Among other types of leave, WWU offers Student Workers paid sick leave and paid bereavement leave. Please review the WWU-WAWU CBA for more details.
Paid Health Insurance (Graduate Assistants Only)
Graduate Student Workers in salaried positions of at least 0.25 FTE receive 100% premium coverage for the University-sponsored student health insurance plan during the term of their appointment, if they elect coverage. Eligible Graduate Student Workers may, at their own expense, add dependent coverage or additional insurance offerings.
For more information, please refer to the WWU-WAWU CBA.
Unemployment Benefit Exception
Student employment is exempt from unemployment benefits.
Please refer to #7 RCW 50.44.040, which states:
(7) In the employ of a school, college, or university, if such service is performed (a) by a student who is enrolled and is regularly attending classes at such school, college, or university, or (b) by the spouse of such a student, if such spouse is advised, at the time such spouse commences to perform such service, that (i) the employment of such spouse to perform such service is provided under a program to provide financial assistance to such student by such school, college, or university, and (ii) such employment will not be covered by any program of unemployment insurance; or