2023-2024 Processing Notes

This page provides important news and notes for employers for the 2023-2024 academic year. We encourage you to read the entire page but you can also select specific sections by clicking the links below. 

This update covers:

• Important Dates
• Advertising Student Employment Jobs
• Completing Form I-9
• Working Remotely
• View Federal Work Study Eligibility
• Reporting Social Security Numbers

Important Dates

Advertising Student Employment Job Openings

To advertise job opportunities for Cornell students, please utilize Workday.  To learn more about Workday for student employment and to register for training, visit Working at Cornell.

Completing Form I-9

The Department of Homeland Security requires that all new employees complete the Form I-9 within 72 hours of the first day of work.  Section 1 of the Form I-9 will appear in the student employee's Workday inbox upon hire, as part of the onboarding process.  The student will complete Section 1 on their own, as soon as it becomes available.  Students should then contact their hiring representative to complete the remainder of the Form I-9 in person.

The student is required to present their original, unexpired document certifying their identity and document that establishes employment authorization within the U.S.  A list of acceptable documents can be found on the USCIS Form I-9 Acceptable Documents site.  The hiring representative will complete the Form I-9 and submit it for final U.S. employment authorization.

If the Form I-9 has not been completed and submitted for final U.S. employment authorization within the first 72 hours of the student's first date of work, the student will need to stop working and be placed on leave until it can be completed.  Failure to complete the I-9 will result in the student's termination.

Working Remotely

Remote workers must continue to demonstrate professionalism and comply with University policies.  If you will offer remote positions, please be sure to consider and document the following information when employing students to work remotely:

• Start and end dates for remote work;
• Best contact number for students during anticipated work hours;
• Number of hours planned per week;
• What form and frequency of interaction will occur between the supervisor and the student employee;
• What work is to be completed; and
• How productivity and quality of work will be measured.

Working remotely outside the United States is generally not permitted.  Please note that some options will require prior approval by the Department Chair or Dean.  Please reach out to your HR Contact if you have questions or need additional information.

Please also be sure your student employees have their correct address listed in Workday so the student employment position meets all federal/state/local tax and labor laws associated with where the student is physically located while working.  The work address should be listed as the state of New York. If you have any questions regarding tax implications, please contact the Cornell Tax Office.

View Student Federal Work Study Eligibility 

Federal Work Study (FWS) eligibility can be viewed via the CU SES Eligibility Inquiry page in PeopleSoft.  Appropriate view access is required.  To request access, please submit a Student Data Access request.

• Once the information on top is filled out and the staff NetID needing access is entered, scroll down to “Student Employment Document” (at the bottom), and select “yes”  for the SE Eligibility Inquiry. 
  • This request will route to be approved by the staff’s department.
  • If a valid Cynergy Confidentiality Agreement Form is not on file, one will need to be completed by the staff gaining access.
• Once approved, this will allow the staff to view the FWS balances and International Student I-9 expiration dates in PeopleSoft (for paper forms completed prior to 08/01/2019).

PLEASE NOTE: Federal Work Study eligibility will not appear unless the student has actively accepted their FWS award via their Student Center.

Reporting Social Security Numbers

Social Security numbers (SSNs) are required for all employees (citizens and noncitizens) working in the United States.  SSNs are used to report a person’s wages to the government for tax purposes and to determine a person’s eligibility for Social Security benefits.  The Cornell Payroll office requires this information in order to process tax documents in compliance with legal requirements for all employees.

When hiring student employees or completing the I-9 Employment Verification Form, please remind these individuals to confirm with the Office of the University Registrar if they need to provide documentation of their Social Security number.

PLEASE NOTE: SSNs are not required on the I-9 Employment Verification Form, nor are they required to begin working.  They are, however, required once the student has begun working.  Please direct international student employes to International Services in the Office of Global Learning for guidance on applying for an SSN.