Student Employment Year End Updates & Reminders

As we quickly move towards curtailment and the new year, Student Employment Services would like to share some important updates and reminders. 

Early Timesheet Deadlines for December Payroll:

Due to UC Merced's winter break, timesheets for biweekly compensated employees must be submitted earlier. 

Biweekly timesheets for the pay period that ends Saturday, Dec. 20^th is due by Monday, Dec. 15^th :

• Student employees will need to project work hours through the pay period ending Dec. 20^th. Any necessary adjustments will be processed in the following pay cycle.  

• Note to supervisors of biweekly paid employees: Timesheets must be approved by 10 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 16^th.  If an employee does not submit their timesheet, it is the supervisor’s responsibility to create and submit a timesheet on the employee’s behalf.

• If biweekly paid employees do not create and submit a timesheet by the deadline, the UCPath payroll system will not generate a paycheck in time for the Dec. 30^th, 2025, pay date. 

Helpful Links:

Payroll Calendars and Deadlines

Supervisor Instructions - How to update an employee’s timesheet

Roles & Responsibilities Matrix

MINIMUM WAGE

Effective 1/1/26 the new minimum wage in California will increase to $16.90.  The adjustment of any student earning less than the new minimum wage will be automatically increased effective 12/21/2025 in accordance with UC mandate. No action is needed by the department.  

Any adjustment above the new minimum rate will require the submission of a Student Rate Change request.

2026 UCM Student Assistant Pay Schedule

WINTER BREAK HOURS 

Students may work up to 40 hours starting December 20^th, 2025, and must return to the maximum 18-hour work week beginning January 19^th, 2026.  

GRADUATING STUDENTS

Students graduating in Fall 2025 may work until the day before Spring 2026 Instruction begins on (Tuesday, January 20, 2026). 

UC Merced Academic Calendars: https://registrar.ucmerced.edu/schedules/calendars

The department will need to submit a Student Separation request and the employee’s final timesheet once the graduating student has ended their employment with UC Merced.

Extension requests for jobs ending during the curtailment period must be received no later than December 5^th, 2025, to avoid auto termination during the break. Please review the UCPath Cognos Report R-103 to manage student records with upcoming end dates.  If you do not have access to these reports, please contact your CAO or designated Department/School representative. 

Note: Job extension and rate change may be submitted as a single request via the Student Rate Change and/or Job Extension form. 

STUDENT SEPARATIONS

A student worker who is no longer performing services (voluntarily or involuntarily) must have their UCPath record updated as soon as the employment relationship change is known. Please submit the Student Separation form and the employee’s final timesheet as soon as the separation is known. Exception:  If a student will return in spring, you may leave them active.

INTAKE/ONBOARDING

The intake process is facilitated on campus via appointment in room KL 122G (lobby of the Kolligian Library).  When a hiring manager submits the Student Intake Request, the student automatically receives a notification with instructions related to the intake process and how to schedule an appointment via Handshake.  

IMPORTANT:  Students may NOT begin performing services (or engage in mandatory or departmental training) until they have successfully completed all necessary hiring documents, and the hiring manager has received the “Clear to Work” notification from Student Employment Services. This notice is verification that the student has completed all necessary employment documents required by federal and state law(s). Failure to complete all applicable hiring documents prior to performing services may result in delay of pay to the employee and risk of fines and/or penalties to the employing department.  

DATA ACCURACY

Please ensure that the information submitted on webform requests accurately reflect the employee’s information.  We are seeing many forms that appear to contain auto filled information that may be the requestor’s information and not the employees.  To avoid unnecessary delays, please double check the form data before submitting.  If information is inaccurate, the submitter will be asked to complete the form again.  Please be particularly mindful of the employee’s previously established Employee ID number (NOT student ID number), position number (unless a new hire) and email address.  

UCPATH COGNOS REPORTS:

• UCPath Cognos Report R-103 - Auto termination. Utilize this report to manage student employment records with upcoming end dates. Student worker records are set to automatically end on the date listed in UCPath.  Auto terminations are considered involuntary and require all pay owed to be issued on the on the individual’s final day of work.  Please regularly review the UCPath Cognos Report R-103 to manage student records with upcoming end dates.
• UCPath Cognos Report R-272 - Employees Roster – Monitor student employment records related to job data: Employee ID, Job Effective Date, Position Number, Expected Job End Date, Job Code, Job Title, Department, Job Hourly Rate, Location, Cubicle etc. 
• UCPath Cognos Report R-120 - Active, No Pay 120 Days. Utilize this report to manage student employment records who have an active payroll record but have not been paid within the past 120 days. If the employee is no longer working for you, the department must submit a Student Separation form. 

To request access to UCPath & UCPath Cognos Reporting: User Access Provisioning Request

UCPath Cognos Report Job Aid

Access to information is based on user access and determined via consultation with FSS.  If a requestor or hiring manager does not have access to information, they will need to work with FSS to evaluate their access and/or work with someone in their department/division to obtain the required information.

PAYROLL DEADLINES 

Please be sure to regularly check our Deadlines & Calendars and submit requests timely.  Failure to submit actions by the deadlines indicated may result in a delay of pay to your employee.  

You have received this email because you have signed up to receive notices from Student Employment Services and/or you currently supervise student employees.  If you wish to no longer receive these messages, please go here to remove yourself from the distribution list. 

SES WEBSITE

Please visit the Student Employment Services website for updated information, tools and instructions related to on-campus student employment.  

Thank you for your continued partnership and support. 

Misconduct Disclosure Requirements

Modifications to UC Merced Student Employment Hiring Process: Under SB 791 and AB 810

What is SB 791 & AB 810?

Two new bills were signed into California state law that require applicants to disclose any final administrative or judicial decisions issued within the last seven years related to misconduct, including sexual harassment, as defined in the statute.

Who must comply with SB 791 & AB 810?

SB 791: All staff, including student employees.

AB 810: Athletic Head Coach, Athletic Assistant Coach, Athletic Trainer, Supervising Athletic Trainer roles, and Volunteers in the athletic department.

When does UC’s implementation of SB 791 & AB 810 take effect?

Effective December 1, 2024:

Notification of Employment Misconduct Disclosure will be required in Handshake Job Postings.

Effective January 1, 2025:

Final candidates for staff/student positions who accept a conditional offer of employment for any job posted for recruitment on or after December 1, 2024, will be required to complete an Employment Misconduct Disclosure prior to employment.