ORSP Human Resources

During the San Francisco City and County “Shelter-In-Place” order, PI may hire new student employee and continue current student employee appointments to perform work using remote modalities. All Student Employees performing work remotely are required to complete Temporary Telecommuting Agreements. For more information regarding student employment during COVID-19 event. If you have specific concerns, the ORSP team is committed to supporting PIs and grant-funded employees during this time, so please feel free to reach out if you have questions and/or need help (ORSP staff directory).

Title: Hiring Student

1. Hiring an Undergrad Student
   a. Hire as a Student Assistant
   b. PI Completes Online Student Assistant Hire Request form
2. Hiring a Grad Student
   a. Does the Graduate Student meet Graduate Student Eligibility?
   b. yes - Hire as Graduate Assistant - PI Completes the Online Graduate Assistant Hire Request form
   c. no - Hire as a Student Assistant - PI Completes the Online Student Assistant Hire Request form

PI/ Supervisor MUST read Graduate Assistant Eligibility before 

Graduate Assistant Hiring Form

Student Assistant Hiring Form

Student Assistant Reporting Time Guide

The following should be taken into consideration if you want to hire a Student Assistant on your project:

• Student Assistants must be enrolled at SF State at least half (50%) time
• Student Assistant positions are not Work Study positions
• Student Assistant positions cannot extend past the employee's graduation date
• Student Assistants (except Bridge Student Assistants, see below) can work no more than 20 hours per week (on average)

There are 4 types of Student Assistants:

• Regular Student Assistants: duties typically include clerical, technical, custodial, labor, or lab/research work
• International Student Assistants: duties are the same as above, but the student is studying at SF State on a non-immigrant visa (F-1/J-1 visa)
• Bridge Student Assistants: duties are the same as above, but the student may temporarily work more than 20 hours per week (e.g. during winter break). Bridge Student Assistants can also work over the summer if not enrolled for classes, but must go back to school in the fall. Let your ORSP HR Specialist know if you will be hiring a Bridge Student Assistant
• Instructional Student Assistants: duties typically include tutoring, grading, and/or teaching work

Procedure:

The PI first completes the online Student Assistant & Instructional Student Assistant Hiring Request form. Upon completion of the Student Assistant & Instructional Student Assistant Hiring Request form, the Student Assistant must complete the I-9 verification process with Division of Student Life & Dean of Students under Student Affairs & Enrollment Management. 

Student Employment Toolkit

Then the Student Assistant will need to complete the hiring packet with ORSP. Once the student assistant has completed the I-9 process, and hiring paperwork, the Student Assistant may begin working on the project, and report hours worked online via SF State Gateway system in order to get paid.

Notes:

• Students and Postdoctoral researchers being paid from NSF funds must complete CITI training and submit a Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) Training Certification Form (THIS IS A FORM) before time of hire. More information on Responsible Conduct of Research
• Students must report hours worked via SF State Gateway system, and requires PI/Supervisor approval by the HR First-Level Approver deadline in order to be paid on time
• Students are paid on the 15th of each month
• International SAs must contact the Internal Audit Office for information on Nonresident Alien Taxation and to complete the associated paperwork prior to being hired
• Average hours/mo for S/A=80 hours/mo ; Feb-Dec= approx. = 640 hrs
  Average hours/mo for Bridge S/A=160hrs/mo; Jan; June-Aug=640 hrs
  Total hours per calendar year; approx.. 1280 hrs/yr

Financial Aid Office's Student Assistant website

Internal Audit's Nonresident Alien Taxation website

• PIs should ensure that all employees (salaried & hourly staff) submit monthly Absences into the Absence Management system in a timely manner, verifying and approving that sick and vacation leave is accurately reported.
• When employees claim vacation leave, this is a credit to the grant
• If Absences are not reported in Absence Management in a timely manner, HR/Payroll would not be able to update the employee’s accrual in the system.
• In addition, if Absences are not submitted in Absence Management in a timely manner, or leave time is not accurately reported, an inaccurate financial statement may be submitted to the funder.
• Sick and vacation leave time must be used and reported by grant-funded employees according to the provisions of University policy and applicable collective bargaining agreements.
• To report/submit sick and vacation leave time, please login to Gateway SFSU, and click on HR Self Service

Payroll paychecks should be picked up from the ORSP Office (ADM 471) within 5 days of pay day. If paychecks are not picked up within 5 days, ORSP returns them to the Disbursement Office. 

The State Controller’s Office (SCO) is no longer printing direct deposit advices for all employees on campus. Employees may access their earnings and deductions electronically through Cal Employee Connect (CEC). This tool will allow employees to view and print their earnings statements and W-2’s, along with personal information. 
 

Please visit this link to register in Cal Employee Connect: CAL Employee Connect
 

For more information on payday schedule and deadlines, please refer to the payroll calendar below:

• Hourly Staff and Student Payroll calendar 2021
• Staff and Faculty Calendar 2021

Contact your Grant Administrator and Grant Human Resource Administrator/ Specialist immediately if you are planning on making a time base change for grant-funded staff (either increasing or decreasing time bases).  It is important to provide ORSP advance notice prior to the effective date of the time base change to the staff appointment.

Contact your Grant Administrator and Grant Human Resource Administrator/ Specialist to discuss employee separations (resignations and separations). Please provide ORSP with timely information about employee separations so the University can comply with federal and state labor laws governing final pay checks, vacation pay out (if any) and benefits information (COBRA).

• Separation at the end of the employee's stated appointment period: If the employee will not be reappointed, contact your Grant Human Resource Administrator/ Specialist 30 days prior to the end date of their appointment. ORSP will inform the employee in writing of clearance procedures and provide information about benefits and final pay. Here is the link to submit SF State Clearance Request SF State Clearance Request. 
• Separation before the stated end date of the employee's appointment period: If the separation will occur before the stated end date of the appointment period, contact your Grant Human Resource Administrator/ Specialist. PIs must submit requests in writing, including a justification for the action. HR will notify the employee in writing as specified by the applicable collective bargaining agreement.
• Voluntary Resignation: Contact your Grant Human Resource Administrator/ Specialist when any employee on your project(s) resigns. If their resignation allows at least 72 hours of notice, SF State must have the final paycheck and vacation pay off available on the final day of employment.

ORSP can best serve you if we have your most current information on file. Please check your personal information annually. If any of your personal information changes at any time, update as necessary by following these steps:

1. Access the portal by signing in at SF State's Login Page
2. Click on SF State Gateway / MySFSU
3. Find the Employee Services>HR Self Service>Launch HR Self Service> 
4. Choose menu item My Personal Information

Information that can be updated via self-service includes:

• Change Name (Preferred)
• Change Home/Mailing Address
• Change phone number(s)
• Change Emergency Contact(s)
• Change email address

A special consultant:

• Is an individual hired as an SF State employee to work under general direction to complete a professional assignment requiring the consultant's particular knowledge, ability or expertise
• Is paid based on a daily rate (SF State minimum $91/day, maximum $1,214/day; refer to the CSU Salary Schedule, Class Code 4660)
• Is appointed when no other appropriate CSU classification is available

Information on Special Consultants is taken from SF State's Special Consultant-Independent Contractor Hiring Procedures Practice Directive 156.

If you are confident that you will need to hire a Special Consultant on your project, complete the Appointment of Special Consultant form. On this form you will provide a brief description of the work they will be hired to do in order to confirm that you will, in fact, need a Special Consultant. Submit the completed form to your HR Grant Administrator/Specialist in ORSP.

Once the position has been confirmed as requiring a Special Consultant, the Special Consultant you want to hire should contact the HR Grant Administrator/Specialist for your project to schedule an appointment to visit the ORSP office and complete all required paperwork. During this appointment with the Special Consultant, the HR Grant Administrator/Specialist will review all paperwork and explain how to complete the Special Consultant time sheet report; the Special Consultant will submit all forms to the HR Grant Administrator/Specialist during this meeting.

As soon as hiring paperwork for Special Consultants is processed, they are entered in the HR system, and should begin to submit their timesheets to the PI on the project. The PI reviews for accuracy, signs where required, and returns to the ORSP for processing.

Special Consultant-Independent Contractor Hiring Procedures Practice Directive 156

Appointment of Special Consultant form

Special Consultant Time Sheet Report:

Research Fellows:

• Are temporary appointments typically lasting 1-3 years
• Have already earned a Ph.D.
• Work under the mentorship of a PI or administrator
• Perform a variety of work in support of a research project or scholarly activity

How to hire a Research Fellow:

• Research Fellow (Postdoctoral) appointments are not governed by collective bargaining and do not require formal recruiting procedures. The Research Fellow classification is used to appoint:
  - Faculty during intersession periods on sponsored project accounts, and
  - Postdoctoral researchers.
• If recruitment is necessary, the PI should contact an ORSP HR Specialist. A brief paragraph for the recruitment advertisement must be reviewed and approved by the HR Manager.
• The PI must submit the following to the HR Specialist prior to hiring the Research Fellow:
  - All resumes received during the open recruitment period for the position
  - A completed Recommendation for Research Fellow Appointment form that includes the project number from which the Research Fellow will be paid, time base, compensation rate, and appointment dates
• The HR Manager reviews and approves the Recommendation for Research Fellow Appointment form
• The Research Fellow candidate schedules an appointment with an HR Specialist and completes all hiring documents and the hiring document's Form
• The Research Fellow candidate must schedule an appointment with Marilyn Jackson in the Office of International Programs on the first day of arrival in the U.S if a visa is required
• Research Fellow completes and submits monthly Absence and Additional Time Worked Report (STD Form 634) in a timely manner, paying attention to deadlines
• Research Fellows are paid on the 1st of each month

Note:

• Please contact an ORSP HR Specialist if you have any questions.
• Once you know you want to hire a non-US citizen to work as an international Research Fellow on your project, contact the ORSP HR Manager to arrange for the appropriate visa. This may take several months, so please begin the process as early as possible.
• If recruitment is needed, the PI submits the appropriate documents to ORSP at least 2 weeks prior to publishing the position opening
• There are 2 types of Research Fellows: Postdoctoral Researchers and Postdoctoral Scholars

In order to find more information go to Human Resources Forms & Policies page. Under the Payroll section, click on the Absence and Time Reporting to access the PDFs.

Recommendation for Research Fellow Appointment

Research Fellow Application

An independent contractor:

• Is not a current CSU or State employee
• Is not hired as an SF State employee
• Has a distinct occupation, profession, business, or trade that is not regularly a part of University business
• Agrees to complete a specific piece of work for an agreed upon fee
• Also provides services to non-University clients
• Supplies his/her own tools, materials and work space

Independent Contractors should be included in proposal budgets, and are therefore approved by the agency via the budget in the award notification. If such an arrangement was not pre-approved by the funding agency, check with your GA to find out if it can be added later.

In all cases, you must contact your GA to determine if the Independent Contractor hiring process is appropriate for your project. You must do this prior to making arrangements for a potential Independent Contractor to work on your project.

PIs should know who they want to hire as an Independent Contractor to work on the project. The PI will contact their ORSP GA or GSC to get the required paperwork for the entity being hired.

The Independent Contractor completes all paperwork and returns to the GA/GSC in ORSP, who will review for completion (including correct dates).

The GSC creates a requisition to generate a Purchase Order (PO). Once the PO has been setup, the Independent Contractor can start invoicing for their services.

The PI reviews, and signs to approve the invoices. If the PI knows an invoice that is being submitted is the last one, they can write "Final" on the invoice so Accounts Payable knows to close the PO.

Special Consultant-Independent Contractor Hiring Procedures Practice Directive 156

Current SF State students will use the SFSU Student Stipend Appointment for ORSP form.

Non-SF State students will use the Non-SFSU Student Stipend Appointment for ORSP form.  Recipients also must complete and submit the SFSU Vendor 204 form  attached to the DocuSign form.

Both forms reside in DocuSign and initiated by the Principal Investigator or a Faculty/Staff project team member.  All forms must include the project number to pay from, stipend amount, and number of payments to issue.

Stipend DocuSign form will reach ORSP for review and verification of enrollment status.  Once internally approved, it will go to the Financial Aid Office for final approval (for current SF State students only).  It will then be submitted to the University Tax Specialist for review and approval, and Accounts Payable where payment issued.

Current SFSU student: The stipend is received via Direct Deposit if the student has set up Direct Deposit with Financial Aid or on their SFSU Student Portal.  If Direct Deposit has not been set up then the check will be mailed out to the address the University has on file.

Non-SFSU Student: Payment is received via mail to the address that was indicated on the SFSU Vendor 204 form that was submitted.

Note:

• On both Stipend Appointment forms, answer No to the question "Will Trainee be required to perform services for this financial support"; answer Yes to the question "Are these services an academic requirement".
• Stipends are due to ORSP on the following dates below.
• Payments are released on the 15th of each month.

DocuSign Form: SFSU Student Stipend Appointment for ORSP

DocuSign Form: Non-SFSU Student Stipend Appointment for ORSP

Honoraria

• Are used for presentation or lectures related to a project
• Are issued in a single, one-time payment

PI completes Section I of Honorarium Payment Request form before the event takes place and the form is submitted to ORSP for pre-approval. If the requested honorarium amount is over $500, ORSP forwards to HR for additional level of approval. ORSP returns approved form to PI prior to date of event.

After event, PI signs where indicated and gives pre-approved form to honorarium recipient for recipient to complete personal information in section II. PI or recipient return form and completed Vendor 204 Data form (for recipient) to ORSP for review and approval. ORSP forwards to Accounts Payable to issue payment; payment is received via mail or picked up by the recipient, as indicated on the honorarium request form.

ORSP Honorarium Payment Request for (SF State Empployee)

ORSP Honorarium Payment Request for (Non-SF State Employee)

Vendor 204 Data form

Note:

• Honoraria may be taxed if the recipient does not live in California
• International recipients may need to submit additional paperwork; please visit Internal Audit's Nonresident Alien Taxation website for more information

First, you will need to determine which hiring classification to use. Note that you will often be limited to a specific classification by the budget approved by the funding agency. Following guidelines apply to all grant-funded positions for salaried/hourly staff covered by collective bargaining agreements.

Hourly Staff:

• Work half time (50%) or less, and for 6 months or less at a time
• Work intermittently
• Is the more common classification
• Position may not go through formal recruiting process
• Receive minimal SF State benefits (e.g. Social Security and sick/vacation accrual)
• Report hours worked by signing in at SF Gateway, and clicking on HR Self Service
• Receive prorated holiday pay based on the number of hours worked in the month the holiday is observed on campus
• May accrue pro-rated vacation and sick leave based on schedule of hours
• Must report sick and vacation hours (if any) in Absence Management
• Position on grant-funded appointments is always temporary. Permanent status cannot be earned in this position
• Continuation of the temporary appointment is contingent upon grand funding
   

Once you have discussed the budget/funding allowability with your Grant Administrator and determined that you want to hire an hourly staff, please follow these steps:

• Provide a summary of work to your Grant Human Resource Administrator/Specialist to ensure that the appropriate CSU classification is used for the hire.

• Complete the Employment Staff Position Description (PD) and submit to your ORSP Grant Human Resource Administrator/Specialist. Access the Position Description form

• Please note that writing a Position Description (PD) is a vital step in planning your staffing on grant-funded programs. The position description is the foundation for classification and compensation determinations. Guide in writing a Position Description (PD)

• From the information provided on the Positon Description (PD), the Grant Human Resource Administrator/Specialist will let the PI know which appropriate CSU classification to use and the related salary information. PI must also provide the duration of appointment; rate of pay and project number to be charged. 

• Once the appropriate classification and salary are determined, the Grant Human Resource Administrator/Specialist will provide the PI/Administrator the required HR forms to be completed. 

• If the PI knows who they want to hire, they will ask the new employee to contact ORSP Grant Human Resource Administrator/ Specialist for appropriate steps to complete a hiring packet; I-9 verification and background check process. (Please note that the employee cannot start work until the hiring packet and I-9 verification are completed in ORSP)

• Upon completion by the new employee of all hiring forms, I-9 verification and background check, the Grant Human Resource Administrator/Specialist creates an online ETRAC appointment record in Human Resource Management System (HRMS). The PI must approve the ETRAC appointment and respond to all ETRAC-related emails with the appropriate action in Human Resource Management System (HRMS). (For new PIs, your Grant Human Resource Administrator/Specialist will request your HRMS access). Please refer to the link below to access the Human Resource Management System

• If the PI does not know who they want to hire, the job will be posted in SF State Careers and the SF State standard interview and selection process will be followed. All new hire orientation and I-9 verification for posted position will be scheduled by Employment Services at the main Human Resource department in Admin 241. For more information on HR’s directive on the Hiring Process & Recruitment Guidelines.

• Hourly staff must report/submit hours worked in SF Gateway in a timely manner, paying attention to deadlines. Timely submission/approval of hours in SF Gateway means timely pay. (Please note if PI/Supervisor does not approve hours in a timely manner, this will delay the employee’s pay). Access to SFSU Gateway.

• Hourly staff must report any vacation/sick taken (if any) every month in Absence Management. Here is the link to the Absence Management portal.

• Hourly staff are paid on or around the 15th of each month. For more information on payday schedule and deadlines, please refer to the payroll calendar: Hourly Staff and Student Payroll calendar 2021
   

Salaried Staff

• Work is not intermittent but based on a timebase (FTE) set upon hire
• Work more than half time (50%), and for more than 6 months and a day, staff are eligible for full SF State benefits
• Position must be posted to hire staff that receive full SF State benefits (e.g. medical, dental, vision, life, CalPERS retirement)
• Part-time position with less than .50 % timebase, benefit rate is 6.95%
• Part-time position with less than .50% timebase and have previously been in a CalPERS eligible position,  benefit rate is 44.45%
• Report absences (sick/vacation) in Absence Management
• Position on grant-funded appointment is always temporary. Permanent status cannot be earned in this position
• Continuation of  temporary appointment is contingent upon grand funding
   

Once you have discussed the budget/funding allowability with your Grant Administrator and determined that you want to hire salaried staff, please follow these steps:

• Inform your ORSP HR Grant Human Resource Administrator/Specialist of your intention to hire a salaried staff on your project.
• Provide a summary of work and the length of appointment to your Grant Human Resource Administrator/Specialist to ensure that the appropriate CSU classification and salary range are recommended for the hire of your staff
• Complete the Employment Staff Position Description (PD) and submit to your ORSP Grant Human Resource Administrator/Specialist for review and for main HR Employment consultation.  Please note that HR Employment may provide suggestions to the Positon Description for your hire. Here’s the link to access the Position Description form
• Please note that writing a Position Description (PD) is a vital step in planning your staffing on grant-funded programs. The position description is the foundation for classification and compensation determinations. Guide in writing a Position Description (PD)
• Positions with a half time (50%) appointment or more, and for more than 6 months and a day, must be posted in SF State Careers to be eligible for full SF State benefits. SF State interview and selection procedures must be followed. Please refer to the link on the Hiring Process & Rectuiment Guidelines for more information. Also see Recruitment Guidelines Practice Directive No. 105
• To initiate the job posting in SF State Careers, your ORSP Grant Human Resource Administrator/Specialist will provide the following forms for you to complete and submit to ORSP: (Please note that these forms are available in the ORSP website forms library)
  • Recruitment Authorization (HR #105A)
  • Position Description (PD) including an organization chart
  • Work Schedule (HR#101)
  • Position Requisition

• Upon completion of the recruitment process and a candidate is recommended for the posted position, main HR will make the formal job offer and schedule an appointment with the new employee for the 'New Employee' Orientation Program and completion of hiring documents including a letter of appointment, position description, and work schedule.
• Once the formal job offer is made and all hiring forms are completed by the new employee, ORSP Grant Human Resource Administrator/Specialist creates an online ETRAC appointment in HRMS system. The PI must approve the appointment ETRAC and respond to all ETRAC-related emails with the appropriate action in Human Resource Management System (HRMS). (For new PIs, your Grant Human Resource Administrator/Specialist will request your HRMS access). Here is the link to Human Resource Management System.
   

Please note the following additional information

Benefits Eligibility:

• Salaried staff appointed for 6 months and 1 day at .50 time base or more are eligible for the following SF State benefit plans: medical, dental, vision, life, CalPERS retirement.
   

Absence Management:

• PIs should ensure that all employees (salaried & hourly staff) submit monthly Absences into the Absence Management system in a timely manner, verifying and approving that sick and vacation leave is accurately reported
• When employees claim vacation leave, this is a credit to the grant
• If Absences are not reported in Absence Management in a timely manner, HR/Payroll would not be able to update the employee’s accrual in the system
• Please visit Payroll Calendar
• In addition, if Absences are not submitted in Absence Management in a timely manner, or leave time is not accurately reported, an inaccurate financial statement may be submitted to the funder
• Sick and vacation leave time must be used and reported by grant-funded employees according to the provisions of University policy and applicable collective bargaining agreements
• To report/submit sick and vacation leave time, please visit SFSU Gateway.

What is the difference between a vendor, sub-recipient (sub-contract or sub-award), independent contractor and special consultant?

Uniform Guidance (2 CFR §200) provides the following definitions to distinguish vendors from sub-recipients. The information on independent contractors and special consultants is taken from SF State's Special Consultant-Independent Contractor Hiring Procedures Practice Directive 156.

A vendor:

• Provides goods and services within their normal business operations
• Provides similar goods and services to many different purchasers
• Operates in a competitive environment
• Provides goods and services that are ancillary to the Federal Program

A sub-recipient:

• Has its performance measured against whether the objectives of the federal program are met
• Has responsibility for programmatic decision-making
• Has responsibility for adherence to applicable federal program compliance requirements
• Uses the Federal funds to carry out a program of the organization, as compared to providing goods and services for a program of the pass-through entity
• Determines who is eligible to receive what Federal financial assistance within the program

An independent contractor:

• Is not a current CSU or State employee
• Is engaged in a distinct occupation, profession, business, or trade not regularly a part of University business
• Agrees to do a specific piece of work for an agreed upon fee
• Provides services to non-University clients
• Supplies his/her own tools, materials and work space
• Is not hired as an employee of SF State
• Is not subject to the compliance requirements of the Federal Program

A special consultant:

• Is an individual hired as an employee of SF State to work under general direction to complete a professional assignment which requires the consultant's particular knowledge, ability or expertise
• Is paid based on a daily rate (SF State minimum $88 per day; maximum $1,042 per day. Refer to the CSU Salary Schedule, Class Code 4660)
• Is appointed when no other appropriate CSU classification is available

Do I have to post a position for my project?

Not necessarily. Because there are requirements vary by classification and what was submitted to the funding agency in your grant proposal, please check with your Personnel Specialist to determine whether you will need to follow posting procedures.

• Note that the formal recruitment process for a posted position takes a minimum of 6-8 weeks to complete. Note that salaried staff positions shall be posted a minimum of 14 calendar days; PIs may extend posting on a week-to-week basis by contacting their Personnel Specialist by noon of the Thursday prior to the closing date.
• For special recruiting, a flyer may be placed in the SF State Careers system for unique positions. Fill vacancies from among qualified SFSU employee applicants, if possible.