Hiring Summer and Temporary Workers

What is a Casual or Temporary (Summer) Employee?

A casual employee is identified as an individual hired for specific, short-term assignments, including on-call work or for a limited duration, typically to fulfill short-term staffing needs. These employees usually work fewer than 1,040 hours annually. They are eligible for benefits mandated by law, and also receive PTO and sick time.

Colgate’s policy specifies that casual or temporary employees may not work more than 999 hours in a single employment year, across all positions combined. Human Resources expects appointments to remain under 999 hours, as exceeding this threshold may lead to additional financial obligations, including mandatory benefit contributions (retirement and healthcare) as required by law. Hiring managers must monitor work hours and consult with Human Resources to ensure compliance with these regulations. Casual appointments are not intended for long-term, regularly scheduled positions. Such positions require approval through the standard position request process, even if they are not full-time.

All casual wage (hourly) employees are required to perform their work within the state of New York.  In accordance with Colgate University's remote work policy, hourly staff are not permitted to work from locations outside of New York State. 

Hiring Process

Colgate is committed to ensuring all applicants are treated fairly and consistently in accordance with federal and state laws, and institutional policies.

Do I need to post a vacancy?

We offer two options for posting vacancies, both of which require a completed Position Request Form.

  1. Hiring departments may review available applicants through the temporary applicant pools posted on the Colgate Careers Site.
  2. Human Resources can create a posting for your specific vacancy.

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Selection Process

All individuals selected for hire must have an up-to-date application on file with Colgate Careers site. Hires should be coordinated with Human Resources prior to any offer being made.

For summer hires, preference should be given in the following order, provided the applicant meets position requirements:

  1. Regular employees working less than 12 months per year
  2. Colgate students present on campus during the summer
  3. Children of Colgate employees

Minors and Employment Regulations

New York State Department of Labor (NYSDOL) regulates the employment of minors (under age 18). Given these specific requirements, those hired at Colgate, in most cases, must be 18 years or older. On occasion, based on the position (i.e. lifeguards, bookstore clerks), someone 16 years or older may be hired. Working papers must be provided and the limitations, as outlined by the NYSDOL, must be strictly adhered to.

Employment of Relatives

Employment of relatives in the same department is permitted, but employees cannot supervise their relatives or make decisions that affect their relative’s employment status, such as hiring or promotions.

Work Authorization for Visa Holders

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services governs the employment of individuals on visas. Prior authorization from Human Resources is required to ensure compliance with work authorization regulations.

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Offers of Employment

Offers must be coordinated with Human Resources to ensure equitable pay rates. All offers are contingent on the successful completion of a background check for individuals age 18 and older.

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  • In general, all employees must be at least 18 years of age at the time of hire.  The only exceptions are for casual wage lifeguards and bookstore clerks, who may be hired at no younger than 16 years of age.  Background checks will not be conducted for employees under the age of 18, as juvenile records are not accessible for employment screening purposes. All other employment eligibility requirements, including work permits when required by law, must also be met.

Background Screening Process

Colgate requires background checks for all hires and volunteers aged 18 and older. The process typically takes 5-7 working days, and the hiring manager will be notified once it’s complete. Employees may not begin working until the background check is finalized.

Camps

In accordance with NYS Public Health Law, anyone hired to work in a camp (day or overnight) must undergo a state sex offender registry check. This will be part of the background check process, and no individual may begin employment without clearance.

Fees

Human Resources covers the cost of background checks for approved casual wage positions. For hires made from external funding, agency funding, or for volunteers (e.g., camps), the background check fees will be charged to the hiring department’s account.

Driver’s License Requirements

If the position requires driving, Human Resources should be notified so that a Driver Authorization form can be completed. A Motor Vehicle Record (MVR) check will be conducted as part of the background process, and the hiring department will be notified once the MVR is complete. For more information, the policy can be found here: Colgate's Motor Vehicle Policy

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Onboarding Requirements

The following documents must be completed for every new hire:

New hires must complete the required documentation at the Human Resources office prior to their start date. Human Resources may be able to accommodate flexible schedules for paperwork completion, especially for large groups. Some forms may also be printed from the website for completion in advance.

 

Casual Wage Hire Form

All hiring managers must complete (or consult with Human Resources) an Casual Wage Employment Request Form for those hired, at least one week prior to the anticipated start date.

Failure to provide this form with the pertinent information in advance will cause delays in payment.

Compliance Requirements
  • Under the Immigration and Naturalization Service, the employee must bring to Human Resources original unexpired documents that establish both identity and employment eligibility within three (3) days of hire.
  • If this documentation is not provided within three (3) days of the employee's start date, the employee, according to the regulations, is unable to work. Human Resources will contact the hiring manager should this be the case.

Labor Law Section 195(1) Notice and Acknowledgement of Wage Rate and Designated Payday, Hourly Rate plus Overtime requires the university to provide, at the time of hire, this notification to new employees or when there is a change in rate. Timely communication from departments is required to ensure compliance.

Pay

Employees hired in temporary positions are, in most cases, considered non-exempt under the Fair Labor Standards Act and will be paid hourly and must be paid at least the minimum wage (Effective December 31, 2025, $15.50 per hour). 

To ensure equitable rates across the university, please consult with Human Resources before establishing hourly rates. 

Departments that provide employees with room and/or board must notify the Human Resources department in advance. Under IRS guidelines this is considered payment "in kind" and the fair market value is considered taxable income and is subject to both income tax and social security withholding. 

Departments should not under any circumstances, agree to provide any goods or services to any employee in exchange for services rendered.

Hours of Work

Employees should not be scheduled in excess of 40 hours per week (all positions combined).  Overtime is required for all hours worked in excess of 40 hours in a week.  Employees are required to take at least a 1/2 hour unpaid lunch break if they work more than six (6) hours. 

If an employee's work is completed prior to the end of their shift, their shift should be considered over for the day and the employee should be sent home. Departments should not imply or make guarantees of hours or duration of employment.

Network Accounts/Email/Payroll

Most employees are provide with a Colgate network account and email account and will be required to enter their actual hours of work on Web Time Entry, with the exception of areas that use Departmental Web Time Entry (i.e. athletic event staff and camps). 

Human Resources will need to be informed of who the approver of time will be to ensure the appropriate set up and timely payments. Approvers should arrange for a proxy. Federally funded grants (those funds that begin with 2 (i.e. 200000) may require the authorized fund manager to be the approver.

Email accounts are turned off on the last day of employment as provided on the ECOS.

Managers are responsible for ensuring that their employees follow the university Acceptable Use Policy.

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Hiring Department/Manager Responsibilities

Department and hiring managers are responsible for:

  • Following the selection and hiring process for casual and summer employees, including camps.
  • Monitoring hours of work (all hours combined).
  • Ensuring appropriate funds are available.
  • Performance standards of employees and to ensure work policies are adhered to.
  • Informing Human Resources of any change in employment status (i.e. extended or early departures) so that the payroll system can be updated appropriately and network access can be adjusted.
  • Approving hours of work on Web Time Entry (WTE).
  • Contacting Human Resources for assistance in dealing with any matters.

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