University Libraries Student Assistant Employment Guide: Student Assistant Work Expectations

• Student work schedules may fall on week or weekend days, involve evening shifts and shifts during extended hours periods, and require work on holidays and during school breaks.
• Student employees will work with their supervisor to establish a regular work schedule at the beginning of each semester taking into account their course schedule and departmental needs.
• Student employees are expected to adhere to their assigned work schedule arriving for work prior to or at the expected start time and are expected to remain on duty through the end of their shift unless other arrangements have been made.
• Once your schedule for the semester schedule has been set, long-term changes to it must be discussed with the supervisor and approved in advance. In some cases, the request may result in a reduction in work hours based on the needs of the unit.
• Showing up late or failure to show up for a shift without letting your supervisor know in advance will be reviewed and may be cause for disciplinary action and/or termination.

• Student employees help to provide excellent service to the library users as well as other library and university employees and are expected to provide courteous and respectful service to library patrons in person, over the phone, or via email. 
• In providing in-person assistance, student employees should acknowledge and greet patrons in a timely manner, offer a professional greeting, make eye contact, and offer assistance.
• In answering phones, student employees should answer before the 3rd ring and provide a professional greeting, state the name of the department, and offer assistance.
• If you don’t know the answer to a question or cannot help a patron or another staff member, let them know you that you need to seek out the answer and then find another employee who can help.
• Working in the library may mean that you work with confidential or personal information. Student employees are expected to maintain confidentiality and use discretion at all times.
• It is always our goal to provide excellent service to library patrons and co-workers – however this does NOT require you to tolerate harassment OR any type of abusive or threatening behavior from anyone.
• In the event you are on the receiving end of such behavior from a difficult patron, you should call the Library Safety Office at Extension 5-2228 OR tell your supervisor immediately.
• When you call the Safety Office OR use the radio, you should use the agreed upon message to bring staff to your location. If the Safety Office staff are not available, contact UNLV Police at Extension 5-3668.

• Student employees are expected to use their UNLV email (@unlv.edu) for communication with their supervisor, NOT their Rebel mail (@unlv.nevada.edu).
• Student employees are expected to check their UNLV email (@unlv.edu) regularly to ensure that they are aware of and responsive to messages from their supervisor in a timely manner.
• Students are encouraged to read email on work days and the evening before a work day AND to check email at the start and end of a shift. Not reading your email is not an excuse for not getting information or for failing to respond to supervisory inquiries
• Student assistants are encouraged to report issues or situations to their supervisor as quickly as possible and to ask questions whenever needed.

• Students are responsible for clocking in at the start of their work shift, clocking in and out for breaks of 30 minutes or longer, and clocking out at the end of a shift.
  • 15-minute rest periods are paid and students do not need to clock out. The rest period should be scheduled in the middle of their shift.
  • For every 3 1/2 continuous hours and less than 7 hours, students will take one 15-minute rest period.
  • For 4 to 5 continuous hours, students will take one 15-minute rest period. 
  • For 6 but less than 7 continuous hours, students will take one 15-minute rest period. 
  • For every 7 continuous hours or more, students will take two 15-minute rest periods. 
  • For an 8 hour continuous shift, students will take one 30-minute unpaid meal period and two 15-minute rest periods. Meal periods must be taken by clocking out, and clocking back in once the meal period is complete. 
• Students are responsible for logging into Workday regularly to submit time worked – ideally by the end of each work shift OR submitting the week’s hours when clocking out for their last shift of the week. Failure to submit worked time may delay your paycheck.
• Students are required to submit their time by the end of the closing day of the pay period. It is the responsibility of the student to make sure that all of their time is correctly reflected in Workday. If there are any inaccuracies in Workday, these need to be reported in writing to the supervisor prior to the end of the pay period.
• Students are expected to follow the Timekeeping Policy

• During the new student assistant orientation you will be issued a badge that says "student assistant". After completing 30 days of employment and submitting the completed onboarding checklist you will have the option to keep your current student assistant name badge or order a new badge following our guidelines.
• The 3 options will be as follows:
  • 1. No name, Title - Student Assistant, no pronouns
  • 2. First Name only, Title - Student Assistant, 0-3 pronouns
  • 3. First and Last Name, Title - Student Assistant, 0-3 pronouns
• Preferred pronouns resources:
  •  Up to 3 pronouns are permitted for printing. Example: they/them/theirs
     Here are a few resources on pronouns -  UWM LGBTQ+ Resource Center and UC Davis LGBTQIA Resource Center
• Student employees are expected to wear their name badges during their work shift.
• Students employees are encouraged to keep their name badge at work.
• If a student employee loses their Rebel Card with building access, the student must notify their supervisor and Libraries Facilities Director immediately.

• Library workstation use is prioritized for providing service to library users and for operational needs.
• Students are expected to leave their work areas and workstations clean and ready for use by the next student employee.
• Permission to do school work while on shift at a public service desk or while at work is determined within individual library departments and units and is at the discretion of the supervisor.
• Use of library computers for watching television or videos, playing video or online games, and viewing and posting to social media is generally prohibited during work shifts.
• Students must avoid wearing headphones or earbuds while working at public service desks. Wearing earbuds to listen to music may be allowed for some jobs such as shelving books.
• Students must sign up for REBELSafe messages so they can receive emergency notifications.
• Students should avoid using their personal cell phones during their work shifts, but are allowed to have their phones with them or in their pockets in order to be able to receive REBELSafe or other emergency notifications.
• If you must make an emergency or urgent call, alert your supervisor in advance. Students may use their personal cell phone during their breaks and should step away from the work area to make personal calls.

Student employees working in all departments of the library and in branch libraries are expected to dress for a workplace setting and practice good grooming.

In general, students are expected to adhere to these minimum expectations:

*Wear clothing that is clean and in good repair, comfortable, and enables you to safely do your job and serve library patrons.

*Students should avoid wearing clothing that is too revealing or too tight. Undergarments should not be exposed or visible. Gym clothes or pajamas are not acceptable workplace attire.

*Students may wear clothing that is required in their specific area of study, such as scrubs if in a health science program.

*Avoid wearing clothing that displays abusive, vulgar, offensive, or controversial illustrations, logos, slogans, or words during your work shift.

*Clothing with UNLV logos is permissible.

*Avoid clothing or accessories that may impede your ability to do your job safely.

*Students may be asked to wear closed-toe shoes in certain areas for safety reasons.