SCHOOL OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
Business Office Information for Mechanical Engineering Graduate Staff
Mechanical Engineering Employment Procedures
January 2017
ME Business Office: Room 2051of the Mechanical Engineering Building
Payroll Contact:Robyn Hyden, r 496-9319
If you have an RA or TA appointment, or if your fellowship is being administered as an assistantship, please make sure that you complete Section 1 of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Form I-9 as stated in your offer letterprior to going to the Mechanical Engineering Business office. To access the form, please visit and click on the link titled “Electronic I-9 for new hires/rehires”. If you are currently not funded, but pick up a position later, never begin working until you have completed both sections of your I-9.
Proper ID – bring ID to the Mechanical Engineering Business Office (original documents – no copies).
Examples of proper ID are attached.
SSN - All non-U.S. residents must apply for a social security number if you do not have one and the SSN must be submitted to the business office within 30 days of your hire date or your employment will end. In order to apply for an SSN, you will need to go to the business office to get an SSN Request Letter.
Direct Deposit - Purdue requiresthat you sign up for direct deposit of salary. If you do not have a bank account set up, you will need to get an account established and complete the banking information in Employee Self Service as soon as possible. When direct deposit is not on file, a paper check will be cut and held at the Freehafer Administration building (401 S Grant St.) for two weeks and then will be put in US postal mail to the address on file if it is not picked up. Payments will be made on the last working day of every month.
If at any time your support changes please notify immediately of the change to avoid being paid incorrectly or not at all.
Graduate Staff Insurance:
If you hold a half-time TA or RA appointment, or a Fellowship that is being administered as an assistantship, you are eligible for the Graduate Staff Insurance program. There are multiple plans available for you to select and premiums for each plan are different. You may go to to look at these different plans before enrolling in one.
If your appointment drops below half time, you will automatically be dropped from the insurance program.
The premium for the insurance will be deducted from your paycheck when you select one of the two options that have a University contribution as well. If you select the plan without a University contribution, you will need to pay the full premium at the beginning of each semester.
Vacation Time:
Grads in ME are appointed on the FY (12- month) cycle and have a total of 22 days of vacation time available each year. You must be employed for three months before you are allowed to take any paid vacation days. Vacation daysare accumulated by the month and you cannot use them before they are earned. You will accumulate two days of vacation every month that you are employed with the exception of September and March in which only one day is accumulated for each month. Vacation requests must be approved by your supervisor prior to the leave being taken. Accumulated vacation days will be forfeited if you leave the University for any reason or if there is a break in employment.
To use vacation days, a Form 33ABSENCE (see form attached) must be completed, signed by yourself and the P.I., and submitted to the M.E. Business Office. Additional forms are available at may be obtained in the Business Office. Since the TA appointments in ME are on the FY schedule, you will automatically be put in vacation status during the school breaks where no classes are in session.
Holidays:
The University holidays for 2017 are:
New Year’s Holiday – Monday, January 2nd
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day – Monday, January 16th
Memorial Day – Monday, May 29th
Independence Day – Tuesday, July 4th
Labor Day – Monday, September 4th
Thanksgiving Holiday – Thursday & Friday, November 23rd & 24th
Christmas Holiday – Monday & Tuesday, December 25th & 26th
You may also find these dates and future dates at:
Please keep in mind that since ME employs their grad positions on the FY cycle, any days taken off besides the Holidays listed above must be taken as vacation.