When the Job Ends
Whether you’re leaving your job because of graduation or termination, here’s how to end employment at WSU with professionalism.
Most student jobs end because the student employee graduates. But sometimes the job ends up not being a good fit.
A student may not be happy in the job, or a supervisor is not happy with a student’s job performance, which leads to terminating employment.
If you’re unhappy or frustrated about your student position or job duties, talk with your supervisor about your concerns. You should do this before considering termination.
If you feel you must terminate your position for any reason, we recommend you give your supervisor at least a 2-week notice as a courtesy.
If your supervisor feels that you’re not meeting the expectations for a position, they have the right to let you go.
Although they’re not required to conduct performance reviews, we recommend supervisors communicate with their student employees when issues about job performance arise.
If you feel you’ve been unjustly terminated from a position, you may file a grievance and should consult WSU Regulation 4-2 Student Grievance Procedure (PDF).
Final Payroll Payment
If your last day on the job is in the middle of a pay period, you may have a final paycheck coming to you.
Check with your supervisor or look at the payroll schedule (PDF) to see if you have a pending payment.
Do not close the bank account connected to your direct deposits until you’ve received your final student payroll payment.
If you close your bank account before your final payment is deposited, the bank will reject the direct deposit and the payment will come back to WSU. Learn how to manage your direct deposit account.
W-2 Form
If you worked for WSU during the same calendar year you graduated, you’ll need a final W-2 Form from the State of Minnesota (WSU) to file your income tax forms for that calendar year.
Once the State has published the W-2 forms in January, you can access your online W-2 by logging in to Student eServices under the “Student Employment” tab in the main menu.
Student employees must consent to access the form electronically in Student eServices:
- Select the Dashboard tab in the main menu
- Click through the message that says, “Tax Form W-2 Wage and Tax Statement – to receive it online, enroll now”
- When the next screen displays, select “Confirm”
If you’ve forgotten your StarID and password, call 507.457.2800 for assistance.
Unemployment Benefits
Student employees are not eligible to receive unemployment benefits after leaving a position at WSU.
According to Minnesota Statutes (Section 268.035) “employment for a school, college, or university by a student who is enrolled and is regularly attending classes at the school, college, or university” does not qualify for unemployment benefits.