Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

On this page:
How to Find a Campus Job | Getting Paid | Vacations, Sick Days, and Statutory Holidays |
Benefits, Pension, and TaxesWork Hours | Workplace Policies and Regulations |
Health, Safety, Security, and Lost & Found | Training and Development |
Remote Work | Student Employment

How to Find a Campus Job

How do I apply for a campus job?

There are numerous places to check when searching for a job:

One of the main job boards for campus jobs is Workday. The way you apply for jobs in Workday will depend on your applicant status.

  • Internal applicants are McGill employees who do currently hold an active contract at McGill.
  • External applicants are applicants who do not currently hold an active contract at McGill. This also applies to applicants who held contracts in the past and do not currently hold an active contract.  
    • Step 1: Go to the McGill External Career Site.
    • Step 2: Create a candidate account with your legal name and email. You MUST use your personal email and cannot use your student email
    • For more information, check out the McGill Human Resources Careers website.

*These definitions strictly relate to the status of applicants applying for jobs in Workday and bear no relevance to any collective agreement or personnel policies.

How do I log in to Workday?

Googling Workday will take you to a Workday site unlinked to McGill, so always use this URL.

How do I view and accept an offer?

Once you get the job, you'll get notified via the email on your candidate account that an offer has been extended and telling you how to view the offer letter.

  • Internal applicants - Work email (name [at] mcgill.ca)
  • External applicants - Personal email
    • Note: personal information such as social insurance number, date of birth, gender, citizenship status only gets collected after an offer has been accepted.

 

How do I obtain the credentials I need to log in to Workday?

It can take 24hrs for IT to create your McGill staff credentials and email you the details. Do not log into Workday before receiving this email from IT. Please wait 1 business day after accepting your offer before you contacting IT about the status of this email.

Always log into the Virtual Private Network (VPN) if you're off-campus, and remember: two-factor authentication (2FA) is mandatory for VPN use.

Support: Log into the IT Support site and start a live chat, or book a one-on-one virtual support session if you need set-up support.

If you require further assistance with Workday, reach out to the HR Advisor or Academic Affairs professional within your faculty/department/unit.

How do I view my Worker Profile?

Refer to this Workday Navigation job aid for how to view your Worker Profile, which contains your employment details.

How do I complete my Onboarding Tasks?

  • You will get a Workday onboarding notification email that will get sent to the email you used to apply; either your @mcgill.ca work email or your personal email address.
  • For instructions on how to complete your onboarding tasks, refer to this Onboarding Guide for New Employees job aid.
  • Important: Failing to complete your onboarding tasks in a timely manner may cause unnecessary consequences, such as delaying your first pay, or incorrect deductions on your pay.

Getting Paid

How do I get paid?

All McGill student employees must use Workday to:

  • Set up direct deposit - Manage Payment Elections is where you enter your banking info to do this
  • View pay slips and tax documents

    Refer to the Workday Knowledge Base for more info.

    How do I enter time in Workday?


    Vacation, Sick Days, and Statutory Holidays

    Do I get any paid vacation days?

    If your offer letter stipulates that a collective agreement covers your work conditions, you can learn more about your vacation day entitlement by clicking  Unions and Associations at McGill.

    Unless your collective agreement states otherwise, then the Quebec Labour Standard described below will apply: Instead of getting paid vacation days, student employees receive a 4% vacation pay indemnity on each paycheque. This indemnity increases from 4% to 6% after 3 years of continuous service. 

    Do I get paid for statutory holidays?

    As per the Quebec Labour Standards, student employees are entitled to some form of payment for the statutory holidays that occur during the span of their employment (see below). For details on how this payment gets calculated, please refer to your collective agreement.

    • January 1st (New Year's Day)
    • Good Friday or Easter Monday at the employer's choice
    • The Monday preceding May 25th (National Patriots' Day)
    • June 24th (National Holiday: Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day) 
    • July 1st (Canada Day) If this date falls on a Sunday, July 2nd
    • The 1st Monday in September (Labour Day)
    • The 2nd Monday in October (Thanksgiving)
    • December 25th (Christmas Day).

    Do I get any paid sick days?

    Student employees who work for 3 months without interruption are entitled to 2 paid sick days per year.

    The "day" gets calculated using this formula:

    • 1/20 of the wages earned during the 4 full weeks of pay preceding the absence, excluding overtime.

    *If needed, please contact your unit's HR Advisor to calculate the paid entitlements.


    Benefits, Pension, and Taxes

    Do I qualify for benefits?

    As casual employees, student employees are not covered by the McGill employment benefits plan that provides health coverage. For details, please refer to Section 1.4 - Benefits.

    Who can join the Simplified Pension Plan?

    If you are or become eligible for the Simplified Pension Plan, you will be invited to join by email. For more information, please refer to: https://www.mcgill.ca/hr/pensions/spp.

    Do I need to file income taxes?

    Yes, all employees need to report their earnings to the Canadian government. Even if you are an international student, you will need to register Canadian-source income, such as student employment. Click Canada's Income Tax System for more information.

    Obtain your tax slips to file your taxes by logging into  Workday.


    Work Hours

    What are my work hours? Will I be guaranteed a certain number of weekly hours?

    Work hours reflect your availability and the needs of your unit. Usually, your Supervisor will specify a pre-determined schedule. However, there is no guarantee of a minimum number of work hours. In some cases, work hours get stipulated in your offer letter.

    How are breaks determined? (How many? How long?)

    If your offer letter stipulates that a collective agreement covers your work conditions, you should read your collective agreement to know more about your working conditions. If you are not unionized, then the Quebec Labour Standards will apply. In either case, the timing of your breaks are determined by a supervisor.

    How does overtime work?

    Overtime hours must be pre-approved by your Supervisor. If you work more than one campus job, which could result in overtime hours cumulatively, please inform your supervisors of the increased demand in advance of the number of hours you must work that same week in your other job.

    With just a few exceptions, every hour you work overtime (more than 40 hours a week) gets paid at time and a half (i.e., 50% more than what you would typically get paid).


    Workplace Policies and Regulations

    What are the University's workplace policies and regulations?

    As members of the McGill University community, all student employees are expected to conduct themselves according to the University's policies and regulations. These policies have been developed to support the ethical and behavioural standards that promote an environment of respect, trust, and inclusion. These policies and regulations can be found  in Personal Policies and Procedures.

    What are the policies surrounding IT?

    All student employees are encouraged to review the policy on the Responsible Use of McGill Information Technology Resources.

    The following resources address McGill's policies surrounding cloud usage and copyright infringement.

    Please take time to complete these courses on myCourses:

    • IT Security Awareness
    • Cloud Computing

    What training modules must student employees complete?

    Students who take on a staff role during their program, may be required to take  It Takes All of Us – Staff during their employment, if they haven’t already completed the staff version. It takes 45m to complete and aims to increase awareness about sexual violence and its prevention, which is in line with Quebec's Law 22.1: Act to prevent and fight sexual violence in higher education institutions.

    To access it:

    1. Log in to myCourses using your standard McGill Credentials.
    2. Click View All Courses
    3. Search for "It Takes All of Us - Staff"
    4. Ensure you follow the landing page instructions closely

    If you have technical issues during or after completion of the course, review the Knowledge Base article first, and then email sv-education [at] mcgill.ca.

    If you've been impacted by sexual violence, reach out to McGill's Office for Sexual Violence Response, Support, and Education to access confidential emotional support or accommodations by emailing osvrse [at] mcgill.ca.

    For more information about support services offered to survivors, check out the Get Support page.

    How can I become more informed about my rights as an employee?

    • Suppose your offer letter stipulates that you are a member of a union or association. In that case, you can find out more about your employee rights by referencing the collective agreement that governs your employment. For a listing of unions and associations at McGill, along with their respective collective agreements, click  here.

      You can also:

    • Talk to your unit's HR Advisor
    • Contact Central HR at 514-398-4747, or hr.hr [at] mcgill.ca

    If you are not unionized, then the Quebec Labour Standards will apply. You can access them here.

    Am I Eligible for Workplace Accommodations if I Have a Disability?

    Most students are not aware that if they have a disability, they can access workplace accommodations in their employment. For more information, go to Accommodations for Employees with Disabilities.


    Health, Safety, Security, and Lost and Found

    What should I do if I get hurt on the job?

    1. Report the event to your Supervisor immediately
    2. Participate in the work accident investigation with your Supervisor (if you are fit to do so)
    3. Complete the  Accident, Incident & Occupational Disease Report form.  The Supervisor is responsible for promptly sending the completed form to your HR Advisor and Environmental Health and Safety.

    Do I need to take any health and safety training?

    If you work in specific work environments, you are required to take Environmental Health and Safety Training. Check with your Supervisor.

    Security Services

    McGill's Security Services offers 24hour service to all members of the McGill community. Our agents patrol the campus, manage access, transport students and staff with disabilities, and respond to incidents and emergencies.

    For more information, go here: Security Services

    Emergency Call Procedure

    For more information, go here: Emergency Call Procedure

    For an emergency requiring ambulance, fire, or police:

    1. Call 911
    2. Then, call Security Services who will coordinate with emergency responders.
      • Downtown: 514 398 3000
      • Mac Campus: 514 398 7777

    Call Security Services, if you only require internal help (water leaks, suspicious persons, strange odours, etc.)

    Lost and Found


    Training and Development

    What kind of professional development training is available for student employees?

    • CaPS assists students in their career development and search for jobs and internships by offering many Career Development Workshops.
    • SKILLS21 is a program that offers training to undergraduate students on topics such as leadership and communication.
    • myFuture is an online platform that grants access to career development-related events and workshops.

    Can I do the professional development training offered by HR?

    Organizational Development (OD) offers a variety of professional development workshops for McGill employees Organizational Development Workshops. If you are interested in training that is relevant to your role, you may submit your registration.

    Note: You need Supervisor and/or Director-level approval to participate. These requests get evaluated on a case-by-case basis

    What kind of website management training is available for student employees?

    Student employees have access to the training necessary to operate McGill's Web Management System (WMS). Required courses for working on such sites are:

    • WMS 300: Site editing training
    • WS 100: Writing for the web at McGill
    • WS 101: McGill's Digital Standards

    You can see the Web Services Training Events

    Courses are usually 1.5 - 2.5 hours, get offered monthly, and registration is through Minerva.

    How do I build skills using myInvolvement?

    Watch myInvolvement Orientation Video and learn how to use myInvolvement, an online portal for student involvement and skills building. Get involved and be recognized for your activities outside the classroom.

    What's a Co-Curricular Record (CCR)?

    A co-curricular record (CCR) is a customizable and printable document that recognizes learning opportunities outside the classroom. These include workshops you can find in myInvolvement (e.g., How to Optimize LinkedIn). The CCR can be a useful addition to your resume or grad school applications.

    Any student currently registered at McGill can sign into  myInvolvement with McGill credentials to view, customize, and print their CCR.

    Visit the CCR FAQ for more info, by clicking here.

    How do I prove that I've completed certain training?

    In most cases, as long as you have registered with your official McGill email address, the training provider will be able to track your attendance.

    myInvolvement also enables staff to manage event registration mechanics, along with registrants and volunteers.


    Remote Work


    Student Employment

    How do I find additional employment opportunities?

    There are numerous places to check for student-friendly job postings, such as:

    How can I get information about work-study requirements?

    Please consult the  Scholarships and Student Aid website  for more information.

    How do international students ensure they have the authorization to work in Canada?

    International students must ensure that they have proper work authorization to work in Canada. Please refer to International Student Services for more information concerning work authorization and applying for a Canadian Social Insurance Number by clicking On Campus Work.

    What if I have employment-related questions?

    When it comes to employment-related questions, it's best to ask the point of contact specified in your offer letter or talk to your unit's HR Advisor

    How do I request a reference from a current or former supervisor?

    Click How to Turn Your Campus Job Supervisor Into a Professional Reference for tips and sample reference letter templates.


    For questions related to Onboarding Central, please send us an email at careers.caps [at] mcgill.ca

    For HR-related questions, please contact your area's HR advisor.

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