New employees of Regent University who accept a Regular or Temporary Staff position, Regular or Adjunct Faculty position, Graduate Assistant or Student Worker Position, or Fellowship, Assistantship or Scholarship Award must complete and submit specific documents to Human Resources when hired. It is the individual's responsibility to provide his/her respective department with a completed employment application with signed statement of faith, resume/curriculum vita and original transcripts (when required). It is the department's responsibility to assist in the completion of all other required documents.

Payroll Cycles

Regent University issues pay checks on:
15th of the month (hourly and semi-monthly employees)
(If the 15th falls on the weekend, pay date will be Friday prior to this date)

Last day of the month (hourly, semi-monthly, and monthly employees)
(If the last day falls on the weekend, pay date will be Friday prior to this date.)

All Student Worker, Graduate Assistant, Temporary Staff, and Student Fellowship positions are paid on a two week lag.

See Note 1 for payroll cut-off dates for processing of new employees, changes/additions to current employees and recommended Adjunct Faculty first payment dates for new Adjunct contracts and those regular employees who may receive an Adjunct contract.

Faculty (Regular or Adjunct) Contract "Package" Routing

1. The Dean of the School - Signature Required on contract
2. The Adjunct or Regular Faculty member teaching the course - Signature Required on contract
3. Vice President for Academic Affairs - Signature Required on contract
4. Contracts are returned to the Dean of the School where three copies are made. A copy is given to the faculty member and a copy is retained for the school's files.
5. Return the original Contract, plus one copy for Payroll and all required documents to Human Resources for processing. (See required documents below)
6. Human Resources will provide the Payroll Office with the copy of the contract, tax documents and direct deposit forms.

If your school plans to re-hire an Adjunct who has previously worked on an Adjunct contract for Regent University and is no longer on payroll, check with Human Resources to see what further documents are required to re-hire the individual in your school.

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS
(Regular or Adjunct Faculty and Student Fellowship)
Documents below must be furnished to Human Resources on or before the contract start date for processing.

FACULTY POSITION
- Faculty Checklist - Click here for Faculty Checklist
- Disclosure of Consent Form for Background Check (see Note 5)
- New Employee Form
- Faculty Contract (original and one copy)
- Faculty Application
- Signed Statement of Faith
- IT Acceptable Use Policy Acknowledgement Form (see Note 3)
- Resume or Curriculum Vita
- Official Transcripts (see Note 6 for transcript requirements)
- I-9 Form (see Note 2)
- Federal Tax Form W-4
- VA State Tax Form (see Note 7 for more information)
- Direct Deposit Form

ADJUNCT FACULTY POSITION - NEW
- Adjunct Faculty Checklist - Click here for Adjunct Faculty Checklist
- New Employee Form
- Adjunct Faculty Contract (original and one copy) - (See Note 1)
- Faculty Application
- Signed Statement of Faith
- IT Acceptable Use Policy Acknowledgement Form (see Note 3)
- Resume or Curriculum Vita
- Official Transcripts (see Note 6 for transcript requirements)
- I-9 Form (see Note 2)
- Federal Tax Form W-4
- VA State Tax Form (see Note 7 for more information)
- Direct Deposit Form

ADJUNCT FACULTY POSITION for Current Adjunct Faculty
- New Adjunct Faculty Contract (original and one copy) - (See Note 1)

ADJUNCT FACULTY POSITION for Current Full-time and Part-time Regular Staff or Faculty Employee
- Adjunct Faculty Checklist - Click here for Adjunct Faculty Checklist
- Adjunct Faculty Contract (original and one copy) - (See Note 1)
- Position Pay Change Form to add Overload Position (original and one copy)
- Resume or Curriculum Vita
- Official Transcripts (see Note 6 for transcript requirements)

FELLOWSHIP/ASSISTANTSHIP/SCHOLARSHIP AWARD (STUDENT FELLOWSHIP)

- New Employee Form
- Student Contract (original and one copy)
- I-9 Form (see Note 2)
- IT Acceptable Use Policy Acknowledgement Form (see Note 3)
- Federal Tax Form W-4
- VA State Tax Form (see Note 7 for more information)
- Direct Deposit Form

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS
(Regular Staff, Temporary Staff, Student Worker, Graduate Assistant)
Documents below must be submitted to Human Resources on or before the employee's start date for processing.

STAFF POSITION
- Offer and Briefing Form (see Note 4)
- Record of Reference Check (A minimum of 2 references)
- Disclosure of Consent Form for Background Check (see Note 5)
- New Employee Form (original and one copy)
- Application for Employment
- Signed Statement of Faith
- Job Description
- I-9 Form (see Note 2)
- IT Acceptable Use Policy Acknowledgement Form (see Note 3)
- Federal Tax Form W-4
- VA State Tax Form (see Note 7 for more information)
- Direct Deposit Form
- Optional : Resume

TEMPORARY POSITION
- New Employee Form
- Employment Application
- Signed Statement of Faith
- I-9 Form (see Note 2)
- IT Acceptable Use Policy Acknowledgement Form (see Note 3)
- Federal Tax Form W-4
- VA State Tax (see Note 7 for more information)
- Direct Deposit Form
- Optional : Job Description

STUDENT WORKER/GRADUATE ASSISTANT POSITION
- New Employee Form
- Employment Application
- Signed Statement of Faith
- I-9 Form (see Note 2)
- IT Acceptable Use Policy Acknowledgement Form (see Note 3)
- Federal Tax Form W-4
- VA State Tax Form (see Note 7 for more information)
- Direct Deposit Form
- Optional : Job Description

International Employees

Student Employees
International students may be employed at Regent University as Student Workers, Graduate Assistants or Student Fellowships while attending school at Regent University. International students may work no more than 20 hours per week when school is in session and no more than 40 hours per week when school is not in session. For further information, please contact Office of International Student Services at extension 4130.

Other International Employees
For H1B Visa, see Note 8.
For Permanent Resident Status, see Note 9.

NOTES AND INFORMATION

NOTE 1 - Payroll cut-off dates for processing of new employees, changes/additions to current employees and Adjunct Faculty contract first payment dates.

Semi-monthly (Non-exempt) and Hourly Employees
Paperwork must be received by Human Resources on or before the 1st of the month to receive a paycheck on the 15th, and on or before the 16th to receive a paycheck on the last work day of the month. EXAMPLE: If a nonexempt employee's start date falls within September 1 - 15, then the first pay date will be the end of September. If an employee's start date falls within September 16 - 30, then the first pay date will be the 15th of October.

Monthly (Exempt) Employees
Paperwork must be received by Human Resources on or before the 16th of the month to receive a paycheck on the last work day of the month. Regular full-time and regular part-time employees in exempt/salaried positions are paid on the last work day of the month.

Adjunct Contracts
Recommended "First Payment Dates" for Adjunct contracts.

Graduate Schools:
Spring Semester: No earlier than February 28th
Summer Semester: No earlier than July 31st
Fall Semester: No earlier than October 31st

School of Undergraduate Studies
Session A: No earlier than September 30th
Session B: No earlier than November 30th
Session C: No earlier than February 28th
Session D: No earlier than April 30th
Session E: No earlier than June 30th

NOTE 2 -  I-9 Completion: Human Resources will assist new hires for regular staff, student employee, and temporary employee positions in completing I-9 forms during the hours of 9:00 - 11:00 AM daily, unless otherwise noted. Schools will be responsible for the accurate completion of I-9 forms for regular faculty and adjunct faculty positions. I-9's must be error free and completed only by those individuals who have been trained as I-9 certifying officials. Please do not send copies of any proof of identity documents your department verified for the employee Employment Eligibility Verification (I-9) document.

NOTE 3 - IT Acceptable Use Policy <click here>: All employees are required to read and sign this policy when completing new hire documents and sign the IT Acceptable Use Policy Acknowledgement Form which will be submitted to Human Resources with the employee's new hire paperwork.

NOTE 4 - The Offer and Briefing Form must be signed by the Department Head/Dean and submitted to Human Resources for approval and signature by the Vice President prior to making an offer and the employee signing the Offer & Briefing Form. If the employee signs it prior to receiving the necessary approval the form is considered void. The Offer and Briefing Form must be submitted with 2 reference checks that have been completed by the hiring department.

NOTE 5 - Background Check Policy <click here>: A signed Disclosure of Consent form should be submitted to Human Resources in order for the background check to be processed. The background check should be completed prior to an offer of employment being made.

NOTE 6 - Transcripts: Official Transcripts must be on file in Human Resources. It is the employee's responsibility to request his/her Official Transcript from their school(s) and have them sent directly to the school representative listed. All transcripts above and beyond the undergraduate level are required. ( Click Here to obtain address where Official Transcripts are to be sent. ) If the employee has only an undergraduate degree, the undergraduate degree transcript must be provided along with a letter stating that employee only has an undergraduate degree.  In addition, a description of all work-related qualifications must be submitted.  If employee has no degree, a description of all work-related qualifications must be submitted. If the new employee attended classes at Regent University, transcripts are provided to the hiring school free of charge upon the new employee's request. The new employee may contact the Registrar's Office with this request. If the new employee's Official Transcripts are not available at the time of hire, the employee must provide the hiring school a letter stating Official Transcripts have been ordered and are being sent to the hiring school at Regent University. When the school receives all required transcripts, submit them along with the New Hire Package to Human Resources. All Official Transcripts need to be on file in Human Resources on or before the new employee's hire date at Regent. The employee's letter stating "Official Transcripts have been ordered" will not serve as a replacement document for the Official Transcript. If you have questions concerning Official Transcript requirements, please contact the Office of the Vice President of Academic Affairs at x4320 or Human Resources at x4053.

NOTE 7 - Tax Form information: Virginia has entered into reciprocal agreements with other states for individuals who earn income in states other than their state of residence.  (Current reciprocity agreements affect Virginia withholding requirements for residents of the following states: Kentucky, the District of Columbia, Maryland, West Virginia and Pennsylvania.)  For more information on this topic, contact the Payroll Office at extension 4054.
For International Students to complete: IRS Form 8233 Exemption Form Withholding on Compensation for Independent (and certain Dependent) Personal Services of a Nonresident Alien Individual. The form may be obtained at the IRS Web Site .

NOTE 8 : Non-Immigrant H-1B Visa Approval Process

Regent University may sometimes need to hire a foreign national when there is a shortage of qualified, available U.S. workers to fill certain specialized professional positions (typically a faculty position).  H-1B is the visa classification under which a foreign national may temporarily engage in employment in the U.S. in “specialty occupations in a field requiring highly specialized knowledge.”

In the event that a school or department believes it would be in the best interests of the university to file a Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker, with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) on behalf of a prospective foreign national employee in order to hire a highly skilled professional requiring an H-1B temporary work visa, the school or department must follow the guidelines listed below to seek special pre-approval prior to engaging in the H-1B application process.  While the actual time to complete the H-1B application process may vary, the process will usually take at least 2-3 months.  Schools and departments are therefore urged to seek pre-approval as early as possible.

All activities and expenditures related to obtaining an H-1B visa for a prospective or current employee must be pre-approved, as follows:

1.  The requesting school or department will prepare a written request describing the specific duties of the position, the relevant qualifications of the intended H-1B visa recipient, a summary of the school or department's efforts to fill the position without the need for obtaining an H-1B visa, and justification for obtaining an H-1B visa rather than hiring a person who does not require an H-1B visa (e.g. U.S. citizen or Lawful Permanent Resident with a "green card").   The costs associated with filing the Form I-129, Petition for Non-Immigrant Worker are normally the responsibility of the employer; therefore, the school or department must obtain approval from the Vice President for Human Resources before any employer-paid costs are incurred.   It should be noted that the approval of a petition will not guarantee that the prospective employee will be able to obtain the H-1B visa; however, the notice of approval of the employer’s petition, the Form I-797, is part of the documentation that will be required of the prospective employee when he/she makes application for the H-1B visa.  

2.  Submit the written request to the Vice President for Human Resources with a copy of the request to the Vice President/Legal Counsel and to the Vice President for Academic Affairs.

3.  Legal services should not be arranged, and no work should begin on the matter until the request is approved by the executives listed above.

4.  No offer of faculty employment can be made until a faculty contract has been signed by the Vice President for Academic Affairs, and no offer of employment can be made to a prospective staff employee until approved by the Vice President for Human Resources on a signed Offer & Briefing Form. 

All employees must complete a Form I-9 within the first 3 days of employment, to substantiate their eligibility to lawfully work in the U.S., regardless of their immigration status.  A foreign national who does not have the proper work visa will not be allowed to work.  Current holders of H-1B visas, however, may start work when the hiring school or department obtains approval from the Vice President for Human Resources to file for a new H-1B visa.  In those cases, a copy of the receipt notice for the newly filed petition must be attached to the Form I-9, along with a copy of the alien's Form I-94, until the new H-1B is secured and presented to Human Resources.

Under U.S. immigration law, the employer is liable for the reasonable costs of return transportation abroad for a foreign national employee in the H-1B visa category if the employee is dismissed from employment before the end of the period of authorized admission.

This policy is hereby approved by the President of Regent University, superseding any other Non-Immigrant H-1B Visa Application Policies previously in effect.

NOTE 9: Permanent Resident Status Application Policy

Regent University, in limited circumstances, may sponsor a prospective or current foreign national who is inside or outside the U.S. and who may qualify under one or more of the employment-based immigrant visa categories mandated by Congress.  Some of the categories that might be relevant to Regent University are:

• Priority Workers
• Aliens with extraordinary ability in the sciences, arts, education, business, or athletics;
• Outstanding professors and researchers;
• Multinational executives and managers.
• Professionals with Advanced Degrees or Persons with Exceptional Ability
• Aliens who, because of their exceptional ability in the sciences, arts, or business, will substantially benefit the national economy, cultural, or educational interests or welfare of the United States;
• Aliens who are members of professions holding advanced degrees or the equivalent.
• Professional or Skilled Workers
• Professionals with a baccalaureate degree
• Aliens capable of performing skilled labor (requiring at least 2 years of training or experience) for which qualified workers are not available in the United States.

For more information on the categories of eligibility for granting permanent residence to foreign nationals based on employment visit the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) website at http://www.uscis.gov.

It is the policy of Regent University that U.S. Citizens or U.S. Permanent Residents shall be hired unless there are no such applicants qualified for the job. In the event that a school or department believes it would be in the best interests of the university to retain a highly skilled professional foreign national to work beyond the H-1B visa limits, the school or department must follow the guidelines listed below to seek special pre-approval prior to engaging in the application process.  In most cases, the application process to hire a foreign national begins when the employer obtains an approved Labor Certification Application (LCA) from the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL).  After the LCA has been approved by the DOL, the employer continues the process by filing Form I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker, with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) on behalf of the foreign national. 

Provided the procedure outlined in the next paragraph is followed, Regent University may choose at its discretion to sponsor a current or prospective employee for permanent resident status. Sponsorship will include the application and all fees associated with the application, with the stipulation that should the employee voluntarily separate from Regent within three years of permanent residency approval, the employee would be required to repay Regent for all legal fees and other fees associated with the application process.   USCIS rules do not allow Regent University to petition for the application of permanent resident status for an employee's spouse or children.

All activities and expenditures related to assisting or obtaining a green card for an employee must be pre-approved, as follows:

• The requesting school or department shall prepare a written request describing the specific duties of the position, the relevant qualifications of the intended green card recipient, including which of the employment-based visa categories (listed on the USCIS website) the employee fits within, a summary of the school or department's efforts to fill the position without the need for obtaining a green card for a prospective or current employee, and the justification for obtaining a green card rather than hiring a person who does not require such documentation  (e.g. U.S. citizen or a U.S. Permanent Resident).  The school or department must obtain approval from the Vice President for Human Resources and other executives listed in paragraph 2 below before any employer-paid costs are incurred. It should be noted that the approval of a petition by the USCIS will not guarantee that the employee will be able to obtain Permanent Resident status; however, the notice of approval of the employer's petition, Form I-140, is part of the documentation that will be required of the employee when he/she makes application for the green card.

• Submit the written request to the Vice President for Human Resources, with a copy of the request to the Vice President/General Counsel and to the Vice President for Academic Affairs. The Vice President for Human Resources or the Vice President for Academic Affairs shall in their discretion determine if the petition process should be authorized and the expenses incurred by the University (attorney fees, etc.).

• Legal services should not be arranged, and no work should begin on the matter until the request is approved by the executives listed above.

• No offer of faculty employment can be made until a faculty contract has been signed by the Vice President for Academic Affairs, and no offer of employment can be made to a prospective staff employee until approved by the Vice President for Human Resources on a signed Offer & Briefing Form.

All employees must complete a Form I-9 within the first 3 days of employment, to substantiate their eligibility to lawfully work in the U.S., regardless of their immigration status.  A foreign national who does not have the proper work visa will not be allowed to work.

This policy is hereby approved by the President of Regent University, superseding any other Permanent Resident Status Application Policies previously in effect.