Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Time and Leave

Q) How long do I have to work in the month to accrue time?: A) 15 work days for civil service employees, a full calendar month for Non-teaching Instructional Staff (HEO Series).
Q) When does an hourly employee begin to accrue sick/annual leave?: A) Civil Service part-time employees must complete 500 hours of work for the fiscal year before using approved annual sick leave. Once the 500-hour threshhold has been met, employees with continuous service may use annual/sick leave as it accrues in subsequent years.
Q) Are the timesheet forms on the web?: A) Yes, they are located in the forms section of the Human Resources website.
Q) Do I accrue 25 days [of leave time] a year?: A) Non-teaching Instructional employees accrue leave according to the contract based on appointment date and many other factors. Please contact the timekeeper in Human Resources for your accrual rate.
Q) Are College Assistants eligible for paid holidays?: A) No. As hourly employees, College Assistants are paid for hours actually worked.

Q) Are College Assistants eligible for a CUNY tuition waiver?: A) No. Some College Assistants are eligible for tuition reimbursement as a DC 37 Education Fund benefit. For more information, please go to DC37.net or call DC 37 at (212) 815-1234.
Q) Are sons and daughters of CUNY employees eligible for tuition waivers?: A) No, none of the collective bargaining Agreements provide this benefit.

Q) Why didn’t I receive my paycheck from the Payroll Office?: A) If you did not elect to enroll in the direct deposit program, you must pick up your paycheck from the Bursar’s window during regular business hours. The Bursar’s window is located opposite the Payroll Office window. If you are enrolled in the direct deposit program, your paycheck stub from the Payroll Office will be mailed to your home address. You may also have a representative pick up your paychecks but they must bring a picture ID and a signed letter authorizing your representative to pick up your paychecks.

Q) Why didn’t my paycheck go into my bank account when I’ve been enrolled in the direct deposit program for a long time?: A) When you have not worked and received a paycheck for more than 3 payroll periods, the payroll system will automatically terminate you from the direct deposit account program. Should you return to work after you have been off payroll for more than 3 payroll periods, your first pay will be in the form of a check until you contact the Payroll Office in writing to confirm your banking account information.

Q) When does my Graduate Assistant appointment begin and what are the dates of my employment?: A) Graduate Assistant appointments typically cover a twelve-month period from September 1st through August 31st of the academic year. Occasionally a Graduate Assistant may be appointed for a semester, which covers a six-month period from September 1st through late January 31st for the fall semester and February 1st through July 31st for the spring semester. You may refer to your appointment letter for the specific appointment period and salary information.

Q) What are the Graduate Center's Graduate Assistant appointment categories?

Program Titles	Payroll Contract Titles
CUNY Writing Fellows Honor's College Technology Fellows Collaborative Program Research Fellows CUNY Clinical Psychology Fellow	Graduate Assistant A
Research Assistants and Teaching/Non-Teaching GAB	Graduate Assistant B
Graduate Teaching Fellows	Graduate Assistant C

Q) How are Graduate Assistants paid? When can I expect my first paycheck?: A) Graduate Assistants are paid on a biweekly basis provided that they have submitted the required documents for processing the appointment . Graduate Assistants may expect their first paycheck on the second pay date in September for fall appointments. New Graduate Assistants appointed in spring semester may expect their first paycheck on the second pay date in February. Please refer to the “Payroll Calendar” section on our website for payroll dates.

Q) As a Graduate Assistant do I get paid in the summer months?: A) Yes, if you have an annual appointment that covers both fall and spring semester, you will be paid during the summer months of July and August. Please refer to Question #1 for details on appointment periods.

Q) Are Graduate Assistants eligible for health insurance?: A) Graduate Assistants are not eligible for any health insurance coverage or other employee benefits, with the exception of life insurance which is available to eligible Graduate Assistants through the union (PSC-CUNY).

Q) Where can I obtain information about tuition remission?: A) Please contact the Financial Aid Office or consult your Executive Officer regarding tuition remission and related matters.

Q) As a Graduate Assistant can I accept other employment within CUNY?: A) Employment within CUNY for Graduate Assistants is governed by the workload provisions under Article 15.3 of the Agreement between CUNY and PSC-CUNY:

Graduate students holding the title of Graduate Assistant A shall have an assignment of a maximum of 240 contact teaching hours or 450 hours of non-teaching assignments during the work year. Graduate students holding the title of Graduate Assistant B shall have an assignment of a maximum of 120 classroom teaching hours or 225 hours of non-teaching assignments in the B title during the work year. If a Graduate Assistant B also holds an adjunct or other hourly position, his or her total combined assignment may not exceed 240 contact teaching hours or 450 hours of non-teaching assignment during the work year.

Graduate students holding the title Graduate Assistant C shall have an assignment of a maximum of 180 classroom teaching hours during the work year. If a Graduate Assistant C also holds an Adjunct teaching position, his or her total combined assignment may not exceed 270 contact teaching hours during the work year.

In addition, Graduate Teaching Fellows may refer to the Graduate Teaching Fellowship Handbook posted on the Provost Office web site for detailed workload information.

Q) Where can I mail or send the workload reporting form?: A) Workload reporting forms are due in our office by the deadlines established for each semester. You may send your workload reporting form to the Office of Human Resources located in room 8403 at The Graduate Center. The form can be faxed to: (212) 817-1639 or emailed to:HR@gc.cuny.edu.
Q) Can Graduate Assistants teach in the summer?: A) Summer teaching assignments are based on yearly agreement between CUNY and PSC-CUNY to permit Graduate Assistants to accept assignments in addition to the maximum workload prescribed in Article 15.3 of the PSC/CUNY collective bargaining agreement. When such Agreements occur, Graduate Assistants may accept summer assignments, subject to the same limitations on hours that apply to full-time and adjunct faculty. Status of such an agreement for each summer is uncertain and Graduate Assistants will be notified if an agreement is reached.
Q) Where can I obtain an employment verification letter?: A) Graduate Assistants may request employment verification letters by writing an email to the Human Resources department at hr@gc.cuny.edu. The Office of Human Resources must have a written consent for release of information. Please allow two-three business days for the issuance of the letter. Click here for the form.