Pay delays commonly afflict graduate and undergraduate student employees at UTRGV. We have experienced delays as long as 46 days and arbitrary pay cuts without notice or explanation. This violates our rights as state employees and discredits UTRGV’s mission to encourage an innovative and accessible educational environment. We depend on timely stipends and wages to pay for necessities, and we expect and deserve to be paid for our labor on time, every time.
Timely payment of wages is a fundamental responsibility of any employer. When pay day arrives, we regularly do not receive our scheduled deposits, and are left in the dark regarding the status of our wages until we eventually receive a payout less than promised, if at all. We are then forced to seek answers through repeated emails, phone calls and office visits, most of which are disregarded and passed along laterally to different departments. As students, we should not have to pressure staff or faculty to process our wages. The university does not live up to its obligation as an employer and disrespects the rights of its student workers.
Earned wages should never be withheld from student employees, but if it happens, the employer needs to provide a valid explanation and a timely resolution. Below are a few suggestions the university should implement to remedy these issues:
–Create a streamlined, up-to-date informational packet for students addressing software training, pay dates, available health care services, grievance procedures and other common onboarding issues.
–Formally notify employees when pay is to be rendered, e.g., an electronic notification that includes a detailed upcoming pay stub at least one week prior to pay. This would enable more timely resolution of any concerns.
–Give clear and detailed notice regarding delayed wage disbursement, which includes why the delay occurred, what is being done to remedy the delay and how future delays will be avoided.
–Require UTRGV to pay late fees for wages that are withheld for longer than five business days at a weekly compounded rate of 5 percent of the original payout amount. Students accrue late fees for unpaid expenses; UTRGV should be held to those same standards.
–Include student representation on any and all committees and efforts to improve student wage processes.
We are open to discussions with relevant university officials. Please contact us at utrgvlabor@gmail.com. We strongly encourage administrators to work with us to resolve these problems; the status quo is unacceptable.
Student Workers for Labor Rights
Editor’s Note: The Rider emailed Michael James, chief Human Resources officer, on Oct. 30 in regard to the students’ complaints and requested an interview. James did not reply. On Oct. 31, Patrick Gonzales, associate vice president for University Marketing & Communication, called The Rider and said he would get “the right person” for the newspaper to interview. The Rider is still awaiting a response on its interview request.
