Consult with your manager, HR Partner and Senior Business Officer (SBO) to help you determine both which type of position will best fill your needs, and what your budget will allow. Also see the list of employee definitions on the USC policy website. More information is available on the Time page of this website as well. For information on USC’s official connection to temporary labor, see the Trojan Talent Source page.
| Worker type | Exemption status | Benefits eligibility | Hours | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full-time staff | Exempt or non-exempt | Eligible | 100% time at 37.5 or 40 hours per week | No fixed end date |
| Fixed term full-time staff | Exempt or non-exempt | Eligible | 100% time at 37.5 or 40 hours per week | Defined period of time; ideal for project-based work |
| Part-time staff | Exempt or non-exempt | Eligible | 50-99% of the time, based on 37.5 or 40 hour work week | No fixed end date |
| Fixed term part-time staff | Exempt or non-exempt | Eligible | 50-99% of the time, based on 37.5 or 40 hour work week | Defined period of time; ideal for project-based work |
| Contracts and grants employees | Exempt or non-exempt | Eligible | 50-99% of the time, based on 37.5 or 40 hour work week | Defined period of time based on terms of contract or grant |
| Per diem (restricted to certain types of jobs) | Non-exempt | Sick time only | No set or regular schedule | As needed |
| USC student worker or CWSP (work-study) student worker (federal funds pay for part of work-study wages) – note there are work-study job fairs in the fall and spring where you can find new student employees | Non-exempt | Sick time only | Generally no more than 20 hours a week during fall and spring semesters; may work additional hours during winter, spring and summer breaks | As long as student status lasts |
| Resource | Non-exempt | Sick time only | No more than 1000 hours within a rolling 12-month period | Within the 1000-hour requirement; ideal for seasonal work or when specialized skills or licensure are needed for a limited time |
| Temporary labor (Trojan Talent Source) hired through Business Services (see below chart for more information) | Non-exempt | Not eligible | No more than 1400 hours in any consecutive 12-month period | Within the 1400-hour requirement |
| Independent contractor | N/A | Not eligible | As determined by the contracting party | As determined by the project |
Note that although employees hired for a defined period of time (fixed term, contracts and grants) are benefits-eligible, certain policies/procedures (e.g., layoff notice, separation pay) do not apply when the employee is notified of the fixed or contract/grant term at the time of hire. At that time, departments must notify employee of the date the position will end.