Student Hiring and Payments

The Law HR Team supports a wide variety of important activities including payment to students by instructing students on hiring actions, advising departments on payroll processes and timelines, and liaising with the University’s central payroll and HR operations teams.

In addition to the information on this page, please check out our Student Hiring and Payment FAQs. 

Hiring and Payment Process for Students

After receiving an approved employment offer or notification of an award or prize, here are the steps for Law School students to get set up for work and payment.

Students paid hourly (including Research Assistants): Please do not begin work until the steps below are complete and you have received email confirmation that your position is fully processed and your timecard is available in the timekeeping system.

 

1. Answer a few quick questions about your role or payment.

Complete the  Law School Student Hire and Payment Request online questionnaire. 

2. Download, complete, and securely send your paperwork to the Law HR Team.

Access the secure Law Document Upload Portal to upload the following documents as applicable:

  • Personal Data Form -  This form is required for anyone receiving payment via NU Payroll. Please include your social security number on this form.

  • Request for FNIS -  This form should only be completed by foreign nationals. You will receive further information from a member of the University’s tax team. Please note that a social security number is required before starting work in any role.

  • Identification for the I-9 Process - Anyone being paid in exchange for work must have an active I-9 employment verification on record. Upload scans or clear photos of your identification to be used for completing I-9. You will ultimately need to show the original document(s) in person to complete the I9 process.

  • Federal W-4 and IL W-4 Tax Forms - Tax forms are encouraged for anyone being paid in exchange for work. Digital signatures are not currently accepted on tax forms. If you do not supply a valid W-4 form, you will be processed as a single filer with no adjustment. Students who are foreign nationals should skip this step and complete the Request for FNIS instead. 

3. Complete the I-9/E-Verify process.

E-Verify is an Internet-based system for completing Form I-9 that allows Northwestern to verify the employment eligibility of its employees regardless of citizenship. All employees and individuals being paid through payroll are required to have an active I-9; please see the University's I-9 FAQ Page for additional information.  

  • First, complete I-9 Section 1 online.
    Access the Northwestern I-9 Service Center, create an account if necessary, and complete I-9 Section 1. The School/Area to give is “Law”; the Department/Center is “5400 Law Administration.”

  • Then, bring your original documents with you to complete I-9 Section 2 in person.
    There are several options for completing this process:
    • On the Chicago campus, please visit the askHR Service Center during walk-in hours between 10am and 3pm on Wednesdays.  The center is located on the first floor of Abbott Hall, Room 150, 710 N Lake Shore Dr.
    • On the Evanston campus, please visit the Office of Human Resources on the first floor of 1800 Sherman Avenue, Evanston. Walk-ins are available Monday through Friday from 8:30am to 5:00pm.
    • You are also welcome to reserve a time to complete I-9 Section 2 with the Law HR Team. Please note this option is not available for individuals who are foreign nationals.
    • Individuals who are foreign nationals may also opt to complete I-9 Section 2 when appearing in person to sign tax documents as part of the FNIS process.

If you are not able to appear in person on either campus to complete I-9 Section 2, alternative options involving the use of a remote agent may be available. Please contact the Law HR Team for assistance. 

 

Thank you for your attention and please reach out to the Law HR Team if you have questions or difficulty completing any of the actions outlined on this page. We are here to help!

 

Northwestern Pritzker School of Law is committed to fostering an environment of inclusion and equal opportunity.  We recruit and hire employees, including student employees, from all backgrounds to reflect the diversity of our Law School community.

The Law School's hiring procedures are based on the University's policies, including guidelines on hiring and onboarding and secure handling of sensitive information.