Information for Laboratory and Teaching Assistants

Filling out your time sheet properly may be the most difficult part of your job as a lab assistant at IUS.  Blank time sheets are available in the School of Natural Sciences office in a tray near the door.  Completed time sheets should be placed in the bottom slot of this tray before 5:00 on the last Friday in the pay period.

Guidelines for filling out time sheets:

• The time worked should be rounded to the nearest quarter hour and notated in decimal form.  For example, 2:30 should be written as 2.5 and 2:45 should be written as 2.75.  Click here to see a sample time sheet.

• No lab assistant may work more than 40 hours in a single week.  Your time sheet may show 39.75 hours for a given week, and any additional hours worked should be transferred to the following week.  IUS does not give overtime.  Mark through all overtime boxes on the time sheet.

• Do not write in hours that conflict with your class schedule.  You can only be in class or at work, never both simultaneously!  Even if your class gets out early and you start work, adjust the hours appropriately and write them in on your time sheet.

• Pay close attention to the pay periods and when the time sheet is due.  Your time sheet must be signed by your supervisor and turned in to the School of Natural Sciences office by the last Friday of the pay period.  If your supervisor will not be in on Friday, you should plan ahead and get it signed before then.  Similarly, you should turn in the time sheet before 5:00, when the School of Natural Sciences office closes.

• If you consistently turn in your time sheet late and miss the 5:00 Friday deadline, YOU WILL BE FIRED!!!  Well, maybe not, but everyone will be greatly inconvenienced by your error.  If you do nothing else right in your career as a lab assistant, at least turn in your time sheet punctually.

Rules to remember:

• Your classes should always be a priority.  If you have several exams and your time for studying is severely limited, talk to your supervisor or Gail Emmert to arrange for someone else to take over your responsibilities for that week.

• Never take or borrow materials from other classrooms or prep rooms without first asking permission from the owner.  If you need a particular item, talk to your supervisor about possibly ordering more, or look for the item in the stock room.

• When in doubt, ask.  When still in doubt, ask again.  Most of the equipment used in the laboratory is unimaginably expensive, and there is no excuse for damaging equipment because you are unsure of how to use it properly.  Your supervisor does not expect you to be an instant expert, and should answer any questions gladly.