CUNY Career Launch Employers

Any questions that we cannot answer or fall under Central’s jurisdiction can be forwarded to Andre at: careerlaunchemployer@cuny.edu  

• Can my office at Queens College serve as a partner site this summer?
  Thank you for submitting an interest form seeking QC interns this summer.   As you may have seen, this year’s summer internship program with NYC is called CUNY Career Launch and in terms of structure and participating industries is very different than last year’s Recovery Corps. This year, CUNY is being more restrictive on the site placements and roles. They prefer we place students in off-campus internships but noted we can place a few students on campus if the roles are crafted in a way that shows clearly students will be able to develop industry and professional skills and provide responsibilities that are typical for the position that requires a college degree and that would pay above $40K when done full-time.
  If you are still interested, please see the next steps below:Please fill out the Employer Application via formstack. Priority Deadline: Wednesday, April 27th, 2022
  Spread the word! Direct any colleagues in our target industries to our website where they can sign up for an info session and apply to host interns. 
  If you have students you want to be placed with you, please ask them to submit the application ASAP, and please send me a comprehensive list of names for us to match on the back end.  

• Helpful Info:  
  Here is a copy of the Employer Info Session slide deck for your review.On our website, you will find the option to complete our Employer Application via formstack
  

• How will placement sites be selected?  
  The program is open to non-profit organizations and government agencies that have offices in New York City’s five boroughs.  

• What is Career Launch?
  This summer, 2,000 CUNY students will launch into their careers by interning in a job that requires a college degree and is related to their major. CUNY Career Launch will recruit students who are new to the professional workforce and ready to practice what they are learning in the classroom in the work world.
  
  Interns will have the opportunity to build skills, extend their professional networks, add to their resumes, and contribute to employers throughout NYC in several key industries. The positions will be paid for by CUNY; businesses will not have any costs to host interns. 
  
  The program will run between early July and late August. Interns will work 19 hours/week over the course of 6 weeks. CUNY will provide interns with a week of training prior to interns’ start; however, participating businesses will want to provide training about the rules, regulations, and practices at their specific workplace. 
  
  This is a fantastic opportunity for employers to benefit from CUNY students’ knowledge and expertise while also mentoring and training a new temporary staff member. Employers should design interns’ roles by identifying tasks that will give students experience needed to land a highly skilled job post-graduation. 

 

• How can I learn more about Career Launch, will there be any information sessions?
  Employer information sessions will be held at 12:30PM on April 12, April 19, and April 26 via Zoom. Prospective partners can register to attend here.  

• What role is Queens College playing?
  Queens College will serve as the Community Development/Social Services Career Hub, and place almost 400 interns across CUNY within your organizations.   

• How many hours can an intern work? What is the timeline?
  Interns will work 19 hours/week over the course of 6 weeks between early July and mid-August and will be paid through the University. Interns will begin a week of paid training on July 5th, followed by six weeks of employment. Interns may work up to 19 hours a week, therefore with training they will have completed 133 hours of work by the end of the program on August 11th. Interns will be paid $20 an hour.  

• How will student interns be compensated for their time? 
  CUNY Career Launch is a six-week 19hr weekly position over the summer months with positions starting the week of July 5th. Interns will earn $20/hr and are eligible to make over $2600 this summer! Students will be paid through the University and will be of no cost to partners. 

• How can I sign up to hire summer interns?
  Interested partner sites can access the Career Launch Interest Form here. Note that prospective partners have until April 29th to submit their interest form to be considered for Summer 2022. Campus departments interest form can be found here. 

• How do I select my interns, or will they be assigned to my organization?
  Each career hub is responsible for student recruitment, vetting, selection, and the matching process for all students interested in your hub, and more importantly your organization. Our team will do its best to accommodate as many partner requests as possible but cannot guarantee to fill ALL requested positions due to several variables including student interests and location. **Priority will be given to partner sites seeking to hire at least 5 student interns. ** 

• What If my site or job requires a specific skill set from interns?
  Selection and matching will be student-led and up to the discretion of the individual hubs. To aid hubs in matching you with capable interns, complete the job description portion on InPlace being as specific as you can regarding skills/requirements. 

• What support will I be offered by the hub?
  Campus hubs will not only be responsible for student selection, but will also serve to support student progress, create and implement adequate training, onboard, foster employer/partner relationship, and support supervisors as needed.  

• Who do I contact if I have any questions or concerns about the program or my interns?
  You can contact the Queens College Career Launch team at careerlaunch@qc.cuny.edu 

• What type of work are interns allowed to do? 
  Projects should include hands-on work that enhances student learning, such as accounting, community outreach, writing, graphic design, or research. Our goal is that students use this experience to foster their soft and technical skills. Supervisors must train and support students. The CUNY Career Launch encourages partners to provide students with additional learning opportunities (e.g., student attendance at staff meetings, off-site training, and informational interviews). 

• What happens if my student intern drops out after a couple of weeks? 
  Commitment to the 6 weeks of the program for 19 hours per week is one criterion that the CUNY Career Launch team will be using to select student interns. We will do our best to find a replacement for your organization but are not able to guarantee that we will be able to fill a newly vacant position. Assessments will be made on a case-by-case basis. 

• How many students will be selected?
   Our hub’s goal is to retain about 400 students for the summer. Once the target number of applications has been reached, students and partner sites will be asked to provide information on their ideal candidate and will be matched according to work style (online, hybrid, in-person), location, and other variables.
   
• Is there any flexibility in student intern start dates? 
  Students are expected to begin working with partner sites starting in July and for six consecutive weeks thereafter. Any issues or special requests will be assessed on a case-by-case basis. 

• What is the timeline of the student application, selection and onboarding process: 
  April 29th Site Applications Due 
  May – June Matching + Onboarding 
  July 5th Student Orientation at Community and Social Services Hub
  July 11th Student Work Starts 
  Aug 11th Student Work Ends 
  Late August Program admin close-out
  

• How can I add a supervisor to our job site or review our matches?
  To add supervisors to a specific job site or review matches, click here.  

• Are interns required to work 19 hours a week, or can this be adjusted to meet our needs if it is less than 19 hours a week?
  From what CUNY Central has shared with us, it would need to be a substantial amount of work sufficient for 19 hours a week. You can still apply, but note selection is up to Central. 

• Are the partner sites required to provide training?
  Hubs will be responsible for a week of paid training for the student interns, but this training will not be site specific. Any specific training for site-specific software or materials is up to the discretion of your organization and should be scheduled during the week of July 11th. 

• Will there be an employer orientation?
  A pre-recorded supervisor orientation will be sent out in a few weeks from CUNY Central. This can be watched asynchronously here.  

• I am a site outside of the five boroughs, can I apply to host interns?
  Sites outside of the five boroughs cannot require in-person work, however if remote work is offered you can apply. 

• Can students work weekends?
  Yes, students can work weekends if they are working 19 hours or less during their scheduled workweek.  
  

• How do I approve interns’ timesheets? 
  Supervisors will get access to the timekeeping system through RF CUNY to view and approve timesheets. Click here for instructions. 
  

• Is there anywhere that I can keep track of when my interns must submit timesheets and when I must approve timesheets?
  a. Supervisors will have access to RF CUNY where they can track the hours.
  Timesheet due dates:
    7/15/2022
    7/29/2022
    8/12/2022
    8/26/2022
  

• Is there any flexibility in student intern start dates?
  Students are expected to begin working with partner sites starting in July and for six consecutive weeks thereafter. Any issues or special requests will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.
  

• Where can my interns find more information on how to submit timesheets?
  Interns will get information/training on how to submit their timesheets prior to the first pay period.
  

• What happens if my intern misses their timesheet submission?
  Interns will receive a calendar with the due dates for timesheet submission. Hubs can also send reminders to students to avoid any late submissions or payments. However, a retro-timesheet can be submitted in the event an intern does not submit a timesheet prior to the submission date. Click here for retro-timesheet. 
  

• Can a timesheet be changed after it is approved?
  If a timesheet has already been approved and you need to make changes complete the manual timesheet and send to CareerLaunchPay@cuny.edu ASAP.
  

• Are the interns paid for holidays or allowed to make up hours?
  Federal holidays on which city agencies are closed are not paid holidays for interns. This means interns must choose how they want to handle the closure. If an intern is traditionally scheduled to work on the weekday on which a holiday falls, they can make up the hours missed at some point during the same payroll period.
  
  Makeup hours are only permitted within the same pay period (i.e., you miss 5 hours of work on Monday, therefore you make up hours on Wednesday during the same pay period)
  
  Under no circumstance should an intern complete over 38 hours during a two week pay period. CUNY program staff will not approve time sheets that include hours worked on a day in which an agency was closed.
  
  Note: As part-time employees, interns are also not eligible for RFCUNY holidays.
  

• Is our organization responsible for providing equipment, if we elect our job type to be remote?
  By agreeing to a remote internship site, the student is agreeing to having high speed internet, a standard working device (laptop or computer) and basic access to internet web browsers, video chat application downloads, built in video cameras and built-in microphones.
  
  The student shall not be asked to pay for any web applications or internet services under any given circumstance.
  

• Will interns be required to be vaccinated?
  In accordance with CUNY’s vaccine mandate, as of May 27, 2022, except for medical or religious exemptions, all employees will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, and their proof of vaccination uploaded into the RFCUNY vaccine verification portal in order to access CUNY campuses and worksites. Students who wish to request a medical or religious exemption should send their request to careerlaunchpay@cuny.edu or carrerlaunch@qc.cuny.edu.
  

• What if our site requires interns to wear a mask?
  Students must adhere to all mask mandates required by internship sites. In internship sites where masks are not required, students may voluntarily wear a mask.
  

• What if an intern test positive for COVID-19 during internship?
  If a student receives a positive COVID-19 test during CUNY Career Launch, they should immediately inform their site supervisors. The student must follow the COVID-19 protocols of their respective worksite.
  
  RFCUNY has provided a temporary leave benefit of up to 14 days of paid sick leave to its employees for their own COVID-19 illnesses and to take care of ill family members with a confirmed case of COVID-19. This benefit can be used for a COVID-19 illness, any disabling condition from a COVID-19 illness, and any mandatory or precautionary order of quarantine or isolation.
   
  Special COVID-19 Sick Leave is not applicable in cases where an employee is deemed asymptomatic or has not yet been diagnosed with any medical condition and is physically able to work. Sick leave, annual leave, or unscheduled holiday leave may be used in those cases.
  
  To apply for COVID-19 Sick Leave, please complete the Confidential COVID-19 Report form and submit supporting medical documentation to Yinet Conde, at Yinet_Conde@rfcuny.org. If you are ill with a confirmed case of COVID-19, you are caring for an ill family member with a confirmed case of COVID-19, or you are subject to an order of Mandatory Isolation or Precautionary Quarantine, select “Other Paid” on the timesheet and select COVID-19 Sick from the drop-down list.
  

• If an incident occurs at the job site, what is the protocol?
  Students enrolled in CUNY Career Launch are required to report and document incidents that occur during their internships that lead to personal injury, harassment, physical or verbal assault and any other harmful actions.
  
  When such an incident occurs, students are required to immediately report the incident to their site supervisor and/or call 9-1-1 if necessary.
  
  Subsequently, the students are responsible for reporting these incidents to their respective hub leaders. Hub leaders will then inform CUNY Central staff and Research Foundation HR representatives.
  
  * Please contact careerlaunch@qc.cuny.edu.
  

• Is there a code of conduct policy interns must adhere to?
  Yes, this code of conduct highlights the general rules and regulations that each student must follow. Students are required to use this as a reference but should still follow the specific rules of their internship sites. Actions subject to but not limited to disciplinary actions:
   – excessive lateness
   – absence no call, no show
   – breach of confidentiality
   – verbal or physical misconduct
   – theft of work property
   – inebriation in the workplace
   – Inappropriate work relationships
   – dress code violation (varies based on internship site)
  
  1. When the initial problem arises, supervisors will have a conversation with the intern and be clear about what they would like them to do in order to improve. Additional support will be provided if needed.
  
  2. If a problem becomes chronic and repetitive, CUNY Career Launch staff will be contacted.
  
  3. If coaching and support has been provided and the problem persists, the next step is to give the intern a verbal warning. Interns will be given suggestions for improvement.
  
  4. If further intervention is needed, CUNY Hub staff will complete a Written Warning Form with a 3-day timeframe in which the intern can correct their behavior. CUNY Hub staff will also schedule a corrective action plan meeting with the intern. The meeting will be a time to review the problematic behavior, determine the causes of the behavior, and collaborate to develop strategies for improvement. Next steps for any failure to comply with the plan will also be included.
  
  5. Implement the follow-up listed in the corrective action plan.
  
  *Some actions may be subject to termination without warning. See termination policy. Please contact the relevant staff from your respective hubs for any code of conduct related questions.
  

• Is there a termination policy?
  A student who is not compliant with Career Launch policy is at risk of being terminated from the program and from employment with RF CUNY.
  
  Partners should contact the relevant Hub Manager with concerns about student performance or behavior they may result in termination.
  
  If termination is the decision, the Hub Manager will officially terminate the student (with documentation in the InPlace system and to the central office) and notify the site supervisor and RF CUNY of official termination.
  
  Actions subject to immediate termination: 
  – serious breach of confidentiality
  – verbal or physical misconduct
  – theft of work property
  – inebriation in the workplace
  – inappropriate work relationships
  

• What if an intern is not able to complete their 6-week internship commitment?
  Students must notify their managers and service placement supervisors in writing at least one week before they will resign from the program. Students should include a “thank you” to community partners for the opportunity in their resignation email. Students should complete the withdrawal form to confirm their withdrawal.
  

• Will there be an end of internship evaluation?
  Yes 

 

Please direct any questions to careerlaunch@qc.cuny.edu.