Recruitment Policies

Policies described here are based on standards set by the National Association of Colleges and
Employers (NACE) along with relevant policy administered by John Jay College:
 

NACE Standards

• Principles for Ethical Professional Practice
• Stance on Unpaid Internships
• Setting Reasonable Deadlines for Job Offers
• Rescinded and Deferred Employment Offers

John Jay College of Criminal Justice Policies

• FERPA
• Compliance & Diversity
• Equal Opportunity and Non-Discrimination
   

Below is a summary of core expectations by policy area:
 

Interview, Offer, and Acceptance Guidelines

• Employers should provide flexible scheduling for interviews and allow students adequate time - 
  typically two weeks or more - to evaluate offers, with longer timelines for post-internship conversion
  offers. Exploding offers are strictly prohibited.

Salary Transparency

• All job postings must include a good faith salary range, in compliance with applicable laws in multiple
  states and jurisdictions.
  Internship Policy
• Internships must be paid whenever possible, and unpaid internships must meet strict FLSA and
  educational standards to ensure equitable access and meaningful learning.

Non-Discrimination, Accessibility, and Harassment

• Employers must uphold inclusive, accessible, and harassment-free recruiting practices and comply with
  all applicable federal, state, and institutional policies.
  Alcohol-Free Recruiting Policy
• Recruiting events must be free from alcohol to maintain professionalism and accessibility for all
  students.
   

Prohibited Role Policies

• Positions must be structured, supervised, and appropriate for students’ experience levels. Commission-
  only, MLM, gig-style, or misclassified roles are not permitted.

Rescinded or Deferred Offers

• If employment offers must be deferred or rescinded, employers should communicate early and provide
  alternative support wherever possible.

Remote Work Standards

• Remote opportunities must include clear expectations, supervision, communication plans, and
  mentoring.

Support for International Students

• Employers are encouraged to consider hiring F-1 and J-1 students, understanding the distinctions
  between CPT, OPT, and Academic Training.

Safe and Ethical Work Environments

• All work sites must comply with OSHA standards, provide supervision, and align with John Jay and
  CUNY workplace violence prevention policies.

Post-Hire Data Collection

• Employers may be asked to share outcome data that supports institutional insights and continuous
  improvement.

Emerging Challenges and Expectations

• Employers should remain mindful of best practices related to AI, job description clarity, student privacy,
  and inclusive technology use.

Violations and Consequences

• Employers who do not meet these standards may lose access to Handshake, career events, or other
  institutional recruiting channels.

Full details for each of the aforementioned policy areas will follow.

Students invited to interview must be provided with reasonable scheduling accommodations:

• Employers must allow students to schedule interviews around academic responsibilities, including class times, exams, midterms, finals, and designated study days.

Cancellations of interviews, info sessions, or attendance at career fairs with less than 48 hours’ notice can significantly impact our students and staff. Repeated instances may affect future eligibility.

Employers must provide students sufficient time to evaluate job offers. Students should receive:

• A minimum of two weeks from the date a written offer is received; OR until the deadlines listed below,
  whichever is later:

  - Offers from fall recruiting should remain open until the second Friday in November.

  - Offers from spring recruiting should remain open until the second Friday in March.

• A reasonable timeline and expectations for when hiring decisions will be shared with students if outside
  of the above timeframes.

Employers are expected to accommodate reasonable student requests for offer deadline extensions. Employers are also expected to provide a written offer and avoid verbal-only agreements.

Conversion Offers (Internship-to-Full-Time):

• Students offered full-time employment following an internship must be given sufficient time to evaluate the offer thoughtfully and without pressure.
• Conversion offers extended at the end of a summer internship must remain open until October 15 or for a minimum of three weeks from the written offer date, whichever is later.
• Conversion offers made during the academic year must remain open for a minimum of three weeks from the written offer date.
• Employers are expected to honor reasonable student requests for deadline extensions, especially when offers coincide with fall or spring recruiting cycles.
• Exploding offers, or offers with unreasonably short deadlines, penalties for delay, or incentives to accept early, are strictly prohibited and may result in immediate loss of recruiting privileges.

All job advertisements must include a good faith salary range, in accordance with applicable local, state, and
federal laws.

As of 2025, the following U.S. states and jurisdictions have enacted salary transparency laws:

• California
• Colorado
• Connecticut
• District of Columbia
• Hawaii
• Illinois
• Maryland
• Massachusetts (effective October 29, 2025)
• Minnesota (effective January 1, 2025)
• Nevada
• New Jersey (effective June 1, 2025)
• New York
• Rhode Island
• Vermont (effective July 1, 2025)
• Washington

Employers are responsible for ensuring compliance with salary disclosure requirements relevant to the
jurisdictions in which they operate.

Postings submitted without salaries listed may be declined and requested for resubmission with salaries and
compensation clearly listed.

John Jay College supports equitable access to internships and encourages all internships to be paid. 

Unpaid internships will be subject to additional scrutiny and must:

• Comply with Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) guidelines.
• Include a clear educational component.
• Provide substantial learning and supervision.
   

We reserve the right to decline unpaid internships that do not meet these standards.

Academic Credit:
Academic credit is granted at the discretion of the student’s academic department. Credit is not a substitute for
fair compensation.

John Jay College of Criminal Justice is committed to fostering a respectful, inclusive, and equitable recruitment
environment for all students. By participating in our services or events, your organization affirms that it is an
Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of gender, age, disability, race, color,
religion, marital status, veteran status, national or ethnic origin, sexual orientation, or any other protected
category.

Employers must comply with all applicable laws and institutional policies related to discrimination, sexual
harassment, and student rights, including:

• John Jay’s Non-Discrimination and Equal Opportunity Policy
• John Jay’s Sexual Harassment Policy

Employers are expected to ensure that all recruiting practices, both in-person and virtual, are accessible to students with disabilities, including digital platforms and communications.
 

Any report of discrimination, harassment, misconduct, or exclusionary practices involving a John Jay student will be reviewed thoroughly. Employers found in violation may be removed from the Handshake platform and restricted from future engagement.

Alcohol is not permitted at any event or activity related to recruiting John Jay students. 

This includes:

• Hosting at locations with open/paid bars
• Serving alcohol at networking or recruiting events

Violations may result in:

• Removal from Handshake
• Loss of access to recruiting events
• Notification to CUNY and other partner institutions

Commission-Based Roles:

Commission-only positions are not permitted.

• Mixed-compensation roles must clearly disclose the structure.
• Employers may be asked to provide: base pay terms, typical earnings, training expectations, and any
  out-of-pocket costs for students.
   

Prohibited Opportunities:

• Multilevel marketing (MLM), affiliate, ambassador, and pyramid-based schemes
• Third-party recruiters
• Unpaid promotional gigs offering compensation in the form of exposure, product, or future opportunities
• Under-qualified or misclassified opportunities including in-home childcare, babysitting, pet sitting,
  dog walking, tutoring, bartending, or similar roles are not appropriate for posting if they lack
  supervision, skill development, or are unpaid work inaccurately presented as internships

Employers must make every effort to avoid rescinding or deferring offers.

If unavoidable, employers are expected to:

• Notify the candidate and our office promptly
• Offer alternative roles, locations, or start dates
• Provide financial or professional support

Employers who fail to handle rescinded or deferred offers responsibly may be barred from future recruiting.

All remote positions must:

• Specify supervision structure and communication cadence
• Define weekly hours and expected outcomes
• Include training and mentorship plans

Positions lacking structure or accountability may be rejected.

John Jay College welcomes international students on both F-1 and J-1 visas and encourages employers to engage with this talented and diverse population. These students contribute meaningfully to our campus community and are often eligible for work authorization depending on their visa type.
 

• F-1 visa holders may qualify for employment authorization through:
  - Curricular Practical Training (CPT) during their program of study
  - Optional Practical Training (OPT) after graduation for up to 12 months (or longer for STEM fields)
  - For details about employment eligibility and limitations, visit the John Jay F-1 employment page here.

• J-1 visa holders are not eligible for CPT or OPT but may qualify for Academic Training (AT)—an off- campus work authorization for employment directly related to their field of study.
  - AT must be approved in advance by the J-1 sponsor (either John Jay or another sponsoring agency).
  - Learn more about J-1 visa regulations and employment guidelines here.

John Jay College requires that all employment and internship opportunities promoted through the Career Learning Lab offer safe, professional, and respectful work environments.
 

Employers must:

• Comply with all applicable federal, state, and local workplace safety laws, including OSHA standards.
• Provide appropriate supervision, oversight, and skill development.
• Ensure that work environments are free from harassment, discrimination, or threats of violence.

In alignment with CUNY’s Workplace Violence Prevention Policy, John Jay College reserves the right to decline or remove postings involving roles or settings that:

• Are unsupervised or isolated (e.g., in-home childcare, private residences)
• Lack structured onboarding or safety protocols
• Present risks to student physical, emotional, or psychological well-being
   

For more, see John Jay's:

• Workplace Violence Policy
• Environmental Health & Safety Office

John Jay College may request outcome data from employers to measure success and inform institutional strategy.

We may ask for anonymous aggregate information cyclically, including:

• Number of students interviewed or hired
• Job function and salary range
• Internship-to-full-time conversion rates

We ask employers to be mindful of the following trends and challenges impacting student engagement and equitable hiring:

• Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Hiring: If using AI-driven assessments or resume screeners, please ensure transparency and accessibility.
• Data Privacy & Security: Employers must protect the confidentiality of student data, including resumes and contact information. Compliance with FERPA and secure handling of data is expected. John Jay College’s full policy on FERPA can be found here.
• Clarity in Job Descriptions: Roles must include clear descriptions, required qualifications, and a distinction if the role involves sales, canvassing, or commission-based work.

John Jay reserves the right to deny or revoke access to Handshake, on-campus/virtual recruiting, and all other services if an employer:

• Submits misleading or non-compliant job postings
• Violates any of the policies outlined above
• Engages in unethical recruiting practices
• Fails to honor scheduled recruitment activities without appropriate notice
• Demonstrates a pattern of poor communication or unreliable participation

Please contact Matthew Garcia, Associate Director for Employer Engagement, at matgarcia@jjay.cuny.edu for questions, clarification, or policy-related concerns.