Skip to main content Skip to secondary navigation

Frequently Asked Questions

Main content start

Please browse these answers to the most frequently asked questions about Stanford employment-related information before emailing HR Communications.

Jump to:

  • Current Employees: Benefits; getting your W-2, updating your address; salary ranges; time off; Stanford Sweeteners, etc.
  • External Organizations: Employment verification requests; salary ranges; use of Stanford emblem, name or photos; and more.
  • Former Employees: Updating your address; getting your W-2; verifying your former employment at Stanford.
  • Prospective Employees: Job postings; hearing back from Stanford; faculty, student or hospital jobs; and more.

FAQ for Current Employees

Below you will find answers to the most frequently asked questions about employment, benefits, Stanford Sweeteners, and more. Please browse this list before emailing HR Communications.

W-2s

How do I get a copy of my W-2 for tax purposes? It may have been sent to my old address, but I have since moved.

All W-2s are mailed out by January 31. To request a W-2 reprint starting February 15, please follow the instructions on the Fingate site.

If you need further assistance, please contact Payroll:

  • payrollhelp@stanford.edu
  • (650) 723-2772
  • HelpSU (Select "Request Category: Financial Support", "Request Type: Payroll")

You should also update your contact information for the Stanford directory if you haven't already done so; please go to StanfordYou and click on "Maintain your directory and AlertSU emergency contact information."

I no longer want to receive a paper copy of my W-2 Form by mail. Is there a paperless version?

Yes. In fact, due to the personal information included in W-2 Forms, it is recommended that employees opt for electronic delivery through Axess, which requires two-step authentication. Your consent will remain in place until such point as you withdraw it, or you terminate your employment with the university. If you are unsure if you have opted for electronic delivery in the past, confirm your e-consent in Axess on the Employee Center tab. Additional information about accessing and correcting your W-2 Forms is available through the university's financial gateway website (Fingate).

Employee Personnel Information

I’m a Stanford employee and recently moved. How do I change my mailing address?

You can update your mailing address online at StanfordYou; click on "Maintain your directory and AlertSU emergency contact information."

I recently married and changed my last name. How do I change my name on my employee record?

Please contact your school/unit HRM (HR manager) to update your employee record.

How can I correct the name on my SUNet ID? I was recently sponsored one, but when I log in the name associated with the account is incorrect.

Please submit a HelpSU request. Use the request category of “Accounts, Passwords, Access Privileges, ID cards” and a request type of "SUNet ID Sponsorship" to inquire about changing your SUNet ID.

Benefits

I have a question about my health-related (medical, life, dental, vision) or retirement savings benefits.

Please contact the University HR Service Team by calling (650) 736-2985 or toll free (877) 905-2985. You can also live chat, submit an online form or schedule an in-person appointment with a specialist by logging into My Benefits.

If you are a Stanford Health Care or Lucile Packard Hospital employee, please call 

I have a question about my benefits related to disability and family leaves.

Please call or email a University HR Service Team specialist in Disability & Family Leaves Support.

Employer Matching

Is there an employer matching contribution for charitable giving?

Stanford does not offer an employee matching gift program as we are a non-profit organization (501c3), and there are strict regulations based on the tax-exempt status that precludes us from having it.

Job Postings and Salary Ranges

Below are a few of the most commonly asked questions regarding staff careers at Stanford. Please refer to the Stanford Careers FAQ for a complete list; if you still have questions, please contact Talent Acquisition. For questions about open faculty positions, please visit the faculty openings website.

I saw a job posted on the Stanford Careers website last week, but it is no longer there. Can I still apply for the position? How long are jobs posted on the website?

Listings must be posted for a minimum of ten days. After that point, the department may close the opening at their discretion when a candidate pool has been identified. We update job postings on the Stanford Careers website frequently. If a job is listed on our site, it is considered open.

I’m a current Stanford employee and am having difficulty finding a salary range for a job I’m interested in. Can you point me in the right direction?

You may review the Job Salary Structure online by logging into Axess or visiting the Cardinal at Work website. You must log in using your SUNet ID and password to view the document.

When in Axess, go to the Employee Center tab, then under the “Cardinal at Work Updates” section select “Staff Salary Structure.” From there, you will be able to see your salary range.

Time Off

How many vacation days do I get each year?

To determine the number of vacation days granted to you annually based upon your current years of service and type of job, please refer to Administrative Guide Memo 2.1.6

Please refer to the Paid Time Off page for more information about accruals, roll over and policies for using vacation, as well as for sick time, PTO, and floating holidays.

Do vacations roll over each year? Is there a maximum? What do I do if I run over the maximum?

Yes, vacation time rolls over from year to year. There is a maximum accrual of 240 hours, unlike personal time off (PTO) and floating holidays, which expire if not used by the end of the calendar year. An alternative to losing unused accrued vacation hours is to donate them to the Stanford Community Leave Bank. For more information, visit the Paid Time Off page.

Retirement

I’m going to be retiring soon and am not sure whom I should contact with my retirement dates to start the process?

The process to retire starts by contacting the University HR Service Team to request a retirement calculation. You also need to notify your supervisor and your school/unit human resources manager.


Next, review the retirement checklist for staff for other steps to take, including attending a monthly workshop on health care benefits in retirement. Enroll in the workshop using STARS in Axess; search for BEN-2000 in the STARS catalog.

Stanford Sweeteners

Do employees receive discounts to attractions/hotels, such as Disneyland or the Winchester Mystery House?

Stanford University currently does not offer employee discount for attractions. In the past University Human Resources maintained a webpage of external discounts, but no longer does so as vendors constantly changed their terms and the university requires strict review processes to ensure no conflict of interest or liability. It's best to reach out directly to the vendor or attraction you are interested in to inquire about discounts. If you are a Stanford Health Care employee (separate from Stanford University), please visit their employee benefits/discounts page

The employee email list Staffers-Village also may contain postings about websites that offer discounts to amusement parks, so it might be worth sending an email to them. If you aren't subscribed to Staffers-Village, you can do so on the Mailman subscription page

Is the employee discount on Apple products only available through the Stanford Bookstore, or is the discount available at Apple stores as well?

The Stanford Bookstore's Cardinal Technology Center sells Apple products at or below academic pricing rather than giving an actual employee discount, so this pricing is limited to the bookstore and its website; it does not extend to the Apple Store and its website, although Apple may have seasonal academic priced sales.

Please contact Stanford Bookstore's Cardinal Technology Center for an answer to your specific computer pricing questions at computers@bookstore.stanford.org or (650) 329-1217 ext. 456.

FAQ for External Organizations

Below you will find answers to the most frequently asked questions from external organizations to Stanford University HR. Please browse this list before emailing HR Communications.

Employment Verification Request

I need to conduct an employment verification on a prior Stanford employee.  Can you please provide me with an email or fax number that I would be able to send a verification form to?

Stanford University HR does not verify employment; our Payroll Office handles them and uses an external vendor called The Work Number. You may access The Work Number database through their website or their telephone-based system at 1-800-367-5690 with Stanford’s Work Number company code, 10526.

If you still need assistance, please contact Payroll at payrollhelp@stanford.edu or 650-723-2772.

If you are inquiring about a Stanford Hospital employee, please call 650-497-2750 and follow the menu instructions.

Stanford Sweeteners

Our company would like to offer your employees a discount and be featured on Stanford Sweeteners. Can we set up a time to discuss our program with your university?

Stanford Sweeteners promotes internal perks, rewards and benefits to the Stanford community; with few exceptions, it does not promote discounts available by external companies. Moreover, Stanford University HR, which manages the Stanford Sweeteners page, is not the decision maker that works with outside companies to introduce rewards; instead, we promote already existing Stanford special programs, services or rewards.

We previously had a page of discounts from third party vendors such as amusement parks, but it is no longer offered it because of the time and strict review processes required to vet and maintain these listings with regard to liability and conflict of interest.

You may want to place an ad in the student newspaper called The Stanford Daily, which many employees regularly read; if so, please see their advertisement section.

You may also want to contact Office of the Vice President for Business Affairs, which manages trademark licensing and other commercial uses of Stanford’s name and emblems and handles other strategic campus initiatives.

Use of Stanford Emblem, Logo, Name or Photos

I am inquiring about getting a high resolution image of Stanford insignia to feature in our upcoming publication. Whom should I contact for my request?

Licensed Use of Stanford Trademarks:

Stanford's name and emblems are trademarks owned by the University. With limited exceptions, you must be licensed to use these trademarks. Stanford trademarks are not to be altered, diluted, or otherwise misused. For additional information on how to use Stanford University trademarks, please refer to:

If you are using the Block "S" with tree or Stanford word marks such as “Cardinal”, “The Farm,” or “Fear the Tree” on any item that is being sold or otherwise distributed in commerce, you must use artwork that includes the TM trademark designation. Please contact the Trademark Associate at (650) 723-3331 for information about licensing Stanford's trademarks and obtaining artwork with proper trademark designations.

For other questions, please contact the director of business development at trademarks@stanford.edu or 650-723-3331.

Name Use Requests:

Requests to use the name Stanford, photographs of the university, or any of its seals, logos, or symbols in advertisements or marketing materials, press releases, movies or television programs must be directed to the Office of University Communications.

The Office of Vice President for Business Affairs reviews requests for use of the Stanford name by external entities doing business with Stanford.

For more information, please see University Name Use Requests

Request for Stanford Promotional Items for High Schools

I am a high school counselor and am emailing to request a free pennant/banner of Stanford. We are in the process of redecorating our counseling center. Would it be possible for Stanford to send us one?

Stanford's Office of Undergraduate Admissions may have certain promotional items available for high school career centers. Please send your request and mailing address to admission@stanford.edu.

FAQ for Former Employees

Below you will find answers to the most frequently asked questions from former Stanford employees to University HR. Please browse this list before emailing HR Communications.

I’m a former Stanford employee. How do I get a copy of my W-2 for tax purposes?

All W-2s are mailed out by January 31. To request a W-2 reprint starting February 15, please follow instructions on the Fingate site.

If you need further assistance, please contact the Payroll Office:

Employment Verification: I’m a former Stanford employee applying for a loan/mortgage/new job, and the company needs information regarding my current and past employment. How do I get this information?

The Payroll Office handles employment verification through an external vendor, called The Work Number. Visit the Fingate website for instructions on responding to employment verification requests with and without salary information.

If you are a former Stanford Hospital employee, please call (650) 497-2750 and follow the menu instructions.

For additional questions, please contact Payroll at payrollhelp@stanford.edu or 650-723-2772.

I’m a former Stanford employee and want to see my last pay stub/pay check, but I can no longer access Axess.

For questions about your Stanford pay stubs or pay checks, please contact Payroll:

FAQ for Prospective Employees

Below are a few of the most commonly asked questions from applicants regarding staff jobs postings, applications and salary ranges at Stanford. Please refer to the Stanford Careers Help Center for a complete list.

I found a job posted on the Stanford Careers website last week, but it is no longer there. Can I still apply for the position? How long are jobs posted on Stanford Careers?

Listings must be posted for a minimum of ten days. After that point, the department may close the opening at their discretion when a candidate pool has been identified. We update job postings on the Stanford Careers website frequently. If a job is listed on our site, it is considered open.

When will I hear from someone at Stanford University about a job I applied for?

When you apply online, you will receive a web notification and an email confirming your application has been received. Please understand the recruitment and selection process takes time. You will be contacted if your experience closely meets the required qualifications of the position. We receive resumes from many qualified applicants and unfortunately are not always able to provide information on the status of an application.

How can I find out the salary range for a posted position?

Salary ranges are not listed publicly; Stanford’s staff job classification pay structure is only available to employees on our intranet. Years of experience, internal equity, and external market data are considered when determining starting salaries.

We encourage you to include your desired salary range in your online application so the hiring manager has an idea of the salary you're seeking.

Where do I go if I am interested in a faculty position?

Please visit the faculty openings website to view open faculty positions at Stanford University.

Where can I locate information about student employment?

Please visit the BEAM website for information about student employment at Stanford University.

Where can I find information about jobs in Stanford hospitals, the Medical School, or Lucile Packard’s Children’s Hospital?

Please visit Stanford Health Careers to view open positions for Stanford hospitals or Lucile Packard’s Children’s Hospital. Staff jobs in the Stanford University School of Medicine are on the Stanford Careers site.

Don’t see your question answered here? Please contact Stanford University HR Communications.