This problem is endemic in all academic research, even in the private schools and even for non-students. I worked for Stanford as a LSRP (read, research assistant in the biosciences) and there were some interesting hoops that were conditions on my employment.
1) My position was changed from salaried full time to hourly full time in order to avoid paying the needed minimum for salaried employees.
2) Told explicitly that I had to log all my hours but that I could NOT claim overtime, they simply didn't have the money for it.
3) Expected to work more than 40 hours a week because that's what you do in research
I was laid off at the end of a grant cycle because we ran out of funding and the professor thought I wasn't hard working or dedicated enough even though I was pulling 50+ hour weeks and working 6-7 days usually.
Now I work as an hourly consultant for a biotech startup and bill by the hour.
1) My position was changed from salaried full time to hourly full time in order to avoid paying the needed minimum for salaried employees. 2) Told explicitly that I had to log all my hours but that I could NOT claim overtime, they simply didn't have the money for it. 3) Expected to work more than 40 hours a week because that's what you do in research
I was laid off at the end of a grant cycle because we ran out of funding and the professor thought I wasn't hard working or dedicated enough even though I was pulling 50+ hour weeks and working 6-7 days usually.
Now I work as an hourly consultant for a biotech startup and bill by the hour.