Student Employment Office: Supervisor's Manual

Affirmative Action Policy Statement

Employers must adhere to the above policy when recruiting, interviewing, & hiring a Student Employee. Students who believe they have experienced employment discrimination based on any of the above mentioned circumstances should be referred to the Office for Equal Opportunity, Barge Hall, Rm. 211. All employment grievances based on discrimination are processed through that office & utilize the Affirmative Action Grievance Procedures.

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Student Employee Defined

There are 3 main types of Student Employee:

Regular Student Employee - Students who work on-campus and are not awarded Work-Study. Employers pay 100% of the student's hourly wage. The vast majority of campus jobs are regular jobs.

Federal Work-Study (FWS) - Students who are awarded FWS by the Student Employment Office. FWS is a federally funded financial aid program that usually pays 65-75% of a student's hourly wage. The wage rate is set by the employer can be anything that is minimum wage or above.

State Work-Study (SWS) - Students who are awarded SWS by the Student Employment Office. SWS is a state funded financial aid program that pays 80% of a student's hourly wage. Per program rules, SWS wages must be comparable to on-campus civil service wages These wage rates are set by Student Employment. and are determined by comparison of the Job Description to the WA Dept. of Personnel position classification tables. Typically SWS is awarded to students who find jobs related to their major/minor or career goals, high skill level jobs, and may be awarded if FWS funds are unavailable.

Because Work-Study Funds are limited, many qualifying students do not receive an award. Most students are hired through the Regular Student Employment Program.

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What's in a Student Personnel Action Form (SPAF) Packet?

All forms listed below are available for download by departments (except for the W-4 form which is available at Student Employment, Human Resources or Payroll). Please click Online Forms on the menu to the left to go to the download area. CWU Center supervisors must complete all applicable forms with the student. Students working on the main Ellensburg campus complete their I-9 and W-4 forms, and PERS form at Student Employment, except for international students. International students complete the I-9 and W-4 forms at the Office of International Studies and Programs.

Student Personnel Action Form (SPAF) - Both the student and employer complete. This is the main hiring document. The form contains all information needed to add the student to the payroll system. A new form is required for each job. The academic year hiring form is effective only through the end of spring quarter, and expires on June 15 at the latest. If the student is hired to work over the summer, a separate Summer SPAF must be submitted. The form MUST be signed by the departmental Appointing Authority. You are responsible for making sure that the form is filled out properly, signed by the proper Appointing Authority in your area, and that all accompanying forms are submitted. You should never allow a student to begin working unless the form has been completed. By definition, it is always the responsibility of the supervisor to make sure hiring forms are done before allowing the student to work.

I-9 Form - Student Employment will complete this form with students, except for students hired at CWU Centers. Center supervisors should complete this form with the student. The student completes their section and shows appropriate identification to Student Employment. Students can use any of the acceptable pieces of identification listed on the back of the I-9 form that they wish to use. The employer cannot specify which documents they will accept. The student must present ORIGINAL documents. Student Employment views the documents and completes the remainder of the form.

The I-9 form only needs to be completed once (properly) for all the years the student will work at CWU, UNLESS there is a lapse in at least half-time enrollment of more than one quarter. Students who do not enroll at least half-time for more than one quarter must report to Student Employment for re-certification before seeking work again on campus.

W-4 Form - Student completes. Only needed once to cover all years a student works at CWU. Should be updated if information changes (such as address or marital status). International students complete their W-4 form through the Glacier online program at International Studies and Programs office. International students should consult a tax expert or the IRS for more information about international student taxation.

PERS Statement - Optional form for student to complete if they are enrolled full-time and wish to work more than 69 hours per month. This form only needs to be completed once for all the years a student works on campus.

Background Inquiry Form - If a student will have unsupervised access to persons under 16, developmentally disabled individuals, or vulnerable adults while on the job, or will have credit card information access, the employer should have the student complete a Background Inquiry form. See complete instructions located in the Online Forms section. Students may begin work prior to receiving results. Continued employment is contingent on satisfactory results.

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Definitions

Combo Code (Budget Code in PeopleSoft FMS)
This is the 10-digit budget code that you provide on the student hiring form that specifies what funding source the student will be paid from. It consists of the department code and the project ID code. Please make sure this code is correct for your area and clearly written. Incorrect codes will necessitate correction by the accounting area and greatly slow processing. The FMS Account code (last part of the entire 15-digit code) is 51815 for all student wages is assumed on the student hiring form, and is the same for nearly all student employees.

Appointing Authority
Person authorized to approve hiring decisions for specified area/department and combo code you are using to pay the student. You are responsible for knowing who your Appointing Authority is, and obtaining the proper signatures. Student Employment is not responsible for incorrectly completed forms, and we do not verify the name or signature, only that a signature is present.

Student Personnel Action Form (SPAF) Packet
The SPAF is printed from the Student Employment website by the employing department from the on-line forms page. This download area contains *all required hiring documents that employers and students must complete prior to working on the CWU campus, except for W-4 forms. W-4 forms are available at Payroll, Human Resources, and Student Employment offices. *Exception: Work-Study Personnel Action Forms (WSPAF) are only available at Student Employment, Barge 103, because Work Study is a need-based financial aid award and not all students are eligible. See menu at left for more information on how to obtain Work-Study.
Special Note for CWU Centers: CWU Center supervisors must print all necessary forms and complete them with the student, then send them to Student Employment. It is highly recommended that you fax or scan and email the forms to us first before mailing them while the student is with you. You can correct any errors and save valuable time by avoiding return of the forms for completion.

Earn Code
Identifies the category of Student Employee earnings in the payroll system. Click here for a listing.

Department Code
Part of the budget "combo code." On hiring forms write in the Department Code, the Project / Grant ID, and the Operating Unit. Contact the Accounting dept. for assistance in identifying your number. (On the full combo code that includes Account, student wages are always .51815 for the last part of that number, and is assumed on student hiring forms, so you do not need to fill out this number. You will see it on your labor distribution reports.)

Pay Period
Time frame defining the days covered by each pay check. CWU has two Pay Periods per month: 1st - 15th (paid on the 25th) and 16th - 31st (paid on the 10th of the following month). See the payroll schedule and click on the current Calendar on the left menu for details.

Project / Grant ID Number (PeopleSoft FMS)
The second part of the combo code cluster required on the SPAF and other hiring documents. It identifies the specific "pot" of money the student will be paid from. As of 7/1/2008, the Project ID number is an 8 digit number. There is also one additional digit required for the Operating Unit Code that identifies the area of university that this expenditure will support. Contact Budget if you need assistance in determining your Project ID or Operating Unit code.

Student Employee
Temporary hourly employee who is enrolled at least half time (6 credits for undergraduates, 5 for graduate students) or during a break period if pre-registered for at least half-time credits the following quarter.

Time Keep Location
3 digit code assigned by Payroll Office. Not your room number or mail stop code. Identifies your department / location so Payroll knows where to open the Rapid Time Entry window for Timekeepers or to send the Time Report.

Rapid Time Entry
On-line page in the payroll system used to submit student work hours for payment. Time Keep Location code determines where the Rapid Time Entry panel will be accessed and controls which employees appear. Most departments are now on "Rapid Time Entry" and do not receive a paper Time Report.

Time Report
Printed by the Timekeeper from the Rapid Time Entry panel as a physical record of time submitted.

RTE Report
Available after payroll has run and printed as a physical record of time submitted. The payroll supervisor emails departments after payroll has confirmed to let you know you can run this report. Timekeepers should carefully check this report to make sure that the time that will pay is the same as the time that you intended to submit. If you catch any errors on this report, please notify payroll (or Student Employment if it involves Work Study). You no longer need to submit a copy of your Time Report to Student Employment for Work Study student employees. The RTE report allows you to see if the time you intended to pay is what in fact, will pay. We are relying on you to catch errors in Work Study time submission and will work with you to correct them.

Time Sheet
Hour by hour record of time a student worked. Only ONE pay period should be listed on a Time Sheet. Do not cross pay periods on a single Time Sheet. Completed and signed in ink by both student and supervisor. RETAIN in department records for audit purposes. IMPORTANT : Never allow a student employee to handle the Time Sheet after it has been signed by the supervisor. In almost every case of Time Sheet fraud, the supervisor has allowed the employee to handle the Time Sheet after it was signed. Protect your student employee from the risk of suspicion or temptation by NEVER allowing them to touch the Time Sheet after it is approved. Time sheets are printed from the HR website at http://www.cwu.edu/~hr/forms/timesheet.doc

Work-Study
A need-based Financial Aid program that pays a large portion of the student's hourly wage. Requires students to work to earn the award. As students earn their award, most of the wages are charged to the Work Study Program, so the employer pays very little of the wage. See full details on how students obtain a Work-Study award including when and how to apply. Work-Study jobs must have a Job Description on file. If you want to hire a Work-Study student, contact Student Employment if you do not have a Job Description on file or go to our online Job Description submission and update form.

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Department Codes

Please include the department code on SPAF and WSPAF. It is the first part of your complete "combo code" budget number. We must have your department code to enter a job assignment into the payroll system.

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Appointing Authorities

When submitting a Student Personnel Action Form (SPAF) or Work-Study Personnel Action Form (WSPAF), the department is responsible for making sure the correct Appointing Authority signature is on the form. We do not verify the signature, but only check to see that one is present.

Check with the President's office for a current list of designated Appointing Authorities.

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Breaks / Lunch Period

Students working 5 or more consecutive hours must be given an unpaid lunch break of at least 30 minutes. This break is in addition to the paid break.

Breaks and lunch periods may not be accumulated and taken at the end of a shift (such as not taking a break & leaving early). Breaks are intended to provide a rest period during a shift in order to promote safety and productivity. If the employee does not want to take a break, you must make them take it, because it is required by WA state law, even if they do not desire it.

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How To Pay A Student

You are responsible for informing the student that their first pay check will be delayed if you submit the hiring form after the beginning of that payroll period. For example, if you start a student working on the 19th, you must have the form in to Student Employment by the end of the day on the 16th in order for the student to receive a check on the first payday, the 10th. If the 16th falls on a weekend, then the deadline defaults to the last working day BEFORE the 16th. If you submit the form on the day you hire, the 19th, then you MUST tell the student that they will miss the 10th Payday, and their first check will be on the 25th of the next month and contain hours worked from the 19th through the 15th. Assure the student that all hours worked will be paid. Students are usually ok with waiting a pay period for their first check, IF they know about it and can plan their finances. It is heartbreaking to them to have a surprise because their supervisor did not inform them.

Make sure the student knows to sign their time sheet, and when the time sheet must be submitted to their supervisor (normally the 15th and 31st of each month). It is the student's responsibility to submit their time sheet to their supervisor by the department deadline, and the supervisor's responsibility to make sure that they follow instructions. Late time sheets will be paid on the next regular payday. Departments may contact Payroll for special instructions in a hardship situation. Follow Payroll office instructions for submitting hours from a prior pay period. Late time sheets are a supervisory problem and should be handled as such. You should take disciplinary action if your student employee submits late time sheets without a really good reason. It causes extra work for you, for Student Employment, for Payroll, and for Student Financial Services. Train your students to turn in their time sheets on time every time, to sign them in ink, and cross out and initial any changes before they give it to you.

At the end of each Pay Period, the supervisor must:

• review the time sheet for accuracy and completeness
• make sure the time sheet contains dates for only ONE pay period. Have the student re-do the time sheet if it crosses pay periods.
• sign it in ink
• submit it to the Timekeeper, the person who processes payroll for their department

Do not allow the student to handle their time sheet after the supervisor has signed it. Protect your student employees from the risk of suspicion or temptation.

The Timekeeper will enter the time on Rapid Time Entry panels or transfer hours to a Time Report.

If the student's name does not appear on the Rapid Time Entry panel or Time Report, contact Student Employment to find out why the student's name did not appear. DO NOT send the student to find out why they did not appear on the payroll, the department must inquire. In most cases the reason is that no hiring form has been submitted to Student Employment for the student, or there was a problem with it or a system glitch. Supervisors need to be aware that a new hiring form must be done for each summer and academic year. If the submission deadline has been missed, the time sheet must be submitted as soon as possible with a Pay Request to Student Employment, and will normally not be paid until the following pay period. Students who turn in late time sheets must wait until the next regular payday, and the department must submit these late hours per Payroll office procedures.

Students must be paid for all hours worked. Payment may not be delayed for more than one pay period.

Employers must proofread all pre-printed information on the Time Report or Rapid Time Entry Panel for errors, including input errors by Student Employment. Report errors to Student Employment as soon as possible so that we may correct the data. We will appreciate the chance to correct the data.

Employers may not add a name to the Time Report for a Work-Study student, or change existing information. Student Employment must verify data and sign off on changes before forwarding to Payroll. Changes not signed by Student Employment will be rejected by the Payroll Office.

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How To Hire A Student

Procedures: Click here for more information on checking credits. All forms except the W-4 are available on-line .

First, ask if the student has the Pre-Employment Authorization Card (PA Card), which is a yellow NCR copy of a 1/3 cut page, and displays the Student Employment stamp in special ink. This is new as of 7/01 and is an added service to students and employers. If your student has the PA Card, then the only form you need to complete is the SPAF! (and if applicable, the Background Check)

If the student has lost the PA Card, you can call or email Student Employment to verify that the student has completed the Pre-Employment packet (which contains the W-4, I-9, and PERS forms, plus the University Drug and Alcohol Statement). The student can get a duplicate card from Student Employment, though IF you call or email SE and we tell you they have one on file, you don't need to actually see it. Do not keep the PA card. It should be retained by the student and only showed to employers at the time of hire.

Complete the employer section of the SPAF and have the student complete the student section. The student Social Security number is not required in the Student section because it is collected through the I-9 and W-4 forms instead. On-line forms are downloaded by the department, completed by the student and department, and forwarded to Student Employment for data entry and filing purposes only. W-4 Forms are available at Student Employment, Human Resources, and Payroll offices. Make sure that you and the student thoroughly read the Instruction Sheet before you fill out the SPAF form.

Verify that the student is enrolled at least half-time (6 credits min., 5 min. for graduate students enrolled in a graduate degree program (MA, MS) by checking their enrollment for attempted credit hours. Please contact the Registrar if you need access to check credits. Use "Term History" rather than "Unofficial Transcript" to minimize the system resources load. The number of credits in which a student enrolls determines if they qualify as a Student Employee and how many hours per week they can work. Students enrolled full-time can work up to 19 hours per week (see section on student hours for complete details). Students enrolled less than full time are limited to 69 hours per month (works out to an average of 15-16 hours per week depending on the number of work days in the month).

Click here for an easy tutorial which will help you determine the maximum number of hours per week the student can work and does the work of interpreting the regulations for you!.

If the student has not worked on campus before and does not have the Pre-Employment Authorization Card, have them visit Student Employment to complete a W-4, I-9, and PERS Form. If you are at a CWU Center, please complete these forms with them IF you are SURE you know how to complete the I-9 form properly. The INS fines employers very heavily for incorrectly completed forms. *Send the PERS form directly to Human Resources for filing (ms 7425). Students only need to complete the PERS form once for all the years they work at CWU. Staple all other forms to the SPAF and submit them together to Student Employment. Give the student a copy of the University Drug and Alcohol Statement if they have not already received one in their PA packet.* Supervisors at CWU Centers should complete the I-9 and W-4 with the student at the time of hire and forward it to SE (please fax or email a scanned copy of these plus the SPAF or WSPAF form first if possible, so we can help you to fix any errors before you mail it).

If a background check is required, have the student complete an Authorization for Background Check Form per the instructions on the form.

Forms received by Student Employment after the 1st day of a pay period will not appear on the Time Report for that pay period. This will **delay the student's first pay check for that employer by one pay date. Note: If we are able to enter the new job on the payroll system earlier than we anticipate, the student may be able to receive a check on the first pay date. If the Timekeeper is able to enter time for the student for the first pay date, then the student will receive a check on the earlier pay date.
**Employers must notify students of this delay at the time of hire so they can plan their finances accordingly.

Employers are responsible for knowing and correctly stating all information requested on the Student Personnel Action Form (SPAF). Incomplete or inaccurate forms are returned to supervisors through campus mail. This will delay when the student can be placed on the payroll.

For your convenience, a list of most codes are included on our web page. See menu at left.

The Student Employment web site does not list all policies relating to employment at CWU, but rather gives general employment guidelines and information specific to student employees. Comprehensive employment policies for CWU are available through the CWU Human Resources department. Please contact Student Employment if you have questions not addressed in this manual.

HIRING STUDENTS UNDER THE AGE OF 18:

If you are hiring a student under the age of 18, you must be aware of special conditions involved in hiring a minor. Full details on hiring a minor are available on the WA state L & I website.

• restricted activities for minors
• Permitted working hours for minors

How to hire a minor:

• Obtain a Parent/School Authorization Form. Before employing a minor, you must have the minor's legal guardian and school (during the school year) complete the Parent/School Authorization form and keep it in your files. Employers must keep the completed form on file. It must be renewed annually. When school is not in session, a school signature is not required.
• Obtain proof of minor's age. You must keep proof of age on file. Examples include a copy of a birth certificate or driver's license, or a witnessed statement of the parent or legal guardian.
• Keep employment records for 3 years after you hire a minor. You must keep information such as employee name, address, occupation, dates of employment, rate(s) of pay, amount paid each pay period and the hours worked. These records must be available to the employee on request at any reasonable time.

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Hiring Disabled Students

How To Request a Student

If you already have a Job Description on file, contact Student Employment with the job # and/or title of the job you want posted.

Visit the electronic Job Board to view your current job descriptions. Use the "search" engine, and type any word found in all your job descriptions (such as department name, room number, supervisor's name). A list of all jobs with that word or numbers in it will appear. Click on each job title to read the full job description.

Students will contact you directly to apply for your job.

Employers are not required to post jobs but you are strongly encouraged to submit a Job Description. Students are often frustrated that many on-campus jobs are not posted and they must contact employers directly. You may find a sufficient applicant pool through direct inquiry from students, but it would be easier to find qualified students and for them to connect with you if you would post it on our Job Board. You will have a larger applicant pool from which to select and avoid confusion regarding job duties, wage, etc.

Remember: You must adhere to the University's Affirmative Action Policy when recruiting and/or hiring students.

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Interviewing Student Employees

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Monitoring Student Earnings/Hours

Employers must ensure that Work-Study students do not exceed their per term award amount. Once the student earns their full term award, they can continue working if a Regular Student Employment Personnel Action Form (SPAF) is submitted PRIOR to scheduling additional hours. Forms can be downloaded here .

Per federal law, employers must pay students for all hours worked - no exceptions.

Number of Hours Students Can Work
The totals listed below include all on-campus jobs combined.

Full-Time Students (12 or more credits, 10 if a graduate student):
Can work 19 hours per week while classes are in session, and 40 hrs/wk during breaks. Students may begin working their increased hours during breaks immediately after they complete their last final exam. Special Note: All students EXCEPT international students may average their hours over a calendar month. So, for example, they could work 20 hours one week, 18 the next, etc. as long as they do not exceed the 19 hour per week average. International students have an absolute per week limit due to their special visa status. (See Summer section for special summer hours)

Less than Full-Time Students (6 - 11 credits, 5-9 if a graduate student):
Are limited to 69 hours per month during ALL months, including breaks.

If a student drops below full time credits within a term, the 69 hrs/month limit applies, beginning with the month they drop.

Dropping below full time credits during any term of the academic year may affect the number of hours a student can work during SUMMER. See Summer section.

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Student Orientation

Students should understand the hours they are expected to work, how requests for time off are handled, how/when to call in sick, departmental dress code, etc. Employers must also provide basic information, such as the location of restroom, where coats & personal belongings should be kept, departmental policy regarding beverages / food at the work station, etc.

This may be a student's first work experience. A clear understanding of expectations set forth at the beginning helps prevent misunderstandings, and the necessity for taking corrective action. Communicating regularly with your students greatly helps both of you.

Praise your students often when they do a good job. This will encourage them to do their best, and when you need to correct them, they are less likely to resent it. They won't be inclined to feel like the only time they hear from you is when you have complaints about their work.

Dealing honestly and promptly with inappropriate behavior problems can often stop bigger problems from developing later. Don't assume they somehow "know" you are happy or unhappy with their work, tell them. They cannot know how you judge their work unless you tell them. When correcting an employee, do so privately and in a civil manner that respects their human dignity. Do not humiliate them by reprimanding them in front of other employees or the public. In short, treat them the way you would like to be treated if you were in their place.

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Overtime

Students cannot be paid overtime through the Work-Study Program. Overtime must be paid as Regular Student Employment.

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Number of Hours Students Can Work

Less than Full-Time Students (6 - 11 credits, 5-9 if a graduate student):
Are limited to 69 hours per month during ALL months, including breaks.

If a student drops below full time credits within a term, the 69 hrs/month limit applies, beginning with the month they drop.

Dropping below full time credits during any term of the academic year may affect the number of hours a student can work during SUMMER. See Summer section.

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Student Pay Rates

Wages should be based on skills and qualifications required for the job. It is not appropriate to set an hourly wage based soley on student status or Work-Study eligibility. The minimum wage in Washington state is updated each year on January 1. Please check here to see the current minimum wage in Washington state at the Department of Labor Link.

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Pay Periods and Pay Dates

Pay Period Pay Date
1st - 15th of each month Pay Date is the 25th of the same month
SPAF / WSPAF Forms due by the 1st

16th - 31st of each month Pay Date is the 10th of the following month
SPAF / Clearance Forms due by the 16th

If the 10th or 25th falls on Saturday, payday is the day before (Friday); if on Sunday, payday is the next day (Monday).
Students pick up pay checks at the Cashier's Office (Barge Hall, Room 104). Bring picture ID with you.

Click here for a current Payroll Schedule (click on Calendar item on left menu).

Please note: Work-Study forms must be approved by Student Employment before the student may begin working. The approval date of the WSPAF determines when a student will be placed on the payroll, NOT the date the form is received by Student Employment.

Students are encouraged to arrange for direct deposit by contacting the Payroll Office, 2nd floor of Mitchell Hall.

Off-Campus
If you work off-campus, you will be paid according to your employer's regular payroll schedule. All employers must pay you at least once per month and must pay you for all hours you work. Employers cannot require "volunteer" hours from an employee whom they have hired for pay.

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Performance Evaluation

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Reporting On-The-Job Injuries

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Termination of Employment

In terminating a student's employment, supervisors must insure they do not violate the University's Affirmative Action Policy, and that they do so in a manner that respects the student's dignity.

Supervisors are responsible to verify that student employees return keys when employment ends. In addition supervisors are responsible to end computer access and verify that electronic key access has been terminated when student employment has ended.

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How To Update SPAF and WSPAF Forms

Click here for a copy of the SPAF / WSPAF Update form

Use this form to submit all changes and/or corrections to a previously submitted SPAF or Work-Study Personnel Action Form.

Changes and/or corrections must be received by Student Employment by the FIRST day of the Pay Period in which the change is to take effect. We cannot change data retroactively. We will accept only one wage change request per employment period (summer or academic year) and the change must effect at least one whole pay period. We encourage you to make a substantial wage increase at the beginning of an employment period or once during the year rather than attempting to make small changes more often.

Late submissions will not appear until the following Pay Period.

Click here to view and print the current Payroll Schedule on the Payroll website.

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Volunteer Hours

Volunteer hours cannot be requested/suggested, or otherwise solicited by employers. Students cannot be pressured or coerced in any form to volunteer. Students cannot receive any real/implied, present or future reward/penalty for volunteering or not volunteering hours.

Employers may accept volunteer hours when: They are offered of the student's free will, AND the student is not otherwise employed by the department, AND the student is not employed anywhere on-campus doing similar work, AND the student does not have a Work-Study position in that department.

The federal FAIR LABOR STANDARDS ACT does not permit volunteer hours except under the conditions described above.

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Work-Study

What is Work-Study?
Work-Study is a need-based financial aid award. Students must earn the award through working at a job. Students are awarded Work-Study for a certain job, not employers.

Work-Study pays most of a student's hourly wage (65% - 80%). The subsidy allows employers to create jobs that would not otherwise exist. Employers are encouraged to develop high quality jobs that allow students to use skills related to their major/minor. Employers are not guaranteed an eligible student will apply for their job, OR that funds will be available when they make hiring decisions.

A Work-Study student cannot displace a regular (permanent) employee, or fill any position that would otherwise be filled by a regular (permanent) employee.

Work-Study is not always in a student's best interest. Many students are required to reduce loans in order to receive an award, which may leave them short of up-front money to pay tuition and on-campus housing costs. Loans are not reduced for non Work-Study jobs.

How Does a Student Get Work-Study?
Student Employment awards Work-Study. To be considered, students must apply (and qualify) for financial aid, AND:

1. Obtain a Work-Study Personnel Action Form (WSPAF)
2. Be offered a job
3. Submit a completed WSPAF to Student Employment

Employers should ask to see the WSPAF at the time of interview. Submitting a WSPAF does NOT guarantee an award will be made. You may make a job offer contingent upon the student receiving Work-Study.

Work-Study funds are limited. Priority will be given to students who find a job relating to their major/minor, or a high skill level job.

Work-Study awards are job-specific . If an award is made, it can only be used for the job listed on the WSPAF. If a student leaves that job, their remaining award is canceled. If this happens, Student Employment will try to replace the position with another Work-Study student for the remainder of the AY. This is done as a courtesy to employers who successfully recruit a Work-Study student, and plan their workload accordingly. It should not be interpreted as an employer award. If the department terminates the student because of lack of work, budget, etc., then it may be possible for the student to get a different Work-Study job. Please contact Student Employment to discuss the particular situation.

Amount of Work-Study
Work-Study awards are tailored to a student's job. The amount of employment awarded will depend upon the number of hours they will work, their hourly wage, and their eligibility for financial aid. Awards normally range between $2,000 - $5,100.

Once an amount is set, the student cannot earn more than that amount through Work-Study. The award is the (100%) amount the student can earn, not just the Work-Study share of earnings. If you need an increase in the award amount, please contact Student Employment to see if an increase is possible for that student.

Other Conditions of Work-Study
Although Work-Study awards are job-specific (cannot be transferred to a different job), employers may promote a student from one job to another within the same department. Before doing so, they must contact Student Employment because a Job Description for the new duties must be on file. If the student has a State Work-Study award, their hourly wage may change.

Work-Study must be earned during the term(s) specified on the WSPAF. Unearned amounts may usually be carried into the next term, except for spring. If the entire Work-Study amount is not earned by the end of spring quarter, the remainder is canceled. If a student earns more than the amount of their per term award, the department will pay the excess hours at 100% of the additional amount. It may be possible for students to obtain other aid in place of unearned Work-Study if they inquire before the end of the enrollment period.

Employers MUST have a job description on file with Student Employment for all jobs filled by a Work-Study student. Job descriptions must be updated when a student's duties or supervisor information changes.

Work-Study is contingent upon a student's eligibility for financial aid. Changes in eligibility may reduce or cancel an award.
Note: Employers should be aware that sometimes an error is discovered late in the year in a student's financial aid file that makes the student ineligible for need-based aid. Since Work-Study is a need-based financial aid award, very rarely (it has only happened once in the last 15 years that we are aware of), the Work-Study portion of a student's wages must be charged back to the department. If that happens, Student Employment will make every effort to award (even retroactively) other students in the department or division to offset the wages of the ineligible student. In the one case that has occurred, other students were awarded in the ineligible student's place, and the employer was able to retain the entire reimbursement, so there was no negative effect to their budget at all, however, this may not be possible for every employer.

If a student is suspended by Financial Aid, their award will be canceled. Students who enroll for less than 12 credits, or drop below 12 credits during a term, cannot work more than 69 hours per month. This limit will override their Work-Study award amount.

How To Attract a Work-Study Student
All on-campus jobs are potential Work-Study positions. Employers will benefit from Work-Study if an eligible student applies for their job and receives an award. Employers are more successful attracting Work-Study eligible students when they:

1. Take time to develop a quality work experience and provide a positive, friendly work environment.
2. Write a good job description. This is your first chance to grab a student's interest in your job and show them what they need to get the job and the skills they will gain.
3. Present a friendly face and pleasant tone of voice when a student contacts you. This applies to your entire staff.
4. Offer fair wages for the work expected. Students must often trade loan funds to receive Work-Study. Non Work-Study jobs do not require this. Make the wage worth the trade.

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