Students are notified of Federal Work Study awards via an award letter that indicates the amount of the award for each term. A skills sheet, which will collect information on the employee’s work skills, will be included with the award letter. Both the acceptance copy of the award letter and the skills sheet must be returned to the Financial Aid Office within 15 days of the date of the award letter.
Students are awarded a maximum dollar amount that may be earned in each semester. Students may not earn more than they have been awarded for a specific semester. If a student earns in excess of their award for a given semester, the employing department will be billed for the overage. These overages must be repaid within 30 days.
Students must reapply every year for work study and are responsible for submitting the proper financial aid application forms before the deadlines. The priority deadline is February 15th.
Locating a work study job
Students are assigned a work study job based on the skills sheets that they complete and return to the Financial Aid Office. Job descriptions for all job offerings are available in the Financial Aid Office.
What steps must be taken before beginning to work for a Department?
All students must obtain a Federal Work Study Authorization Form from the Financial Aid Office within the first 21 days of the semester in which their award begins. This Authorization will include the student’s name, address, social security number, the total work study award offered, hourly pay rate, and the name of the assigned supervisor. Supervisors must complete the bottom half of the Authorization by filling in the name of the department where the student will be working, the assigned supervisor, the supervisor’s phone number, and the student’s job title. The pink copy of this form must be returned to: Work Study Program Assistant, Financial Aid Office, P.O. Box 6004.
Payroll information
As the student works, supervisors must keep track of the hours worked by each student on a daily basis. Work study payrolls are submitted twice per month. The first payroll of each month represents hours worked from the first day of the month to the 15th of the month. The second payroll of each month represents hours worked from the 16th of the month to the last day of the month. Students will receive their paychecks about one month after the department submits the Hourly Input Pay Record (HIPR). Example: A paycheck on March 15th is for hours worked from February 1st through February 15th.
NOTE: First-time payroll students will receive their first paycheck approximately six weeks after being processed for payroll.
Federal Work Study students attending classes are not permitted to work more than 20 hours per week during the semester.
It is the responsibility of the employing department to have the student complete the appropriate paperwork to be established in the WVU payroll system. Receipt of all information is required to create a paycheck. Incomplete or inaccurate forms cannot be processed and will be returned to the responsible person in each department for correction or additional information, and could result in a delay of pay.
Federal work study payrolls are to be prepared by each employing department and statements are sent to the employing department. Federal Work Study students are paid at least the federal minimum wage.
Summer Federal Work Study
Students are awarded a maximum dollar amount that they may earn in each summer session. Students may not earn more than they have been awarded for a specific summer session. If a student earns in excess of their award for a given summer session, the employing department will be billed for the overage. These overages must be repaid within 30 days.
Part-time Federal Work Study - awarded to students who are enrolled for at least 3 credit hours in the summer session for which they are seeking employment. Part-time summer work study employees may work up to 20 hours per week.
Full-time Federal Work Study - awarded to students who are NOT enrolled in the summer session for which they are seeking employment, but who plan to enroll for at least 6 credit hours in the next Fall Semester. A portion of what students earn in the summer from a full-time Federal Work Study placement must be counted as part of their financial aid package for the next academic year. Full-time summer work study employees may work up to 40 hours per week.
Students who work full-time during the summer must have Social Security tax (FICA) deducted from their checks. A Personal Data Form B must be submitted for all full-time summer Federal Work Study students. After summer employment has terminated, the department must again complete a Personal Data Form B to indicate that the student will no longer need to have FICA deducted during the academic year.
Departments that employ students in a full-time capacity during the summer must pay 35% of the students’ total wages for the summer. This must be submitted via an Intra-University form no later than 30 days after the department receives a bill from the Work Study Office.
Community Service
West Virginia University began to incorporate community service into its Federal Work Study Program in the early 1990’s by making community service jobs available to students who were eligible for work study.
Jobs offered through the Federal Work Study/Community Service Program provide “services that are…designed to improve the quality of life for community residents, particularly low-income individuals, or to solve particular problems related to their needs…”
Employment in the Federal Work Study/Community Service Program may be in areas of service including:
- Health care, child care, literacy training, education (including tutorial services), welfare, social services, transportation, housing and neighborhood development, public safety, crime prevention and control, recreation, rural development and community improvement
- Work in service opportunities or youth corps and specified services for agencies as designated in the National and Community Service Act of 1990
- Support services for students with disabilities
- Mentoring, including tutorial services, supporting educational and recreational activities, and counseling
In addition to benefiting the community and providing practical work experience, Federal Work Study/Community Service jobs help participating students gain a deeper sense of social responsibility.
Benefit Restrictions
Federal Work Study students do not receive paid holidays, unemployment compensation coverage, sick leave or annual leave. A student may be eligible to receive Workman’s Compensation if a job related injury occurs. If injured on the job, the supervisor must contact the Financial Aid Office immediately.
Cancellation of a Federal Work Study position
- A work study award may be canceled under any of the following circumstances:
- the Federal Work Study award was not accepted on the award letter;
- the Work Study Authorization Form was not picked up within the first 21 days of the semester;
- student has an over-award created by receiving too much assistance from other student aid programs;
- termination by a supervisor due to inappropriate job behavior or repeated failure to work scheduled hours;
- fewer than 6 credit hours of enrollment;
- unsatisfactory academic progress for financial aid purposes;
Any award that is canceled under these circumstances may not be reinstated.
Transfers and Termination
Students not satisfied with their initial job assignment may request a transfer through the Financial Aid Office before they begin working at their assigned department.
A job change from a school, department, or community service employer may only be granted between semesters, not during a semester.
A Federal Work Study Release Form must be completed and signed by both the student and the supervisor if any hours were worked during the semester. The original form should be sent to the Financial Aid Office. Supervisors will keep one copy for their records and give one copy to the student. No student will be permitted to transfer from one job assignment to another without completing this form.
STUDENT INITIATES TERMINATION – If a student desires to terminate his/her employment with an office, the following steps must be taken:
a.) COACHING SESSION – The student must meet with the
supervisor to discuss the reason for requesting termination.
The supervisor must document the discussion and retain the
documentation in the employee’s file.
b.) TERMINATION – If the attempts to resolve the differences
are unsuccessful, a Federal Work Study Release Form must
be completed and signed by both the student and the
supervisor. The original form should be sent to the Financial
Aid Office, along with copies of documentation from Step A.
The supervisor should keep one copy for their records and
give one copy to the student.
Responsibilities as a Federal Work Study Student
Federal Work Study Employment means that students have a temporary job at the University or a Community Service Agency while enrolled as a student. Departments, offices, and individual faculty members request FWS students to assist them with their workload.
Work study does not typically provide for time to study on the job. If assigned duties are completed, students should check with their supervisor to see what other tasks there are to be completed.
A Federal Work Study employee should always talk with their supervisor if they need to make changes to their work schedule, so that the supervisor can plan accordingly. Students must always contact their supervisor if they will be late or unable to work on a given day.
The job of a Federal Work Study student is to perform those duties that contribute to the efficient operation of an office or department. Requests to perform work of a personal nature for the supervisor should not be part of a federal Work Study student’s duties.
Federal Work Study employees are primarily students, but they have certain responsibilities to their employer. When employment is accepted, students become a member of a working team that depends on them. With this in mind, students must:
- report to work promptly;
- arrange a work schedule with the supervisor. It is a good idea to have a copy of your class schedule with you when you are arranging your work schedule;
- notify your supervisor as soon as possible if you will be late or unable to work;
- accurately report hours worked;
- perform tasks to the very best of your abilities;
- dress appropriately for the job;
- take the job seriously. A work history is both serious and important.
Work experience gained through the Federal Work Study Program can be very valuable in finding and holding future jobs.
Not only does FWS provide a source of income to help students pay for their education, but it also gives them an opportunity to learn valuable job skills.
Thank you for making the Federal Work Study program a positive & rewarding experience for both student employees and departmental supervisors. Questions about the program may be directed to the Federal Work Study Coordinator in the Financial Aid Office at 293-8572. Our e-mail address is: Workstudy@mail.wvu.edu
SUPERVISOR INFORMATION
Advertising a work study job
To advertise a work study position, supervisors complete a Federal Work Study Request Form and submit it to the Financial Aid Office each academic year and summer term. Even if a specific student employee is being requested for a particular position, a request form must still be submitted with the student’s name indicated. The job description and types of skills needed to perform the job must be clearly defined on the Request Form. All forms must be submitted to the Financial Aid Office.
Establishing Payroll
The following paperwork is required to establish a student in the WVU payroll system:
These forms must be submitted to the WVU Benefits Office in the following order:
1. Personal Data Form B – This form must be completed for the
following categories of students:
a) All students who are new to the WVU payroll system
b) Students who have been in the WVU payroll system but
have not received wages from WVU since 1996
c) Students whose information changes (example: name,
address, FICA status)
2. Copy of the Student’s Social Security Card – (If not sent as a
copy for I-9 identification)
3. W-4 Form – Federal Withholding Form
a.) As long as a student claims exempt from Federal taxes,
they must complete a new W-4 form each calendar
year.
4. WV Tax Form IT-104 - West Virginia Employees
Withholding Exemption Certificate - Residents of WV and
states OTHER than KY, MD, OH, and PA must complete
the entire Withholding Exemption Certificate. Students from
all states, other than the ones mentioned above, must pay WV
tax.
Residents of KY, MD, OH, and PA do not have to pay WV
tax, but should contact the State Tax Authority in their home
state to determine requirements for paying state taxes in their
home state. Those students should complete only the top two
lines of the West Virginia Withholding Exemption Certificate.
They should also complete the entire WV Certificate of
Nonresidence.
5. U.S. Department of Justice/Form I-9 – Attach copies of the
proper legal documentation to prove the incumbent is legally
able to work in the U.S., i.e., Drivers License, social security
car, passport, visa etc.
6. Direct deposit is a requirement for Federal Work Study
Students and they must submit a voided check or a deposit
slip for a savings account when being processed for payroll.
The following form must be submitted to the Payroll Accounting Office:
- WVU – Non-salaried/Temporary Appointment Authorization (NTAA) Form
The following form is to be completed by each Federal Work Study employee and kept on file in the Department for a period of at least five years:
- Drug Free Workplace Certification Statement
Please call the following numbers for any questions:
Non-Resident Alien Forms 293-4002
PA and NTAA Forms 293-5700
Tax Forms (federal and state) 293-5700
Personal Data Forms 293-5480
I-9 form 293-8168
Summer Federal Work Study
Students who work full-time during the summer must have Social Security tax (FICA) deducted from their checks. A Personal Data From B must be submitted for all full-time summer Federal Work Study students. After summer employment has terminated, the department must again complete a Personal Data Form B to indicate that the student will no longer need to have FICA deducted during the academic year.
Departments that employ students in a full-time capacity during the summer must pay 35% of the students’ total wages for the summer. This must be submitted via an Intra-University form no later than 30 days after the departmnet receives a bill from the Work Study Office.
Termination
SUPERVISOR INITIATES TERMINATION If the employing department determines that a Federal Work Study employee is not performing satisfactorily, the student may be terminated from the position. The following steps must be taken to terminate a Federal Work Study employee:
b.) COACHING SESSION The first time an infraction
occurs, the supervisor should discuss the concern with the
Federal Work Study employee. The undesirable behavior
should be addressed and guidance provided so that the
employee knows what is expected of him/her in the future.
The supervisor must document the discussion and retain the
documentation in the employee's file.
c.) FIRST WARNING LETTER – If the infraction was not
corrected as a result of the coaching session between the
student and supervisor, a first warning letter should be written
by the supervisor. The letter should describe both the
observed behavior and the impact on the operation. It should
clearly state the time frame within which the student is to show
improvement. It is best to meet again to discuss the reason
for the letter.
d.) SECOND WARNING LETTER If the same unacceptable
performance continues, a second letter of warning is to be
sent to the student by the supervisor. It should have the same
basic outline of the first letter. It should be presented in a
meeting between the supervisor and student. The student
must be made to understand that another infraction of the
same nature will lead to termination. This should be clearly
spelled out in the letter.
e.) TERMINATION A final contact with the student should
be made in person and in writing explaining the reason for
termination. At this point, a Federal Work Study Release
Form must be completed and signed by both the student and
the supervisor. The original form should be sent to the
Financial Aid Office, along with copies of documentation from
Steps A through C above. The supervisor should keep one
copy for their records and give one copy to the student.
No student should be terminated unless all of the steps listed above have been followed.
Responsibilities of a Federal Work Study Supervisor
Supervisors play a key role in making a student's work experience a valuable asset for future employment. It is hoped that all supervisors will encourage student employees to develop good judgement, dependability, initiative, good working relationships, a sense of responsibility and pride in their work. With this in mind, supervisors must:
- establish a reasonable work schedule with the student;
- provide training and a complete job description for each position;
- provide supervision and follow-up on work assignments;
- perform an evaluation of the student's work performance at the end of the academic year;
- provide sufficient work to occupy the student during work hours. Federal Work Study is based on an hours pay for an hours work;
- ensure that the student does not work more than 20 hours per week;
- contact the Financial Aid Office if attempts at correcting problems have failed and you wish to request that the student be transferred;
- not allow a student to work during a semester in which that student's Federal Work Study has been cancelled or when they have not been awarded Federal Work Study. If you wish to employ such a student, their wages must be paid from your departmental budget;
- not allow a student to work beyond their authorized earnings. Once a student reaches their authorized earnings for the semester, any future earnings must be paid from departmental funds.
