Work Study Handbook: Information for Supervisors

1. Setting Up An Account
2. Interviewing Process
3. Hiring and Payroll Forms
4. Intent to Hire Form
5. Scheduling
6. Summer Employment
7. Taxes
8. Benefits

1. Setting Up An Account

On-campus employers should follow these steps to set up student workers in the Workday system.  Off-campus employers should contact the Office of Financial Aid for assistance with this step.

2. Interviewing Process

Individual employers determine the manner in which they make their employment decisions; most employers conduct several interviews and select from a pool of applicants. Students should know how much, if any, Federal Work-Study they have been awarded and bring this information to the interview. Federal Work Study eligibility is not required for any on campus positions.

3. Hiring and Payroll Forms

Since financial aid packages are revised annually, employers should remember that a student may not have the same award from year to year. Also, some students may be confused regarding work-study and may claim to be eligible when, in fact, they are not. To determine a student's eligibility and earning limit, please contact the Office of Financial Aid.

First-time hires (students who have never been paid through the WU Payroll system before) are required to fill out standard hiring forms: a Federal W-4 form, and an I-9 (Employment Eligibility Form). Students should visit HR's webpage for information about processing I-9s and W-4s If a work-study student continues working before these forms are received, and time is submitted to Payroll, his or her paycheck can be held by the Student Payroll Office.

4. Intent to Hire Form

All off campus student workers must have a job description on file in the Financial Aid office. After you have hired a student please fill out the form <link to on-campus form> and email or campus mail it to the Financial Aid office before the student begins work.  On campus employers are expected to enter a full job description in Workday that covers at minimum the following items:

• name of the position;
• classification of the position (e.g., reading tutor 1, reading tutor 2, laboratory assistant, library technician 1 or 2, etc.);
• name and address of the student’s employer (the school, public agency, nonprofit organization, etc.);
• department or office in which the student will be employed; ◆ location where the student will perform his/her duties;
• name of the student’s supervisor;
• purpose/role of the position within the organization;
• duties and responsibilities associated with the position and how they relate to the purpose/role; 
• rates of pay for the position (cross-referenced to the student wage schedule);
• general qualifications for the position and the specific qualifications for the various levels/rates of pay associated with the position;
• the length of the student’s employment (beginning and ending dates);
• procedures for determining a student’s rate of pay when a position has multiple rates; and
• evaluation procedures and schedules.

5. Scheduling

Once a student is hired, the employer and employee should determine a mutually convenient work schedule. Work-study students may generally work from the Monday of New Student Orientation Week through the last day of final examinations in May, including breaks.

In setting a schedule, employers and students should take careful consideration of not only the student's academic schedule, but also his or her earnings limit. Employers should obtain a copy of the student workers' class schedules; students are not permitted to earn work study funds during their scheduled class times. Ideally, the student should work the number of hours necessary to reach, but not exceed, the earnings limit by the end of the year. As an example, if a student is awarded $2,500 for the academic year and is paid $10.25 an hour, the student may work approximately 8 hours a week and not exceed his/her earnings limit for the academic year. See the Scheduling Guide for more information.

Once a student reaches his/her earnings limit, the student may no longer be employed through the Federal Work Study Program for the remainder of the academic year. Any continued employment would be contingent upon the availability of department funding. Employers are asked to set a weekly limit of 10-15 hours of work per week for each student to ensure that students reach their earnings limit by May. Students scheduled during class breaks may work full time. Please remember that money earned during vacation periods counts towards a student's earnings limit. The Federal Work Study Program is intended to help students offset the cost of their educational program, not to replace employees in a workplace.

6. Summer Employment

Please see Summer Work-Study in the Student section of this website for information about hiring students for the summer.

7. Taxes

Work-Study income is taxable, and students are required to fill out Federal W-4 forms when hired. At the beginning of each calendar year, student employees will receive a W-2 form from the University, listing their work-study earnings from the previous year. Students should contact the Student Payroll Office at 503-370-6188 if they haven’t received W-2s after February 1.

8. Benefits

Work-study students do not receive benefits such as vacation leave. Employers must give student employees a minimum thirty-minute lunch/dinner break if scheduled for six or more hours.  Sick time is available to student workers.  Learn more about the university's sick leave policy.