Federal Work-Study Positions
The Federal Work-Study Program (FWS) is a great way for organizations to “hire” our students for part-time work (approximately 4-10 hours per week). With FWS, the federal government pays 65-75% of the student’s salary, while the community organization pays the remaining 25-35% of the student’s salary. The work performed must be in the public interest (work performed for the welfare of the nation or community, rather than work performed for a particular interest or group). This is a great way for CBOs to increase staff without the financial burden. Please note that clerical work is not appropriate work for the Federal Work-Study Program.
Employer Responsibilities (Your Organization)
- Arranging a work schedule with the student (maximum of 19 hours per week, but approximately 8 hours per week is more realistic for our students).
- Providing 25-35% of the student’s earnings for the stated period.
- Providing the student with work duties for the agreed upon hours per week.
- Ensuring that the student fulfills all conditions of employment (work performance, attendance).
- Assisting the student in maintaining time cards and providing the appropriate signatures on the time cards.
- Informing the student and the Financial Aid Office in writing if for any reason the duties as defined for this position are reduced causing a reduction in employment hours.
What You Need To Do Now
- Create a job description for the FWS position.
- Determine the hours per week and salary for the position (HOURS: 19 hours per week maximum, 6-8 hours per week is more realistic for our students, SALARY: $18-$25/hour is the range for students, with most earning about $18-22/hr. Your organization pays 25-35% of the student’s salary. Max annual earnings of $6K)
- Fill out the Off-Campus Federal Work-Study Student Employment Request Form and return it to the Financial Aid Office.
- The Financial Aid Office will review the information, agree upon a rate of pay, and form a contract agreement for both parties.
- The CBO will pay the 25-35% of the salary in one lump sum at the start of the student’s hiring. This money will be placed in a university account. The student will be paid from this fund. Any leftover monies will be reimbursed to the CBO for hours that are not fulfilled by the student.
- This process can take 1-3 weeks to complete.
Important Notes
The earlier you submit your paperwork, the better chance you will have in identifying an appropriate student to complete the work. Beginning in September, we will have the bulk of eligible students searching for work-study positions. Keep in mind that the Federal Work-Study Program pays students only during the academic school year. This means that students will NOT be eligible between late May and early July.