Purpose of Work Study appointments

Work Study is a great way to help students pay for their undergraduate education while working part-time. To qualify for Work Study jobs student must demonstrate financial need and have a Work Study award as part of their overall financial aid package. Work Study appointments in the Dean’s Office serve two purposes – the student’s work meets a business need for the office and the position provides the student with professional experience.

Manager’s responsibilities

In a Work Study program, the employer pays only 20-50 percent of the student's wages; the rest is subsidized by federal or state funds. The Work Study program funds up to $1,000 of the student’s salary (this is called the work study award). A student may work up to 19.5 hours per week and pay rates are the same as for comparable, non-Work Study jobs. It is the manager’s responsibility to monitor the student’s hours and ensure that they do not exceed 19 hours per week or exhaust their work study award.

Supervision of student employees involves providing adequate orientation to work rules in the department and training for specific job duties. It also involves planning the student's work schedule, providing confirmation of hours worked by approving in Workday, and monitoring hours worked as well as the student's earnings and work study award.

Planning the work schedule

During the academic year period, students are awarded a fixed amount of work study funding, the work study award. The manager and Work Study student will plan the work schedule so that the student can work throughout the award period and use the entire amount of the work study award. The average number of hours per week can be determined using the following formula:

• Amount of award/number of weeks = $ per week
• $ per week/hourly pay rate = # of hours per week

IMPORTANT CoE Dean’s Office Policy: If the work study award will be exhausted before the end of the student’s appointment, the manager must notify the CoE HR and Finance teams at least one month before the award is exhausted. The manager must work with HR and Finance to set up an hourly appointment for the student. The student may be employed in an hourly position for the remainder of the quarter if there are Dean’s Office funds available. The student may not necessarily continue on an hourly appointment into the following quarter as in order to maximize participation in the Work Study program, a new Work Study student may be appointed for that quarter. This should be discussed with the COE HR Team.

Please note the manager will be notified if the student employee becomes ineligible for Work Study. If he or she continues to work after the manager have been notified or after withdrawal from the University, the Dean’s Office will be responsible for paying 100% of the wages. Students must be paid for all hours worked.