Work Study Employment Policies
POLICIES AND PROCEDURES – FEDERAL WORK-STUDY PROGRAM
General Policies
1. The only difference between a Federal Work-Study (FWS) job and other student employment is the funding source. Federal Work-Study employees are expected to perform the duties of the position as determined by the supervisor and to sign out upon the completion of the tasks assigned for the day. Under no circumstances should a student be paid with Federal Work-Study funds simply for studying.
2. FWS employees may hold only one Federal Work Study position at a time. Students are discouraged from changing jobs more than once during the academic year as this creates a dislocation for the department in which the student is hired. If you find that you do need to change jobs, you should go to the Work-Study website to see what is available and to apply.
3. A Federal Work Study award is a job offer. Jobs are not guaranteed. It is up to the student to find their own job.
4. There occasionally have been cases where student employees have submitted timesheets with inaccurate information about the time worked during a pay period. If these inaccuracies are detected by the Student Payroll Office and if it is determined that fraud may have been committed, the case will be referred to the Director of Judicial Affairs.
5. If a student is terminated from three different positions, their Work Study award may be canceled.
6. Students should work the number of hours per week indicated on their Payroll Authorization Form. In most cases, this is 5.5 hours per week. With supervisor approval, students may make up hours missed within a pay period up to a maximum of 15 hours per week. Under no circumstances should a student exceed 15 hours per week. Students who wish to make up hours beyond the two week pay period should seek prior approval from the Office of Financial Aid.
7. Students must earn a minimum of $1200 of their award to be considered for Work-Study the following year.
Procedures
1. If you have an interview scheduled, report to your department contact as soon as possible after your arrival on campus. At that time, you may talk about your job responsibilities with your supervisor and set up a work schedule that is mutually agreeable. If you are unable to work out a schedule with your department, you should return to the Work Study Employment website to see what other positions are available. If you have not heard from a prospective employer, feel free to contact them at the email address listed on the job posting. You may also want to go back to the Work-Study website to apply for other jobs.
2. Be sure that you are hired by your supervisor before you begin working.
3. New FWS employees only: You must complete a form called the I-9 before you begin to work. If you need help with this, contact the Human Resources Office at 437-4700. You cannot work and will not be paid until this form is on file. You must also complete your tax form (withholding statement). Contact the Student Payroll Office at 437-4700 for help with this form. All the completed forms should be turned in to the Student Payroll Office. Remember, these forms must be submitted in order for you to be paid.
4. Complete your time sheet daily on the SUNY Time and Attendance portal www.suny.edu/hrportal. At the end of the pay period be sure to certify your hours worked and click on the Submit To Supervisor button. Your supervisor will then be able to certify your hours worked electronically. Paper time sheets will not be accepted by Student Payroll Office.
5. Timesheets submitted and/or approved after the due date may not be processed for the current payroll period.
6. If you are unable or do not wish to continue your participation on the FWS program, please notify your supervisor and the Office of Financial Aid.
Nondiscrimination Policy
The University at Albany does not discriminate on the basis of age, color, creed, disability, marital status, national origin, race, or sex.
