Federal Work Study Guide for Supervisors
ELIGIBLE DEPARTMENTS FOR HIRING FWS
MULTIPLE EMPLOYMENT
HIRING A FEDERAL WORK STUDY STUDENT
HOURLY WAGE
MONITORING EARNINGS TO PREVENT OVER EARNINGS
HOURS
LATE TIME SHEETS
INCREASED AWARD
UNDER EARNER
PAY RAISES
JOB TYPES & SAMPLE TASKS
The Federal Work-Study (FWS) Program at Georgia Institute of Technology provides jobs for undergraduate and graduate students who demonstrate financial assistance. The FWS program gives students an opportunity to earn money to help pay for educational expenses. The funds are awarded based on financial need, and are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, until all funds are exhausted. FWS Students are expected to adhere to a work schedule agreed upon by both the student and the supervisor. Students are not permitted to work during hours when they are scheduled to be in class, even when a class is canceled or dismissed early.
Federal Work Study (FWS) Employment (75% Federal Share – 25% Departmental Share) - Federal Work Study employment is partially funded by the federal government. To be eligible for Federal Work Study, the student must apply for financial aid during the academic year. Federal Work Study students are limited to working a maximum of twenty (20) hours per week during periods of enrollment.
ELIGIBLE DEPARTMENTS FOR HIRING FWS
Please note that Georgia Tech does not participate in off campus program agreements. To be an eligible Federal Work Study supervisor, you must be a Georgia Tech employee, the office must be located on one of the Georgia Tech campuses, and the hiring supervisor must be able to process a Personal Services Form (PSF) through Georgia Tech's Office of Human Resources. If you can not meet the above criteria, you would not be eligible to hire a Federal Work Study student.
Students are allowed employment in only ONE FWS job during the academic year. A FWS student CAN NOT be employed as a bi-weekly student worker (100% departmental funding), GRA, or GTA, AND as a Federal Work Study worker simultaneously.
HIRING A FEDERAL WORK STUDY STUDENT
The hiring department must complete the Position Request form in order to request a Work Study student for the academic year. The completed form can be sent to the Federal Work Study Coordinator in the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid (OSFA). We will post the job position information it provides to the website http://www.finaid.gatech.edu/fws/jobs along with contact information for your department. Beginning in early August, eligible students will be able to access this website and get in touch with the appropriate person in the department where they would like to work to arrange an interview. Students should bring a copy of their financial aid award letter showing Federal Work Study to the interview in order to confirm eligibility. Should the department want to hire an eligible student, the department will initiate a PSF, which the student will bring to the OSFA for the FWS Coordinator's signature and stamp before going to OHR.
The 2007-2008 Position Request Form can be downloaded by clicking here.
Please note that there is no guarantee that there will be enough students in the FWS program to fill all positions.
Students make their own selections when applying for jobs. It is the responsibility of the supervisor to make sure the potential student is not already working within the Georgia Institute for Technology payroll system before offering a position. It is also the supervisor's responsibility to make sure the student has been awarded federal work-study before the federal work-study position is offered.
The student's hourly wage is determined by the classification of the FWS position. Every FWS position is classified by a particular pay scale which depends upon skills and required experience. A detailed list of job types is available at the end of the guidelines to assist you in determining the correct pay rate for a Federal Work Study student.
In determining a pay rate for a Federal Work Study student, please consider the following:
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Responsibility of the student in the position
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The 25% share the Department is responsible for
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Most importantly, the pay rate is comparable with other non-FWS students within the department
Written explanation must be submitted to the OSFA if the department desires a pay increase during the academic year. PAY RATE INCREASES MUST BE AUTHORIZED BY THE OSFA.
New Pay Rates for the 2008-2009 Academic Year:
Position |
Pay Rate |
Student Asst I |
$8.00 – $9.50/hr |
Student Asst II |
$9.50 – $11.00/hr |
Lab Asst I |
$8.00 - $9.50/hr |
Lab Asst II |
$9.00 - $11.00/hr |
Undergrad Research Asst I |
$8.50 - $10.00/hr |
Undergrad Research Asst II |
$10.00 - $12.00/hr |
Tutor I |
$10.00 - $12.00/hr |
Tutor II |
$10.00 - $12.00/hr |
Technical Assistant I |
$8.50 - $10.00/hr |
Technical Assistant II |
$10.00-$12.00/hr |
MONITORING EARNINGS TO PREVENT OVER EARNINGS
The supervisor and the student should monitor the student's gross earnings to ensure that the dollars actually earned do not exceed the authorized award amount. If this occurs, the department or organization hiring the student is responsible for the amount which exceeds the award. Premature termination of a Federal Work-Study position will be necessitated for those students who earn their allowed maximum prior to the end of the term. The supervisor must also monitor the number of hours worked to ensure that the student does not exceed the permissible twenty hours per week.
Direct responsibility rests with the supervisor, but the director of an administrative unit or the chair of an academic department should be informed of FWS requirements and is ultimately responsible for adherence to them.
FWS students are limited to 20 hours per week during periods of enrollment and 40 hours per week during periods of non-enrollment. Contact the OSFA for questions and approval regarding periods of non-enrollment.
It is the responsibility of both the student and the supervisor to submit time documents in a timely manner. The submission of late time documents will result in a request for a written explanation of such occurrences. Repeated occurrences may jeopardize eligibility of the department to participate in the FWS program.
In some instances, once a student has earned his/her maximum earnings, he/she may be eligible for an increased work study award. If the FWS Coordinator deems the increase as appropriate and funding is available, the department and student will be notified.
If a student is not earning at least 25% of their award, the OSFA will reduce the Work Study Award and notify the department and student. If the student should increase their hours, the award may be reinstated. Notify the FWS Coordinator and upon review of FWS funding, the award may be reinstated.
All pay raises must be cleared with the Federal Work Study Coordinator before taking effect. All pay raises should be based on the length of employment for the student at the current position and the responsibilities assigned to the position. Pay raises usually range from $ .25 - $ .50 after the first year of employment.
Student Assistant:
Qualifications and/or responsibilities to include some or all of the following: filing documents; answering phones; greeting visitors; running GT business errands; prepare, deliver and/or open mail; assist in office projects; lifting of 30 lbs or more may be required; other duties as assigned.
Lab Assistant :
Qualifications and/or responsibilities to include some or all of the following: staff computer lab and provide support when asked; work on A/V equipment for classrooms; assist faculty, staff, students and guests as needed; clean lab equipment; organize lab and inventory equipment; understand specific computer programs; other duties as assigned.
Undergraduate Research Assistant:
Research activities may include some or all of the following: identifying and defining a research problem, hypothesis testing, data collection and validation, data analysis, and critical interpretation. A research assistant should be able to work in a team environment and learn to problem solve, think critically and to disseminate the results of their scholarly activities. Note: Undergraduate Research Assistants cannot receive academic credit for a Federal Work Study position.
Tutor:
Qualifications and/or responsibilities to include some or all of the following: must be in good academic standing; must have own transportation or use MARTA; must be dependable and reliable; must have desire to work with children of all levels and backgrounds; must have excellent communication skills; must attend orientation and other training sessions; no prior experience necessary.
Technical Assistant:
Qualifications and/or responsibilities to include some or all of the following: Knowledge of hardware and/or computer operating systems and/or software applications or other specialized equipment; using techincal knowledge/skill set to assist academic department of administrative units; operates under department supervision. Other duties as assigned.
This website last updated on 08/19/08