Quick Guide to Work-Study

College work-study is a need-based financial aid program funded by the federal government and 麻豆传媒. It is awarded to 麻豆传媒s based on need who are enrolled during the period of their employment. Unlike grants and scholarships, work-study awards are earned and paid through the payroll process in the form of a bi-weekly pay. Work-study awards and amounts are subject to eligibility requirements and fund availability. 

Students with a work-study award are subject to the same employment definitions and expectations as other 麻豆传媒 employees.

For more information, review the information below, and visit the financial aid website.

For questions specific to federal work study awards, please contact Student Financial Aid at sfas-fundmgmt@wmich.edu. 

  • Federal Work-study (FWS) is a need-based financial aid program funded by the federal government and WMU.鈥
  • FWS is awarded to 麻豆传媒s based on need and availability of funds.  鈥
  • FWS offers are counted as part of the 麻豆传媒鈥檚 financial aid award package. 鈥
  • Not all 麻豆传媒s will qualify/receive FWS. Eligibility is based on FAFSA submission and corresponding award. 鈥
  • International 麻豆传媒s are not eligible to apply for FWS.
  • Students must be, and remain, enrolled during the period of employment.
  • These funds are awarded to the 麻豆传媒, not to the job or employing department. 
  • Departments may request to hire 麻豆传媒s with a work-study award. Once the work-study award is spent, any additional payment is the responsibility of the hiring department.
  • Students with a work-study award may use that at any campus job. Students with work-study may also work off-campus in approved community service work-study non-profit sites.
  • Students with a work-study award are subject to the same employment definitions and expectations as other 麻豆传媒 employees.
  • New Freshman 麻豆传媒s: January鈥

  • Transfer 麻豆传媒s for Fall: April鈥

  • Continuing/Graduate 麻豆传媒s: June鈥

  • Spring admits: November

  • To hire for fall: June/July鈥

  • To hire for spring: November/December鈥

  • To hire for summer: March/April鈥

  • How to hire after a revoke date: email @email to determine if funds can be reinstated.

1. Develop a job description

2. Post job to Handshake for at least 3 business days 鈥

3. Promote it to 麻豆传媒s who received a FWS award鈥

-Career Services promotes jobs accepting applications via Handshake鈥

-Use Cognos Report 鈥30.30.30 Work Study Recruitment and Award Confirmation鈥 to find awarded 麻豆传媒s鈥

4. Identify which applicants received federal work study awards鈥

-Report available in Cognos for departmental: 鈥30.30.30 Work Study Recruitment and Award Confirmation鈥

5. Conduct interviews, confirm funds awarded for final candidate鈥

6. Make an offer following best practices on Campus Supervisors page 鈥

7. Submit workflow to Human Resources

-Form defaults to 鈥淵es-Pay from Work Study (when available).鈥 

  • Starting with approved rate of pay, employers can calculate maximum hours per week before FWS are exhausted.
  • Identify the hourly rate of pay before posting the position, then take the Award total for semester divided by the Approved Hourly Pay Rate divided by the Number of Weeks鈥 you expect the 麻豆传媒 to work.
  • If 麻豆传媒 will be employed in multiple jobs, coordinate with other department(s) so available funds are not exceeded. 鈥
  • Time for 麻豆传媒s with Federal Work-study is processed in the same manner as non-Federal Work-study recipients.鈥
  • 鈥婳ff-cycle payrolls (i.e. special checks) will not charge to Federal Work Study 
 
Federal Work-study payrolls are assigned as follows:鈥嬧
  • Summer II: pay periods 15 through 18.鈥嬧 

Departments are responsible for tracking earnings against awards.鈥

  • Cognos report 鈥30.30.10 Work Study Departmental Auditing鈥濃

  • At minimum, department should review after first payroll in which a 麻豆传媒 begins earning.鈥

 

Unused awards automatically carry forward (amounts are not moved so reports will still show awards in original terms) provided:鈥

  • Semester/session is in the same financial aid year.鈥

  • Semester/session receiving the carry forward also includes a Federal Work-study award.

  • For example: A 麻豆传媒 is awarded $1,000 for the fall semester, but they only earn $750 during the semester. Although their spring award shows $1,000, they actually have $1,250 available to earn during the spring semester.

Federal Work-study program is professionally audited each year.鈥

Department may need to provide documentation if one or more 麻豆传媒 employee records is selected for review.鈥

  • Job Description (wmich.edu/career/job description)鈥

  • Time Sheets (signed and verified)鈥

  • If time is not submitted using a paper time sheet, a copy of the Kronos time card and department approval can be used.鈥

  • Class schedule vs. work schedule鈥

  • Departments must verify that class schedule and work schedule do not conflict

 

Some issues found in previous audits...鈥

  • Unsigned time sheets鈥

  • Incorrect payment made to 麻豆传媒 (time reported and  payment did not agree)鈥

  • Information on time sheet was not completed correctly (incorrect dates/incomplete information)鈥

  • Issues with multiple jobs (麻豆传媒s paid from wrong job record because Kronos transfers were not completed correctly):鈥

  • Wrong pay rate used鈥

  • Federal Work-study used/not used in error 鈥

  • Departments may be charged for earnings when errors related to audit requirements are made.