Work Study Employer Information

This web page is a general guide for employers wishing to participate in the Idaho State University Work Study Program. It was designed to help you understand the basic requirements to qualify for the program and will outline your responsibilities as an employer.

Table of Contents: (anchor links to headings below)

Is my business or organization eligible to participate in the Work Study Program?
How much does it really cost?
Interested in hiring a Work Study Student?
Employer's Responsibilities?
Employer's Instructions

1. Is my business/organization eligible?

To be eligible, an employer must be non-profit. Both the employer and the position(s) offered are considered when a school reviews eligibility.

The criteria considered in selecting employers includes:

the nature of the business or position
if it is a non-profit organization
work-study position should not displace a regular worker

2. How much does it really cost?

Federal Share/Employer Share of student compensation

The government share of compensation paid to students may not exceed 75%. The institutional (employer's) share will be 25%, which will be paid by the departments or off-campus employers.

The federal and institutional shares are expected to remain at the current 75/25 split for subsequent years. This is subject to change based upon actions taken by Congress and program reauthorization.

Wages

Work Study students must be paid at least minimum wage of $7.25, but employers have the discretion to pay more. Requests for exceptions should be addressed to the Director of Human Resources.

As the employer, you are required to pay 25% of the student's gross wages. The ISU business office will bill you for your portion of the wages as the student's pay check comes from ISU Payroll Office.

Time Cards

Time cards must be submitted online (on-campus participants) or submitted in paper form to the ISU Payroll Department (off-campus participants). Payroll will disburse work study pay checks according to the payroll disbursement schedule.

Benefits

Additionally, you will need to pay all the costs of employer benefits:

Federal withholdings
Workmen's Compensation
Federal Social Security
Any other benefits required by law.

3. Interested in Hiring a Work Study Student?

Determine your need for a student employee

Have a clear idea of the type of work you need performed.

What are the minimum requirements needed to perform the job? Is the work appropriate for a college student? Are you a non-profit organization or government agency? If so:

Call the ISU Financial Aid Office to ask about the Work Study Program.
Mail a letter requesting work study funds to the Financial Aid Office, attention Katheryn Wareing.
The letter should include:

Name of your business
Address and phone number
Department Head or Director's name
Name of a contact person
If you are non-profit or government agency
Statement of the work the student will be performing
Student's rate of pay
Hours per week the student is needed (not to exceed 40 hours/week)

Be sure you can fund approximately 25% of these wages and the cost of employer benefits.

There are no work study funds in the summer months at ISU.

Once you qualify as an off-campus employer, the school will send you an Allocation Request Form (annually in March), and an Employer's Contract (annually in August).

Off-Campus Participants: Return Contracts to ISU Financial Aid Office

When you receive the employer's contract there will be three copies. The authorized person should sign all three contracts. Once contracts have been signed, return all three employer's contract to the Financial Aid Office for the Idaho State University President's signature.

Return the contracts to the following address:

Idaho State University

Financial Aid Office

921 S 8th, Stop 8077

Pocatello, ID 83209-8077

The school will review the forms, have the university president sign the contracts, and return one of the contracts to your office. If you have questions, please call (208) 282-2756.

Interview the Candidates

Ask each student to provide you with written verification of work study eligibility from their MyISU. In order to qualify for reimbursement, you must hire a college student who is "work study eligible" through ISU.

Make your employment selection

Follow your standard personnel procedures.

Upon hiring, on-campus employers need to complete a Work Study EPAF for each work study employee. Off-campus employers need to complete the Personnel Action Request Form for Temporary and Student Workers (PARTS) found on the HR forms web page.

New hires will need to complete the new hire paperwork found on HR's New Employee Resources web page.
Personnel Action Request Form for Temporary and Student Workers (PARTS) found here.

If the student has worked for ISU within the last 3 years, they do not need to complete the new hire paperwork, only a PARTS form. If you have any questions, Please contact Human Resources at (208) 282-2517.

Other requirements:

Employer must complete PARTS form (for each work study student) and New Hire paperwork (if applicable). A new PARTS Form will need to be completed each academic year.
Employer must annually complete the appropriate year of the
Orient and train your new employee as you would any other employee.
Keep accurate time records being careful not to exceed students award maximum. If this amount is exceeded and the student has no more eligibility, you will be responsible for the wages at 100%.
Provide an immediate supervisor who can verify the hours a student has worked. This person should also sign the time card.

4. Employer's Responsibilities

Obtain Proof of Eligibility

Before an employer hires a student, proof of eligibility for employment under the program will have to be obtained from the student.

Since award statements are on the individual student's MyISU, obtain proof of eligibility from the student via a printout of his/her award on Bengal Web.

Monitoring Earnings

Students should not be allowed to earn more than the amount of their work study award.

It is the supervisor's responsibility to monitor the student's bi-weekly earning to ensure that he/she does not earn more than the work study eligibility as shown on the student's award information on MyISU. The supervisor must also monitor the number of hours worked to ensure that the student does not exceed the permissible 20 hours per week.

If the student exceeds his/her work study award maximum, the employing department/business will be billed 100% of the over earnings. The department must also terminate the student with the ISU Human Resource System unless the student has remaining eligibility for work study in addition to their original award. The employer may contact the Financial Aid Office to determine this.

Inform both Human Resources and the Financial Aid Office of any employee/employer initiated terminations. The employer is responsible for the timely reporting of hours worked.

An employer who hires a work study student shares a responsibility to monitor the student's earnings, to ensure that the student does not exceed his/her work study award limit. Students may be paid on the work study program for a maximum of 20 hours per week. Federal Regulations mandate student cannot work more than 8 hours per day, or 40 hours per seven-day week. Any overtime will not be paid through the work study Program account, but is the responsibility of the department/business to pay.

In calculating the remaining balance of a Work Study student's award, subtract 100% of the gross wages submitted to the ISU Payroll Office from the student's work study award (not just the 40% portion the employer is responsible for). Employer's allocation and the student's work study award are stated at 100% (including both the Employer's 25% and Work Study Program's 75%).

State Work Study (SWS) versus Federal Work Study (FWS)

SWS limits the number of hours that a student may work under the SWS program to a maximum of 20 hours/week. For those students with a SWS funded position (indicated by an 'I' in front of the position number on their BengalWeb time sheet), a FWS position will also be set up (indicated by a 'W' in front of the position number).
If a student works more than 20 hours/week, only 20 of those hours may be reported for each week on the 'I' position and the remaining hours worked will need to be reported on the 'W' position. A student may have to scroll down when reporting hours on BengalWeb to see available time cards for both positions.

Increases in Work Study Student Award

Adjustments to a student's work study award can be made if the applicant's financial need allows for an increase and funds are available to finance the increase.

The employer and employee should consider the time requirements of the student's job in relation to the student's pay rate and the work study award for the entire academic year. If it appears that the student's award will be exhausted before the time the position is due to lapse, then a request may be made for an increase in student's award if the employer's allocation is sufficient to cover the additional award.
The student may request an increase in financial aid when he/she is close to earning their full award. The student should request this increase through the Financial Aid Office. Requests will be honored only as funds are available and if the student qualifies for the increase.

Reduction in Work Study Funds

Occasionally, it is necessary for the Financial Aid Office to reduce a student's work study award. This may occur when a student receives assistance not originally included in his/her initial financial aid package, or when other student earnings or resources are brought to the attention of the financial aid counselor.

The student will be notified through email and on their Bengal Web by the Financial Aid Office when a downward adjustment is made. Upon notification of an award reduction, it is the responsibility of the student to inform the employer. When notified of an award reduction, the employer should re-evaluate the student's work schedule to make sure hours are not assigned that would bring the student earnings in excess of the adjusted WS award.

5. Employer's Instructions

Using Argos Reports to view CWS Awards by Bengal ID
EPAF and CWS
Work-Study Instructions for College Work Study (CWS) Employers
Off Campus Instructions

Questions?

Address questions regarding Work-Study to the Financial Aid Office at (208) 282-2756.