Student Position Postings | Employment Policies | Federal Work-Study Program (FWS)

The Federal Work-Study (FWS) program

The FWS Program is designed by the U.S. government to promote access to employment to help students meet educational expenses. The HRD at La Sierra University firmly believes in this program for the benefit of the student employee. Determination of eligibility for the FWS program is made solely by the Financial Aid Office, based on federal regulations and confidential information regarding the student’s financial status. Students awarded FWS funds must be US citizens or permanent residents and must be registered students at the university.

The HRD and FWS

The HRD is not involved in the determination of eligibility for the FWS program nor is it involved in the amount awarded to the student, but the HRD is involved in the process of student employment and FWS is an important part of student employment. The HRD checks and makes sure that the student is eligible for FWS, this information is provided by the Financial Aid Office.

When a student turns in his/her student employment contract at the HRD, an HRD employee checks on the Banner database system to see if the student has been offered and qualifies for the FWS Program at the time of hiring. If the student qualifies then he/she will be processed under a FWS status. If he/she does not qualify, then he/she will be processed under a Regular Student status.

FWS amounts awarded

At the beginning of the school year, the Financial Aid Office awards a student a certain amount under the FWS Program. Once the student has exhausted this amount, the student is transferred back to a Regular Student status, unless he/she is awarded more FWS money by a Financial Aid officer.

The HRD initiates a level transfer once the amount is reached or exceeded.

Monitoring FWS earnings

The HRD keeps track of a student’s amount earned payroll by payroll. The HRD prints a report every payroll to keep up-to-date. When the student’s amount is to the limit, the HRD notifies the department and the student. At this time the HRD will initiate a level transfer. (See the level transfers section.)

FWS award increases/decreases

The amount a FWS status student receives is not completely set. The Financial Aid Office may increase or decrease a students amount according to his/hers financial aid package.

Level transfers

The HRD follows a certain process when it comes to a change in status for a student worker. This process is called a level transfer.

When a student has exhausted his/her FWS amount, the student must go through a level transfer which simply transfers the student from a FWS status to a Regular Student status or vice-versa.

The process for level transfers*

When a student has reached or exceeded the amount granted to him/her; the hiring department and the student will be notified by the HRD. The student must come to the HRD and sign his/her contract to approve switching from FWS status to regular student employment. If the student does not sign his/her contract within a week, the HRD will hold his/her next paycheck for pick-up in an effort to attain his/her signature.

*This is to comply with FWS regulations.

The government and FWS

In order for the US government to keep providing us with the funds made available for the FWS program, the LSU campus, as a whole, must abide by the guidelines it has set as stated in this manual.

The government is strict in this area because it is investing a large amount of money into this program, the government pays 75% of the students wages.

Other important FWS points

-Undergraduate students receiving FWS must be paid on an hourly basis.

-FWS moneys do not carry over from one academic year to the other.

-FWS awards cannot be credited to a student’s tuition account; a paycheck is issued to the student. (At LSU, all student employees, regular and FWS, are given a paycheck.)

-FWS moneys may be subject to tax withholding.

Salary guidelines

The minimum hourly rate of pay under the FWS Program has been set at $5.75 an hour and the maximum at $7.50 an hour. The LSU wage scale has been set and must be followed when the department head originally hires a student worker. The wage scale has been broken up into four student scales (see the attached student wage scale).

The student 4 scale has been designed for use under special circumstances only such as: internships, professional students, etc. Wages above $6.65 must be approved by Financial Administration before assigning to ANY student.

Assigning hours

Student employees, other than international students, have no limit on the hours they can work per week. However, the HRD recommends that full-time students do not exceed 20 hours per week. During the summer (period of non-enrollment), the student may work more than 20 hours and up to 40 hours a week as allotted.