Newbury College - Admission and Financial Aid - Financial Aid - Federal Work Study Supervisor Guidelines

FEDERAL WORK-STUDY SUPERVISOR GUIDELINES

INTRODUCTION

The employment of students at Newbury College is an integral part of the daily operation of the College. The purpose of this manual is to focus on the policies and procedures governing the employment of all Newbury College students who work on-campus and in community service positions. Information regarding the employment of financial assistance students, eligibility for employment at the College, student/supervisor responsibilities, the grievance process and procedures for dismissal are among the topics included.

As a supervisor of student employees at Newbury College, you should be familiar with the policies and procedures established by the Office of Financial Assistance to ensure a positive work experience for both you and the student. This handbook has been created as a reference for supervisors.

We hope that the information outlined in this handbook will increase your understanding of the important role you play as a student supervisor. We welcome any questions, suggestions and comments that you may have about this manual and the Federal Work-Study Program.

FEDERAL WORK STUDY PROGRAM

The Office of Financial Assistance may award Federal Work-Study (FWS) funds to students who apply for financial aid. However, the number of students offered Federal Work-Study, and thus available to work is contingent on the yearly allocation of funds established for this program. FWS students should be limited to working a maximum of ten hours per week when classes are scheduled during the academic year. However, the actual work schedule will depend on the earnings level established by the Office of Financial Assistance, as well as the student's academic schedule and the supervisor's need. FWS earnings are subject to federal and state taxes. Each January the college issues the student a W-2, which reflects all earnings for the prior calendar year.

The term Work-Study indicates that eligible students will be provided with opportunities for employment. It does not mean students will receive jobs where they may have time to study at their place of employment. The Office of Financial Assistance lists available job opportunities to Newbury College students through the Federal Work-Study Student Handbook. Because FWS is a form of financial assistance, adjustments to students' awards may be necessary after the student has begun work.

The Office of Financial Assistance is available to assist students and supervisors in all stages of the Federal Work-Study experience.

Students eligible to work under FWS must meet federal guidelines for the program. If the student withdraws from the college at any time during his or her employment, the Federal Work-Study funding will be canceled.

Creating Job Listings

To create a Work-Study position, the supervisor must complete a Federal Work-Study Job Request form. The supervisor is asked to provide the following information: name, department and department location; duties and responsibilities expected of the student employee; if hours are not flexible; specific days and hours to be worked.

Each Work-Study job listing has an assigned number that identifies the specific job. This number can be used from year to year as long as the information is kept current. All students hired under the same Work-Study job listing number must be performing the same job duties and have the same supervisor.

Posting Job Opportunities

Federal Work-Study students will find job postings through the Federal Work-Study Student Handbook or the Office of Financial Assistance bulletin board. The Federal Work-Study Student Handbook is produced at the beginning of every fall semester. A publication update request is generally mailed to supervisors every June.

If the need for additional Federal Work-Study help arises during the semester, you should contact the Federal Work Study Coordinator to determine if there are any available students.

Updating a Job Listing

If a job description needs to be updated or if there is a change in the supervisor or contact person, we ask you to make these corrections on the Job Request form and indicate that it is a change to an existing position. Supervisors are encouraged to use the same Federal Work-Study Job Listing number from year to year provided there is no significant change in the job duties.

HIRING A FEDERAL WORK STUDY EMPLOYEE

Federal Work-Study Student Handbook/Interview

Students are instructed to call the contact person listed in the Federal Work-Study Student Handbook to set up interviews for jobs that interest them. It is suggested that the following items be discussed with the student during the interview:

Hours of operation and student's academic schedule
Detailed description of job duties (beyond those listed in the handbook)
Personal conduct and dress code expected of the student
Previous experience needed to perform the job
Training to be provided to perform the job
Expected hiring-decision timetable

Students will not bring a resume to the interview unless instructed to do so when scheduling an interview. Most students are eager to begin working, so it is advisable to notify the student of the hiring decision within two or three days after the interview. It is also important to keep in mind that not all Work-Study recipients will have previous work experience and that it may be necessary to hire and train an inexperienced student.

Hiring a New Student

Before the student can begin working, a Work Authorization Form/Contract must be completed for the academic year or on a semester basis. This document acts as a referral for all FWS recipients. The student will bring this form to the department so the person authorized to hire Work-Study students can complete it. The Work-Study Job Listing on file in the supervisor's department will be helpful in completing the requested data on the Work Authorization Form/Contract. After completing this form, it must be sent to the Federal Work-Study Coordinator for final review and authorization.

Student employees are paid on an hours-worked basis. Holidays, snow days, and sick days are not to be counted as hours worked. Overtime and premium holiday pay are not authorized for FWS employees. Students are not paid for lunch or break periods, and they do not receive any Newbury College benefits. Additionally, Work-Study students will not be paid until they complete all payroll documents and they are authorized to work.

Rehiring a Student Employee

A student's continued employment within a department depends on several factors. The student must continue to receive FWS funding, have a satisfactory job performance, and have indicated to his or her supervisor the wish to continue working. Students must complete new payroll documents and a Work Authorization Form/Contract every year.

Changing Jobs or Abandonment

Students are encouraged to remain in their Work-Study positions for the full program period. However, a job change can be made at any time during the program period. Students are expected to give their supervisor two weeks notice before leaving the position.

It is also the responsibility of the supervisor to notify the Work-Study coordinator when a student abandons their Work-Study position. This will enable our office to redistribute available funds to other students who wish to participate in the Work-Study program.

Monitoring Student Earnings Level

Student employed under the FWS program have a maximum earnings level, which is indicated on the Work Authorization Form/Contract. The supervisor and the student should establish a weekly work schedule that will enable the student to work throughout the academic year based on the student's allocation. The Office of Financial Assistance advises students not to work more than 10 hours per week.

The Federal Work-Study Coordinator will notify both the student and the supervisor when the student's FWS earnings are reaching its limit. If a student reaches their maximum Work-Study award, they should inquire with the Office of Financial Assistance to determine if the award amount can be increased. If this option is feasible, then the student can continue to work in the Federal Work-Study Program. However, if the award amount cannot be increased, the student's employment will be terminated.

If the position is terminated, a student may inquire with their supervisor about continuing their employment in their particular office or department. This option is ONLY possible if funding is available in the particular department's budget. Please be advised that the student MUST complete new payroll documents (I-9 and W-4), as they will now become an employee of Newbury College and no longer an employee of the federal government. The student must submit the new I-9 and W-4 documents directly to the Payroll Office. If funding is not available through a particular department budget, the student MUST be terminated. There are absolutely NO exceptions to this rule.

Time Sheets/Payment Process

Only the preprinted Newbury College student time sheet will be accepted for payment for FWS positions. Supervisors will be responsible for providing their initials for hours worked each day by the work-study student. Before time sheets are completed, you should make sure that they are dated correctly and reflect the correct hours. A copy of the original timesheet should be maintained for your records and the actual timesheet can be submitted to the payroll office. Please note that a supervisor should under no circumstances sign a blank timesheet for the work-study student.

Timesheets must be turned into the Payroll Office by the supervisor by 2 pm on Monday of the pay week. The payroll office will not accept timesheets submitted by a work-study employee. Only one timesheet should be handed in per student, per pay period. Please instruct your students to submit timesheets on time since they may risk the chance of not being paid. Supervisors are also responsible for the distribution of student paychecks on the appropriate pay date.

Please contact the Federal Work-Study Coordinator or the Payroll Office with any questions regarding the payroll process.

Orienting the Student

It is advisable after the student is hired to set time aside to orient the student to the department. It is suggested that the supervisor reinforce topics discussed at the interview as well as the additional topics listed below:

Variations in work schedules for academic holidays and examination periods
Safety and health practices
Student's responsibility for college facilities and equipment
Performance standards
Time sheet procedures and paycheck distribution
Supervisory personnel

When discussing the supervision, it is important to provide answers to the following questions: who is the student's supervisor? Who is the next supervisor? To whom should the student direct problems or questions? Who should the student contact in case of absence or change in schedule?

Supervisor Responsibilities

The quality of a student's performance is achieved, to a great extent, by the quality of supervision provided. The supervisor is expected to provide adequate training, reasonable work assignments, careful monitoring of work and timely evaluations. Although it may be difficult to establish a formal training program for student employees, good personnel practices require that every new worker be oriented to the organization of the work place and trained to perform the necessary tasks. Therefore, the supervisor is responsible for:

Orienting the student in detail to his or her role in the department and the standards of behavior expected of employees
Training in skills and procedures necessary to perform tasks
Providing a work space that is free from hazards
Keeping communication lines open, clear and consecutive
Setting a good example
Treating student employees in accord with their rights, which are the same as all employees' as defined by applicable state, federal and college regulations
Monitoring the students earnings levels

Please refer to the Work Authorization Form/Contract for additional supervisor responsibilities. Additionally, please remember that students must NOT do personal errands for Newbury College employees. Students should be working at the tasks that are defined in their job description.

Confidentiality

It is imperative that supervisors stress Newbury College and student confidentiality issues that students face while working. Most importantly, student employees must understand that access to college files, by paper or computer, is limited to business use only.

Terminations

Supervisors may terminate a student employee when he or she does not carry through on agreed duties and responsibilities in a satisfactory manner. Specific deficiencies should be pointed out to the student. A written warning should be issued and an opportunity for improvement given with a specific period of time established. If satisfactory performance does not occur within the designated time frame, the supervisor may then proceed with the termination. It is recommended that supervisors give students two weeks notice of termination.

Immediate termination of a student employee is expected for gross misconduct, including actions threatening the safety of others, for malicious use or theft of Newbury College property, falsification and/or forgery on time sheets and other college documents. These cases should be referred to the Federal Work-Study Coordinator. Future student employment and financial aid may be affected by a student's record of involuntary termination.

The termination process is not required for a Work-Study student who works through the end of the program and then does not return to the department the following period.

As a department's workload shifts over the course of an academic year, it is possible that fewer student staff will be required. As soon as this determination is made, any affected Work-Study students should be referred to the Federal Work-Study Coordinator where other job options may be provided. Students should be told that the release is not a reflection of their work performance and they will be given ample time to obtain another position before their termination date.

STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES

Students are expected to:

Report to work promptly
Notify their supervisors in advance when they will be tardy or absent from work
Refrain from conducting personal business on the job
Report accurately the hours worked
Perform the job duties to the best of their ability
Dress appropriately for the job (some departments have dress codes)
Act in a professional manner concerning confidentiality of students records
Take the job seriously
Be paid only for those hours worked
Monitor their earnings in relation to their Work-Study award
Follow the procedure if changing jobs or ceasing to work by giving two weeks notice before resigning.

If you need help or have any questions not answered in this manual, please feel free to call 617-730-7103 or stop by the Office of Financial Assistance.