Work-Study Employers

Frequently Asked Questions

I am interested in employing Federal Work-Study students. What should I do next?

To employ FWS students in part-time positions in your department or agency, please follow the steps below:

Community Agencies: Contact the Work-Study office at 744-7056.
Campus Departments: Access the Federal Work-Study Job Request form at the Career Services Web-site.
Once on the main page, follow the links "Employers site," "Post a Job/Internship," and then complete the steps listed.

The position is on the Web. What now?

FWS recipients will access the Career Services Web-site and select positions of interest to them.
Students will contact you to set up an interview.
Students will bring to the interview a copy of their class schedule and a current Financial Aid Award Letter.

I have interviewed a student and want to hire him/her. What do I do?

Community Agencies:
- Complete the Federal Work-Study Community Service "Agency Authorization to Hire Form" and return to the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid with the student to sign up for payroll.
- Students can conatct us for an appointment at :
  119 Student Union
  Oklahoma State U.
  Stillwater, OK 74078
  FAX: 744-6438 PHONE: 744-7056
- The student you choose to hire should not begin working until they have completed a payroll sign-up at our office, 119 Student Union.
Oklahoma State University Departments:
- Departments select the student that they want to hire, complete and EA form and send the form to Wilma White, Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid, 119 Student Union. During the fiscal year 2008 (July 1, 2007 through June 30, 2008) the federal account numbers to be used when developing any FY08 Employment Action forms for Federal Work-Study are:

ONCE THE POSITION IS FILLED, NOTIFY CAREER SERVICES SO THAT THE LISTING MAY BE REMOVED FROM THE WEBSITE.

When are FWS Job Requests due?

There is usually no deadline as such for FWS Job requests. However, the applicant pool is reduced considerably throughout the summer and as the year progresses. Therefore, it is to the advantage of the agency or department to have their Job Requests in as early as possible, preferably by the "advised date" on the spring memorandum requesting FWS job listings.

When can FWS students work?

Students may work from the first day of the Fall semester to the last day of the Spring semester. An FWS student can work over Labor Day, Fall Break, Thanksgiving Break, and Spring Break. Students can also work during dead week and finals week. In some cases, a FWS student can work between the fall and spring semester.

Can a FWS student quit or be fired?

Yes, both actions are possible. A department is not expected to continue to employ a FWS student whose work performance is unsatisfactory nor is a FWS student expected to keep a job he/she does not want. These situations can create disadvantages for both the employer and employee.

Can I hire a student after his/her FWS award is depleted?

Yes, if you are able to pay 100% of the student's wages. The extra earnings will not affect the student's current financial aid package. The "fund change" EA form must be signed by the WSP unit before going to Personnel.

Does the WSP office check a student's references?

No. Students who are eligible to be employed under the FWS program simply set up an interview with you after seeing your job listing on the Career Services Web-site. You are not obligated to hire any FWS student who makes contact with you.

What do I have to pay a FWS student?

By federal law, FWS students must get paid at least minimum wage, which is currently $5.15 per hour. Student employee pay rates should be set following the same guidelines as non-student pay rates. An individual's experience, education or training should be taken into consideration, as should the job's level of responsibility, difficulty of task, and marketplace demand. It is prudent to pay a student more than the minimum if his/her particular job requires a considerable level of education or experience.

Can I rehire someone from last year? How?

Yes. In fact, many departments continue to rehire the same FWS students year after year. We advise you to tell the student of your desires early in the spring semester and encourage him or her to complete the financial aid need analysis form as soon as possible.

Departments should bear in mind that receipt of FWS in one year does not guarantee receipt of it the next year and waiting for a student to be awarded FWS has definite drawbacks. For example, a department waits until September to rehire a student and then finds that the student will not be receiving FWS. Since most FWS students will have taken jobs by that time, the department may find it difficult to hire another student under the FWS program.

Why did the student I had last year not get FWS this year?

A student's eligibility is based on financial need. One of the components necessary to determine financial need is the "expected family contribution" or EFC. The EFC is determined using a congressionally-approved formula applied to the results of the student's need analysis form. The formula takes into account many variables, most of which do not remain constant year to year. Some of these variables can be: student's and parent's income; student's and parent's assets; the number living in the home; the number in college; and federal income taxes paid. Any changes in the information reported by the family or student changes that Congress makes to the formula could cause a student to not be eligible for FWS.

Many students are eligible for FWS but will not receive an award because they applied too late and funds are no longer available. Awards are made by OSU's Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid strictly on a first-come, first-served basis. A student must not only complete the need analysis form early but also must respond quickly and accurately to any additional requests for information which may come from the need analysis processor or OSU Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid. Many OSU financial aid applicants make an error that delays the processing of their financial aid application. Correct and timely information from the applicant is critical if he/she wishes to be considered for the FWS program.

How can I find the "right" employee?

The WSP office can best assist you when you give us complete and thorough information on the Job Request, especially in regards to the number of hours per week, days and time worked, job description and qualifications. However, the department is ultimately responsible for their hiring decision. Make sure the student understands your expectations of him or her. Ask the student if he/she can meet those expectations. Make sure the student understands what the job duties are. Again, ask the student if he or she is capable of doing those and will enjoy the job. Check a student's references if you feel the need.

Finally, a good employee usually requires a good supervisor. If the supervisor places importance on the student's job by training and planning well, the student will likely see his or her role as more valuable and thus act accordingly.