Supervisor Payroll Policies & Procedures
Reporting & Approving Hours
Federal Work-Study employees should only be paid for hours worked.
Students are responsible for entering their hours in Workforce Timekeeping System, the University's official timekeeping system.
Supervisors must approve student timecards by noted pay period deadlines to be compliant with FWS program regulations ((34 CFR 675.19 (b)(2)(i)).
On-Campus Employers
Instructions and How-Tos for approving a timesheet, amending a timesheet, and managing timecard delegates are outlined on the Human Resources website.
- If you will be on leave from the university, please make sure you designate a delegate in the timekeeping system before your leave.
- If a student forgets to enter their hours for a previous pay period, submit a timecard amendment. Do not add the unrecorded hours to the current pay period.
If you miss Payroll's approval deadline, you must print and sign the student’s timecard showing the dates and hours the student worked during the pay period. Signed timecards are due to the Work-Study Office and Northwestern Payroll Office by the corresponding pay period's pay date.
Off-Campus Community FWS Employers
In addition to recording hours in Workforce, students working at off-campus FWS partner agencies must submit the Off-Campus Timecard Approval Form by 5 p.m. CST on the second Friday of each pay period (unless otherwise stated).
A copy of the Off-Campus Timecard Approval Form and the student's timecard will be sent to the off-campus supervisor. The off-campus supervisor approval is due by 8 a.m. CST on the Monday following the end of the pay period. The Northwestern Federal Work-Study Liason will record the approval and enter it in the University timekeeping system so the student may be paid.
If you miss the 8 a.m. CST Monday deadline, please contact the Federal Work-Study office as soon as possible. Failure to do so may prevent the student from being paid.
Paychecks
Students are paid according to the Biweekly Pay and Cutoff Dates schedule.
If there is a problem with a student's paycheck, on-campus employers should contact askHR@northwestern.edu and off-campus employers should contact the Work-Study Office.
FWS Earnings Warnings and Notices Over-Earned FWS Limits
The student's net pay includes the 75% federal wage subsidy and the 25% employer wage match. This is automatically applied on each pay date.
Alerts are sent to student and their timekeeping approver(s) when they are within $700 of reaching their FWS earnings limit.
Under specific circumstances, some students may be considered for additional FWS funding. Efforts to increase a student’s FWS earnings limit by adjusting for unmet federal need or converting any rejected/not accepted subsidized loans will be attempted before. This is not possible for all students, however.
FWS earnings totals are recorded in CAESAR > Financial Aid > Work-Study Earnings by Date. Amounts are updated after each bi-weekly and adjustment pay date. It is the student employee and supervisor's responsibility to calculate how many hours they may work until their limit runs out. This amount is not inclusive of paid sick time, paid leave time, or overtime which are not permitted in the FWS program. See Fringe Benefits below.
On-Campus Employers
Once a student reaches their FWS earnings limit, they must be paid with "regular student wages" where the department bears full responsibility for their net wages. We will update the salary account code in myHR and notify the student and timekeeping approver of this change. If your department is unable to pay a student under these arrangements, you should terminate the student's employment record.
Over-earned wages may be charged back to your department for the difference.
Off-Campus Community FWS Employers
If the student exceeds their FWS limit you will be notified by our office that the student must stop working immediately. Over-earned wages may be charged back to your organization for 100% of the cost in a separate invoice. If you wish for your student employee to continue working for your organization, they must be hired as a direct employee of your organization.
Pay Advances
Northwestern University does not issue pay advances. Students must work to earn their FWS. No hours should be reported for a student before the work is performed. Additionally, students will not receive a payout of unearned FWS.
Pay Increases
Merit and longevity pay increases are at the supervisor’s discretion. Speak with your supervisor to review your eligibility for a pay increase.
Fringe Benefits
Federal regulations prohibit the payment of fringe benefits using FWS wages. However, by Illinois state law, students are permitted to accrue paid sick time and leave time. These are paid from a central account and your department is not charged.
If a student earns overtime, your department is automatically charged for the amount.
See more information about Fringe benefit policies on the Student Employment website Timekeeping webpage. If you or your student have questions, please contact askHR@northwestern.edu.
Taxes and Annual Income Statements
Work-study earnings are taxable by both the state and federal governments however, Social Security and Medicare taxes (FICA) are withheld for students who are pursuing a course of study.
Northwestern Payroll sends W-2 forms to students at the end of January. Students should contact t askHR@northwestern.edu if no W-2 is received by February 15th.