Payroll and Timekeeping Policies

Timekeeping

Timekeeping functions and policies are administered by Human Resources and Payroll. Below is some additional guidance and clarification for students earning Federal Work-Study wages. Additional Timekeeping policies are outlined on the Student Employment website. 

Schedule

• To be compliant with the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) and to prioritize student's academic commitments and total well-being, we recommend that students paid FWS wages work no more than 20 hours per week during the academic year (fall, winter, and spring quarters). Students may work during academic breaks (winter recess and spring break).
• Most students work between 6-10 hours per week on average based on job requirements and academic responsibilities. 
• In general, FWS is not available during the summer months. Please contact us if you have questions.

Notify your employer regarding your quarterly class schedule and availability. Students may NOT work during scheduled class or lab time. Communicate with your employer regarding your finals week schedule or ask for excused time off in advance. 

If you need to miss a shift or cut back on hours, talk to your supervisor to establish a new schedule or receive approved time off. Make sure to balance your academic load. Your academics and well-being should be priority.

Recording Time Worked

Time entered in Workforce Timekeeping System should be accurate and reflect the actual hours worked on each date of the pay period. If you need to record time for a historical pay period, contact your employer as soon as possible. 

On-Campus Student Employees

To ensure students receive their wages on time, students should enter and approve their hours in Workforce Timekeeping System by the date listed on Payroll's Bi-Weekly Cut-off and Pay Date schedule, unless an earlier date or time has been assigned by the supervisor.

• If your department uses a time clock, swipe in and out of each shift with your WildCARD. If edits are required, notify your supervisor as soon as possible before the deadline listed on the Payroll Bi-Weekly Cut-off and Pay Date schedule.

Off-Campus Student Employees

In addition to the instructions above, students who work off-campus with a designated FWS employer MUST also submit the Off-Campus Time-Card Approval Form by 5 p.m. on the second Friday of the pay period, unless otherwise noted or as communicated by the Work-Study Office. 

Timesheet Falsification

Falsification of a timesheet is a serious offense. In addition to immediate termination from your position as noted in the Termination & Workplace Issues information on the Student Employment website, consequences also include:

• Immediate removal from the Federal Work-Study Program;
• Unearned FWS wages will be canceled from your financial aid and will not be replaced with any federal or institutional need-based financial aid assistance;
• The matter will be referred to the Dean of Students for appropriate disciplinary action.

Before being allowed to return to the Federal Work-Study Program, a written petition requesting permission to return must be submitted to your Financial Aid Office. If approval is granted, your current employer is not required to re-hire you.

Track Hours and Wages

Monitor your FWS earnings (CAESAR > Financial Aid > Work-Study Earnings by Date) after each pay date, if not weekly. You are responsible to monitor, track, and notify your supervisor regarding your FWS earnings progress. The Work-Study Program will notify you when you are approaching your earnings limit. Once you have exhausted your earnings limit, we will update your funding to regular student temp wages paid entirely from department reserves and we will notify you and your supervisor. Your employer will let you know if their budget allows for your continued employment under this accounting arrangement. Speak with your employer for further information.

Exceptions:

Sick wages and paid leave time are not included in your tracked FWS earnings but are paid from a separate university account. Likewise, overtime hours are paid at time and a half strictly from your employer's department budget. Additionally, if your employer does not approve your timecard, wages for the corresponding pay period are not tracked towards your FWS earnings limit. 

If you have questions about which employers are paying you with FWS wages, please contact us. 

Hours Calculator

Determine the maximum hours you may work each week based on the FWS amount listed in CAESAR and your hourly wage rate. Keep in mind, you may only early FWS wages during the normal academic year which includes the winter recess and spring break. FWS is not available in the summer months.

If you have multiple jobs, it is your responsibility to inform your supervisors. Not, the calculator tool is designed to calculate one job at a time.  

The basic formula behind these figures is:

(Work-Study Allotment ÷ Total Work Weeks) ÷ Hourly Wage = Hours per Week