Financial Aid Office Work-Study Handbook
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Table of Contents TABLE OF CONTENTS ................................................................................... 1 MISSION STATEMENT ................................................................................. 2 VISION STATEMENT .................................................................................... 2 INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................... 3 WHAT IS WORK-STUDY? ............................................................................. 4 ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES .......................................................... 5 WORK-STUDY EMPLOYMENT PROCESS ........................................................ 6 Eligibility .................................................................................................... 6 Hiring Process ............................................................................................. 7 Transferring to Another Position .................................................................... 9 RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES .............................................................. 10 Students .................................................................................................. 10 TSC Policies and Procedures Dress Code. ..................................................... 11 Supervisor ................................................................................................ 12 WORK-STUDY AWARDS ............................................................................. 13 PAY RATE AND AWARDS ........................................................................... 13 TIMECLOCK PLUS AND PAYROLL ............................................................... 14 ATTENDANCE POLICIES ............................................................................ 15 GENERAL ATTENDANCE ............................................................................. 15 EVALUATIONS AND TERMINATIONS ......................................................... 16 Evaluations............................................................................................... 16 Terminations ............................................................................................ 16 REQUESTING A WORK-STUDY ................................................................... 17 CONTACT INFORMATION........................................................................... 17
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Mission Statement The mission of the Financial Aid Office at Texas Southmost College is to assist students in obtaining on-campus employment experience during their education at our institution. Work-Study is a beneficial program that allows students to gain valuable skills, experiences, and networking opportunities to prepare for the job market after graduation. This program will help you reduce your need for student loans, leave you with less debt, and let you explore careers.
Vision Statement Our vision is to provide exceptional customer services to students and their families by embracing emerging technologies and eliminating financial barriers to higher education by providing federal, state, institutional, and other sources of financial aid.
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Introduction The work-study program is another type of financial aid for undergraduate college students, which provides part-time employment to assist with their educational costs. Unlike other employment, employers understand that the student’s education comes first. They ensure that their job duties and class schedule do not interfere with school performance. Work-study jobs are either: • On campus in various college departments • Off-campus in non-profit, governmental, or other community-based organizations TSC pays work-study and student-employees bi-weekly and at least the federal hourly minimum wage. All students considered for employment under the college work-study program are given an equal opportunity without discrimination based on race, religion, color, natural origin, gender, age, or handicap. TSC participates in two work-study programs: • Federal Work-Study (FWS) Program, funded under the authority of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (as amended under Title IV, Part C; 42 U.S.C. 2751-2756b) and administered by the U.S. Department of Education, and the • Texas College Work-Study Program is funded by the State of Texas and administered by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB).
This handbook is designed to provide students and supervisors with the policies and procedures of TSC CWS program and to help answer commonly asked questions. Students and supervisors are responsible for reading the handbook and being familiar with its policies and procedures. If a student has questions or concerns regarding the guidelines, assigned position, or a conflict in the workplace, the student should first discuss the matter with the supervisor. If the student needs further clarification or feels that a conflict still exists, an appointment should be made with a Financial Aid Specialist. Although this information is current at the time of publication, future changes in policies may be necessary. When such changes occur, all active student WS employees and their supervisors will be notified.
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What is Work-Study? Work-Study provides part-time jobs for undergraduate and graduate students with financial aid needs, allowing them to earn money to help pay education expenses. The program encourages community service work and allows students to work in their field of study. Work-study earnings are to be paid directly to the student.
Federal Work-Study The Federal Work-Study Program is funded under the authority of the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 and subsequent amendments. This program is jointly funded by the federal government under Title IV-C and by Texas Southmost College. This award may be granted to students who are residents or non-residents of the State of Texas. However, it will depend on the funding source.
Texas Work-Study The Texas Work-Study Program also funds jobs for eligible students. This program differs from the federal program in that it is restricted to residents of the state of Texas. All students considered for employment under either Work-Study Program are given an equal opportunity without discrimination based on race, religion, color, natural origin, sex, age, or handicap. The Work-Study Program is not intended to interfere with the student’s education. Both the student and employment department benefit from the program. The student will get paid every two weeks based on an hourly pay rate.
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Advantages and Disadvantages Advantages • • • • • •
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Gain work experience; Possibility of full-time position after receiving associate degree; Employing departments work around student’s class schedules; Opportunity to develop friendships with other student-employees during college years; Transportation cost savings (students are already on campus). Work-study creates an atmosphere to practice communication, interpersonal skills, time management, and other workplace techniques within the student’s job. Employment through Work-Study enhances your education and adds a new perspective to your studies. You will see things from another point of view, which will help to develop your analytical and critical thinking skills. Your Work-Study supervisor may become an excellent reference. Your WS job adds a new dimension to your career planning and distinguishes your background from other job seekers.
Disadvantages
• Pay rate is at least the federal minimum wage; • May only work a maximum of 15 hours per week (Hours depend on approved referral).
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Work-Study Employment Process Eligibility The TSC Financial Aid Office will consider students for work-study who: • Submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Students must submit a FAFSA for each academic year in which they want to participate in the work-study program. • Be U.S. Citizens or Permanent Residents. • Have financial need, as defined by work-study program regulations. • Meet Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) requirements. o Maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 o Maintain a cumulative completion rate of 67% of the attempted courses. o Timeframe to Complete Academic Program: The maximum attempted hours are 150% of the credits required to complete the student’s program of study. • Are registered at least half-time: • 6 Credit Hours in the fall and spring semesters, and • 1 Credit Hour each summer session Effective 5/1/22, A student can be employed in an FWS job during a period of nonattendance, such as a summer term, including a summer term before the student begins attendance in a program for the first time. Such students must be planning to attend school during the next period of enrollment and must have a financial need for that period—his/her current FWS earnings must be used to cover expenses for it and will count as estimated financial assistance. See Volume 6, Chapter 2 for more information (subject to change). • State Work-Study Applicants must be Texas residents to qualify for the state (Texas) Work-Study Program. Not all students who qualify for work-study will secure employment: • There are limited funds for work-study programs. • There are limited jobs available. • The Financial Aid Office cannot over-award students. At any time, workstudy awards may be reduced or canceled for some students to adjust unmet need against other types of financial aid, such as scholarships, state grants, student loans, and/or sponsorships.
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Hiring Process Hiring a work-study student-employee is a process involving the student, departmental supervisor, Financial Aid Office, and Human Resources: 1. Students need to stop by the Strategic Enrollment Service Office to find out if he/she is eligible. 2. Students will review the work-study vacancies posted online under the Financial Aid website or on the Bulletin Board outside the Testing Office. 3. The CWS Application is available at: o www.tsc.edu/financialaid, Types of Aid, Work-study, and WorkStudy Opportunities o Scanned QR provided at the Welcome Center at Oliveira Student Services Center o Scanned QR available on the Bulletin Board Outside the Testing Office. 4. Complete the CWS Application o Students must add at least three references. Failure to submit references may result in an incomplete application o Students must upload a Resume. The resume should be in PDF or a Word Document. Pictures are not acceptable. 5. Financial Aid will receive the Work-study application and will verify eligibility. 6. Applications will be added to the pool of applications for supervisors to review. 7. The hiring department schedules interviews with selected candidates by following the “College Work-Study Procedure – TSC Employment Process”. 8. The supervisor conducts professional interviews with each candidate in which they: • Question the student about his/her experience, strengths, and abilities. • Allow the student ample time to respond and clarify their answers. • Thank the student for their interest and time. • Conclude the interview. • Supervisor calls the references listed on the resume. 9. The hiring department submits a packet to the Financial Aid Office. This packet includes: • CWS Employment application with resume • Interview Questions • Interview Check Sheets • Reference Rating Sheets • Confidentiality Agreement(s)
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Page | 8 • Criminal Background Check Authorization Form 10.The Financial Aid Office will award the student in Colleague and will create the “College Work-Study Referral Form”. The referral form specifies the number of hours and maximum total pay for which the student is qualified per semester. 11.Financial Aid forwards the complete packet to the Office of Human Resources. 12.The Office of Human Resources conducts a Criminal Background Check (CBC). Once the CBC has cleared, the Office of Human Resources signs the “Referral Form” and returns it to the Financial Aid Office. 13.Human Resources will notify the student that he/she has been selected for the Work-Study position and will set up an appointment with the student to complete additional employment forms. o The student should bring the following documents: i. Driver's License, State ID, US Passport, or Permanent Resident Card ii. Official Social Security Card iii. Void Check from the student’s bank for direct deposit 14.The Office of Human Resources onboards and will provide the “Authority to Report to Work” Form to the student. The student will need to submit the form to his/her hiring department on the first day of employment. 15.Financial aid will provide the supervisor with additional forms to review with the students. Supervisor must: • Review all documents. • Agree to terms in the contract. • Sign all documents. 16.The supervisor returns all the original signed documents to the Financial Aid Office.
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Transferring to Another Position Work-study student employees may transfer to another work-study position but they have to start the entire process again. Please refer to Hiring Process section. Students may transfer from one work-study position to another or any TSC parttime position. They must: • •
Transfer at the end of a payroll period. Payroll calendar is available at Payroll Calendar - TSC The supervisor must submit a CWS Termination Form to the Financial Aid Office before the student gets transferred.
Students can hold one position at TSC at a time, including nonwork-study positions.
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Rights and Responsibilities Students •
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May inquire about the award amount, rate of pay, and the number of weekly work hours stated on your “College Work-Study Referral Form”. You have a right to this information. Find a suitable job by getting a clear description of the assignment and the supervisor’s expectations. Follow the proper hiring procedures. Review the “Hiring Process” section. Clock in and out using TimeClock Plus. Approve your hours in TImeClock Plus daily. Can clock in and out in TimeClock Plus from a computer in the working area. Clocking in/out from a different device may result in a corrective action. Under no circumstances should the student work more than the approved hours stated on the “College Work-Study Job Referral Form”. Do not work extra hours voluntarily. Put your school before your job. Punctuality – All students are expected to arrive on time and be prepared for work. Perform assigned tasks in an efficient and timely manner. Not work during scheduled class time. Adhere to all ethical and privacy rules required by the college and your employing department. Ask your supervisor for clarification if necessary. Notify your supervisor immediately when illness or other circumstances keep you from coming to work. Ask your supervisor ahead of time how to best notify them. Do not abuse rest and coffee breaks. This privilege is up to the discretion of your supervisor and HR policies. Do not share any user names, passwords, or security questions with anyone. Cell phone usage is not permitted during working hours. Headphones or air pods are not permitted during working hours. Discuss any work-related problems with your supervisor. If the problem cannot be resolved, the student should contact the Human Resources Office. Student must be enrolled at least 6 credit hours for the entire semester. Dropping below half-time enrollment or 6 credit hours makes a student ineligible for the work-study program. Should this occur, the student will be terminated from the program.
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Follow the correct procedures for changing work-study jobs and resigning. See the “Transferring to Another Position” and “Terminating Employment” sections of the handbook. It is extremely important to adhere to all ethical and privacy rules required by this institution and the hiring department. Students are not authorized to request or release any confidential information unless authorized by their supervisor. If in doubt at any time, ask for clarification from your supervisor. Students must follow the TSC Policies and Procedures Dress Code.
A work atmosphere should exist for students. Students under the Work-Study Program are not receiving grants or gift aid by participating in the program. They are expected to work and earn their work-study awards. If you don’t work, you don’t receive the funds that were awarded to you.
TSC Policies and Procedures Dress Code. “An employee’s appearance and hygiene is a reflection of TSC’s character. Employees are expected to dress appropriately for their work responsibilities and positions. Generally, TSC encourages all employees to dress in a “business casual” fashion. Fridays are “denim days” and appropriate jeans are allowed when worn with a TSC-sanctioned t-shirt or school colors”.
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Supervisor •
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Ensure that a full-time employee of your department supervises all student employees. At no time, should one part-time employee supervise another student employee. Follow all the proper procedures for requesting a work-study student employee. See the “Requesting a Work-Study student employee” section of the handbook. Define and communicate to the student, before they accept the position: o Work schedule and hours (work with the student’s class schedule) o Pay rate o Job expectations o Nature of the work o Policies and procedures o Expected duration of employment Ensure that all student employees read and sign their Work-Study Job Description. Train the student employee on all assigned duties and tasks. Provide a work schedule to each of your students. Students are not allowed to create their schedules. Ensure that students are not working during class time. In general, students are not permitted to work in work-study positions during scheduled class times. Exceptions are permitted if an individual class is canceled or if the instructor has excused the student from attending for a particular day. Any such exceptions must be documented. Track the student employee’s balance of hours each pay period. Verify and approve the hours daily on the student employee’s TimeClock Plus. Follow Payroll Calendar(Part-Time Employees) available at http://www.tsc.edu/index.php/human-resources/benefits-and-compensation/payroll-calendar.html. Keep separate files for each student employee’s records, such as Referrals, class schedules, and any documentation submitted by the student. Ensure that the student employee complies with all rules and regulations listed in the “College Work-Study Program Handbook.” Evaluate the student employee at the end of each semester. See “Evaluations”.
Mentor our Work-Study students! The role of the supervisor is that of a teacher who trains, motivates, communicates, guides and evaluates the student employee.
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Work-Study Awards The award of your Work-study will be determined by the student’s financial need, budget, and Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) information. Financial need is defined as the difference between the total cost of attendance and the expected family contribution (EFC), determined by the FAFSA, and other current financial aid awards.
Pay Rate and Awards The Work-Study pay rate is $11.00 per hour, and students may not work more than the hours approved per week. The hours approved will be provided on their College Work-Study Referral Form. There are several reasons why a student's work-study award may decrease. This could be due to an increase in financial aid from another source, changes in enrollment during the award period, or specific circumstances. It's important to note that the total amount of financial aid awarded to a student cannot exceed their financial need. Therefore, a student cannot receive more financial aid than what they are eligible for. Work-Study earnings are not disbursed to the student’s account and will not reduce the student’s tuition. Instead, wages earned through the work-study program will be issued in the form of a paycheck after employment begins and following TSC’s payroll calendar.
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TimeClock Plus and Payroll TSC pays work-study and student employees every two weeks, according to TSC Payroll Calendar (Part-Time Employees) Schedule B. All work-study student employees must approve their hours in TimeClock Plus before 10 a.m. on the due date as noted on the payroll schedule: 1. Students must clock in and out using Time Clock Plus from a computer in their designated working area. Clocking in/out from a different device may result in a corrective action. 2. Students must approve their hours for every day of work during the job’s payment cycle. 3. The supervisor reviews hours worked, comparing to the student’s work schedule. 4. Both, the student and supervisor approve hours worked daily. 5. All work studies will be paid as follows: a. The first check is a paper check. Checks will be available at the Cashier’s Office in the Oliveira Student Services Center. b. Students will be getting paid direct deposit after the second pay period if the student provided bank information and completed the “Direct Deposit Authorization Form” in Human Resources. c. If the student doesn’t have a direct deposit, a paper check will continue to be processed and sent to the Cashier’s Office. It is the supervisor’s responsibility to review all worked hours in TimeClock Plus for accuracy before they are approved. Both the student and supervisor should keep a current balance of the student’s approved hours. If the hours are not approved by the deadline, the FWS student may not receive payment until the following payroll date. If TimeClock Plus is unavailable or the supervisor does not have access to his/her work-study file, the supervisor should send an email to payroll. Payroll will guide and provide instructions. The time card schedule and Timesheet template can be found at: http://www.tsc.edu/index.php/human-resources/benefits-and-compensation/payroll-calendar.html Note: Falsifying/Padding of time reports is a federal offense that will result in permanent termination from the program. Each student should take time to properly clock in/out each workday to ensure that only time worked is entered.
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Attendance Policies General Attendance TSC maintains normal working hours of 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Hours may vary depending on work location and job responsibilities. Supervisors will provide employees with their work schedules. Should an employee have any questions regarding his/her work schedule, the employee should contact the supervisor. TSC does not tolerate absenteeism without excuse. Employees who will be late to or absent from work should notify a supervisor in advance, or as soon as practicable in the event of an emergency. Chronic absenteeism may result in disciplinary action. Employees who need to leave early, for illness or otherwise, should inform a supervisor before departure. Unauthorized departures may result in disciplinary action.
Tardiness Employees are expected to arrive on time and ready for work. An employee who arrives late is considered tardy. TSC recognizes that situations arise that hinder punctuality; regardless, excessive tardiness is prohibited and may be subject to disciplinary action.
Breaks Meal breaks should be at least 30 minutes in length and the employee should be completely relieved from duty. Meal breaks are unpaid and must be approved by a supervisor.
Abandonment/Involuntary Resignation An employee who is absent for more than three (3) consecutive scheduled workdays without approval and notification to their supervisor is considered to have abandoned employment. This applies to an employee during the normal course of employment as well as the scheduled return from vacation or leaves of absence.
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Evaluations and Terminations Evaluations Supervisors give student employees an evaluation (review) at the end of each semester. The supervisor: 1. Completes a “College Work-Study Employee Evaluation/Termination Notice”. 2. Evaluate the student employee’s performance. 3. Modifies the student employee’s duties, if needed. 4. Share the evaluation with the student employee, providing: • Areas of improvement • Praise for successes 5. Submit the form to the TSC Financial Aid Office by the end of each semester.
Terminations Voluntary Termination (Resignation)
A student has the right to terminate their work-study employment at any time. • The students are encouraged to give the supervisor at least one week’s written notice. • The supervisor must complete and submit a “College Work-Study Evaluation-Termination Notice” to the Financial Aid Office on the same day as termination.
Involuntary Termination for Job Performance Problems
Supervisors must follow the counseling process for student-employees with job performance problems before terminating them: 1. Verbal Warning - Privately explain to the students how they are not meeting expectations and help them develop an improvement plan. Allow a reasonable amount of time for the student to improve and provide them verbal direction during this time. 2. First and Second Written Notification- Inform the student in writing how they are failing to meet expectations if they have not improved, and give them a deadline to meet improvement goals. 3. Termination Notice – Develop a termination notice and forward it to HR for approval. Make sure to include the date when the verbal warning was given, and include a copy of the written warning and termination notice. 4. If the Termination Notice is approved by HR, you may proceed with the following steps: • Meet with the student-employee and an impartial witness to notify him/her of termination.
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Outline in detail how they have not met expectations. Avoid arguments; stay calm. Assure the student-employee that you will respect their confidentiality about the termination. 5. Mention the student’s positive attributes as an employee (if applicable). 6. Complete and submit a “College Work-Study Evaluation-Termination Notice” and all the above documents to the Financial Aid Office on the same day as termination.
Requesting a Work-Study College departments can request work-study student employees from the Financial Aid Office by: 1. Department will email the financial aid office at financialaid@tsc.edu requesting work-studies 2. Financial Aid will email the “Work-Study Job Request Form 3. The department completes the forms and follows the instructions provided on the form. 4. Financial Aid will determine the number of positions granted to each requesting department after the College Work-Study budget has been approved. 5. The Financial Aid Office will advertise vacancies 6. All work-study applications will be available for supervisors to review.
Contact Information For any questions regarding the Work-Study Program, you may contact our Financial Aid office at: Location: Telephone: Fax: Email: Webpage:
Work- Study Handbook
Oliveira Student Services Center 956-295-3600 956-295-3621 financialaid@tsc.edu www.tsc.edu/financialaid
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