Dear Potential Work Study Student Employee:

Please make sure that you have been awarded Work Study in your financial aid package before you download any hiring forms.  To check to see if you have Work Study, you can log onto your my.newpaltz account by selecting, "My.Money," then select "My.Financial Aid."  If you have not been awarded Work Study in your financial aid package, you are not permitted to find a Work Study job.  Instead, you can check out Temp. Service and/or Off-Campus job opportunities if you have not been awarded Work Study.

A Work Study award is not a guarantee of a job. Work Study allows a student the potential to earn a specified sum of money by turning in biweekly time sheets for the hours that you have worked.

If you are a previously employed Work Study student (who has been awarded Work Study for the upcoming year) and already have your job lined up for the upcoming year, just fill out your clearance form (available at the Financial Aid Office) and bring it to your Work Study supervisor for approval.  Once signed by your supervisor, return it to the Office of Financial aid (HAB 607A).

If you are a first-time Work Study participant, all of the hiring departments and their campus addresses are listed under the "Departments That Participate in the Program and Their Abbreviated Job Description" link. You can either take your FWS clearance form, I-9, federal and state withholding forms, and a completed interview form and go directly to the department that interests you and inquire about employment opportunities or come to the annual Work Study Job Fair that is held every year at the beginning of the fall semester.  If you are hired, simply return the FWS clearance form and I-9 to the Financial Aid Office (HAB 603) or at the Work Study Coordinator's table at the Work Study Job Fair.  Your federal and state withholding forms go to Payroll (HAB 301).

Remember, Work Study students who have participated in Work Study in the past only need to resubmit a completed Work Study clearance form.  Have your supervisor fill it out with you and keep the (one for you and one for the supervisor). Then return the original to the Office of Financial Aid. It's that easy! Also, your federal and state withholding forms should be good unless you need to change something. However, students that claim EXEMPT on their tax forms must complete new ones every January 1st with the Payroll Office (HAB 301).

All of the paperwork needed for you to get hired and put on the SUNY New Paltz Work Study payroll is located below.  To view a quick description of the listed hiring forms, please select the "Quick Reference Guide To The Work Study Hiring Forms" link below.

  Quick Reference Guide To The Work Study Hiring Forms*

• Work Study Clearance Form - Mailed to student prior to fall term or available after after first day of fall classes in the Financial Aid Office.
• I9 Form * (please read these instructions first)
• NYS IT-2104*
• NYS IT-2104E*
• Federal W-4*
• Departments That Participate in the Program and their Abbreviated Job Description *
• General Hiring Instructions For Students *
• Work Study Handbook For Student Employees and Supervisors *
• Work Study Payroll Schedule *
• Student Employee Interview Form *
• FWS Allowable Work Hours Chart *
• Community Service Job Opportunities *
• 2007-2008 Work Study Remaining Balance Form *
• Work Study Supervisor Evaluation of Student Employee *
• Work Study Student Employee Evaluation of Supervisor *

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WHAT IS THE FEDERAL WORK-STUDY PROGRAM?

Federal Work-Study (FWS) is a federally funded financial aid employment program. To be eligible you must be full-time, matriculated, enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program, and have been awarded Work Study by the Office of Financial Aid. Eligibility is based on need as determined by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the availability of funds at the time of your application. Work-Study funds are limited and are awarded to the extent that funding permits.

Students are awarded Work-Study funds, which must be earned through part-time employment, as part of their financial aid package and are notified of their allocation through an award letter from the Financial Aid Office.  The minimum hourly wage for a Work Study student is $7.15. Students who work for one of our off-campus, Community Service Learning sites are paid $8 per hour.  Work Study may not be used to defer college charges.

An effort is made to place students in positions that will utilize their skills and interests while they earn funds to assist with their personal expenses. The college also offers a limited number of off campus positions with local non-profit agencies as part of our Community Service Learning Program. These positions are designed to give the FWS student a broader work experience while at the same time improving the quality of life for community residents. A list of CSL jobs can be obtained by downloading it from the Web site.

WHAT HAPPENS AFTER A STUDENT IS AWARDED FWS?

After you have been awarded Federal Work-Study you should proceed as follows:

1. Complete the student sections of the Work Study hiring paperwork (clearance form, I9, interview form, federal & state withholding forms).
   
   
2. Next you can either come to the Work Study Job Fair that is held annually at the beginning of the fall semester or look for departments that are displayed on the participating departments list that interest you and go directly to that department at the beginning of the semester to inquire about employment.
   
   
3. Once you are hired, make sure that you have completed the student section of the clearance form, I-9 form, and federal and state withholding forms.  Your supervisor will complete the employer section of the clearance form and the I-9 form.  You will need to present identification to have the I-9 completed. If you have an Alien Registration Card or U.S. Passport that is all you will need to complete the I-9. Otherwise, you will need to present a photo ID and either a Social Security Card or Birth Certificate. See back of I-9 for complete list of acceptable documents. Once the I-9 is completed it is valid for three years.
   
   
4. After the clearance form has been completed, you must return a copy to the Student Employment Coordinator's table at the Work Study Job Fair or you can drop it off to the Office of Financial Aid (HAB 607A) along with the I-9 form. These forms must be received before you start working. If they are not received you will not be put on the payroll and your time sheet will be rejected. YOU SHOULD NOT WORK UNTIL ALL NECESSARY PAPERWORK HAS BEEN COMPLETED AND SUBMITTED.
   
   
5. You must also submit your federal and state withholding forms to the Payroll Office (HAB 301).  A W-4 and IT 2104 or IT 2104E form must be completed.  The W-4 and IT 2104E form must be renewed every year if you claim 'EXEMPT'.

HOW DO I GET PAID?

1. To be paid, FWS students must make sure all necessary paperwork (clearance form, I-9, W-4, IT2104 or IT2104E) has been completed and is on file in the appropriate office.
   
   
2. Make sure supervisors record work hours daily and sign time sheets at the end of the payroll period.
   
   
3. The department employing you is responsible for providing time sheets, seeing that they are filled out correctly, verifying the accuracy of the hours reported, and delivering the time sheets to the Payroll office. In the event that a time sheet is rejected it must be corrected and resubmitted to Payroll. A rejection will result in a two-week delay of the next paycheck.

Paychecks are available every other Thursday in the Telecommunications Office (HAB 35). The first paycheck will be available three weeks after the first time sheet is submitted, so allow for a 4-5 week delay from the time that you begin working until you receive the first paycheck.

Time sheets must be submitted as per payroll schedules. Students and departments can download a schedule of pay periods by selecting the above link entitled "Payroll Schedule."

You must have identification to pick up paychecks.

Paychecks should be picked up promptly, as they are only valid for sixty days. Checks that are not picked up and cashed within sixty days will have to be reissued.

Paychecks that arrive after the semester ends will be mailed to you if you have provided the Telecommunications Office (HAB 40) with a self-addressed, stamped envelope. If no envelope is provided the check will remain in Telecommunications for sixty days.

HOW AND WHEN CAN I CHANGE JOBS?

Students are allowed to change jobs, but they must do so at the end of a payroll period. A new clearance form is always needed when changing jobs. Stop by the Financial Aid Office for a new clearance form when changing jobs.

HOW MUCH MONEY CAN I EARN?

A student's financial aid award letter will tell him or her how much Work Study he or she can potentially earn. Also, the allocation listed on the Work Study clearance form is the amount the student may earn over the course of the academic year.

Work Study allocations must be earned during the period in which they are awarded. Money not earned by the end of the academic year is forfeited. Students are responsible for monitoring their earnings. Students can get a current balance by checking with their supervisor or by e-mailing Financial Aid.  Students must stop working when their allocation is exhausted. Students' allocations and authorization to work periods are subject to change at any time due to possible funding shortfalls, etc.

HOW MANY HOURS CAN I WORK?

Students may work up to 20 hours per week while school is in session and 35 hours per week when school is not in session (the more hours a student works in a week, the faster it will reduce their overall Work Study allocation).   Also, students cannot work more than six hours at a time without a half hour break.

WHAT ABOUT WORK STUDY IN THE SUMMER?

Summer FWS awards are separate from academic year awards. Students interested in summer FWS must submit an application to the Financial Aid Office before June 15th of the particular summer. A Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) must also be on file for the upcoming academic year and all requested documents must have been submitted to the Financial Aid Office.

WHAT ELSE DO I NEED TO KNOW?

• A FWS student may only work one job during any given payroll period.

• Students must stop working by the last day of the fall semester if they will not be returning to school for the spring semester.
  
  
• Students returning to the same job for the spring semester will not need a new clearance form because the fall clearance will automatically renew itself for the spring semester.
  
  
• A new clearance form is always needed at the beginning of the summer session or when changing jobs.
  
  
• The last day to work for the spring semester is Commencement.
  
  
• Students are required to call their employer if they cannot work as scheduled. Failure to do so can result in termination. Failure to carry out job responsibilities as assigned can also result in termination.
  
  
• Students found to have falsified information on a time sheet are subject to disciplinary action by the college and loss of eligibility for the Federal Work-Study Program for a period of time.
  
  
• Students who claim "EXEMPT" on the W-4 & IT 2104E forms must complete new ones at the beginning of each new calendar year (January 1).
  
  
• Students should be aware of confidentiality issues, responsibilities, policies, and procedures when working in an office. If a student will be working in a department that allows him or her to have access to confidential information, it is the student's responsibility to check with their supervisor first before disclosing any personal information to another party. In other words, "When in doubt, don't give the information out!" Also, disciplinary action may be taken against a student if confidentiality is broken.

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