1

Federal Work-Study

NCASFAA 2008 Fall Conference

Winston-SalemPresented by

Emily Bliss and Kathy Fritz

2

Purpose of Session

Provide background on the FWS program

Provide regulatory information Share FWS experiences from UNCW Encourage discussions and questions in

ways to improve FWS programs at our school and yours

3

How it Begins

Funding from the Federal Government based on successful completion of FISAP

25% match from State, Institution or Outside entity

Work with departments and agencies to provide a worthwhile experience for both students and worksite

4

Program Participation Requirements for FWS

FWS must be reasonably available to all eligible students based on funding

Award FWS that will complement and reinforce each recipient’s educational or career goals

FWS may be used to support programs for supportive services to students with disabilities

Inform all eligible students of community service opportunities

5

Student Eligibility

Must meet all Title IV eligibility requirements• SAP

• Need

• Can be undergraduate or graduate

• Teacher Certification students may receive FWS

• Student may be less than full time—actually schools are required to offer a portion to LTFT

6

Determining Who to Award

Must have need Did student request FWS on the FAFSA Start a waitlist if you over award the total

fund based on anticipated no shows

7

Student is Awarded—Now what do you do?

How long should you allow for an acceptance?

How long should you allow for students to find a job?

How do you advertise for jobs? Are other offices on your campus involved

in the process?• Career Services

• HR

8

Types of jobs

When possible, jobs should be in academic departments that pertain to student’s course of study.

Cannot replace a full time position Must have a job description Remember to include privacy statement Pay must be reasonable in relation to work

• Students must be paid at least the minimum wage

9

Time to Pay

Students must get paid at least once a month Pay can be either electronically to bank

account or by check Who checks time sheets to make sure

students have not worked over their allocation Someone needs to make sure departments are

paying out of the correct fund No office can both authorize FWS payments

and disburse FWS funds to students

10

Community Service Visit organizations and schools to see if they

are interested in hiring students. Ex. Schools, conservation organizations, community action groups

Draw up a contract for community service organizations and school to sign

Work out a training schedule Be prepared to have students complete a

background check• Background checks are not mandated by the Federal

Government but may be by the organization

11

Community Service

Schools are required to spend at least 7% of their allocation on community service jobs

At least one student receiving FWS must work in a family literacy project providing service to preschool or elementary children or

As a reading tutor to preschool or elementary students

12

Community Service

You may have to pay a higher salary to cover travel costs

America Reads and America Counts do not require a 25% match

The school can pay the 25% match for community service organizations• UNCW bills the organization

You must have at least one student in a literacy program

13

Federal Match

If students are employed at a private for-profit agency, then 50% of wages must be paid by that agency.

Waivers for matches are available for special circumstances. Contact the Department of Ed.

14

Contacting Schools

It is a good idea to visit schools where students are working in the AC/AR program at least once each semester

Introduce yourself to the staff. Ask if they have concerns or questions

15

2009-2010

You can now transfer funds from FSEOG to FWS and you can transfer funds from FWS to Perkins

Found in the new HEOA of 2008 Schools have always been able to move

25% of funds to FSEOG

16

Overawards

Keep close track Call departments in which the student is working

regarding eligibility limits. Departments must pay 100% of wages forward

$300 over award tolerance can be left in the package Be sure to count hours worked but not yet recorded

for the month in which the student is working

17

Summer Work Study

It can be a good source of labor to help with answering telephone during the busy summer months

Can be awarded to students not enrolled in summer school, if they are planning on returning or entering school for the first time in the fall

Must come out of fall aid package, however you can add funds to their fall budget to cover expenses over the summer

18

FISAP

Keep good records in order to complete the FISAP

AR/AC must be tracked separately Community Service must be tracked

separately You can count the State’s or your

Institutional funds match toward the 25% match

19

FISAP

If you have a JLD program or are thinking of beginning one, look at the FISAP first.

You must record total expenditures Institutional expenditures Number of students for whom jobs were

located or developed Total earnings of students mentioned above

20

FISAP

It is not essential to spend exact FWS allocation in one year

10% of the federal allocation can be moved either forward or back or you can do both if you have not spent enough

An additional 10% can be moved to cover summer salaries as long as the student is employed after May 1

21

Administrative Cost Allowance

5% of expenditures Used to help offset administrative costs The ACA does not have to be charged to

the FWS program. It may be taken from Perkins or FSEOG

22

Advertising FWS

Mention it during orientation Tell parents students can work and study Have counselors suggest it to students

who did not check it on the FAFSA Tie it to an institutional grant program Advertise in your school newspaper

23

Job Locator Development

A position can be created, usually in Career Services

Funds to pay position must come out of FWS, either 10% or $50,000 which ever is less.

Most schools I know of do not have such a position

The employee in this position must find jobs for FWS as well as non-FWS in the community

See FAS Handbook for details

24

Limitations

Students cannot be employed to perform political activities

Students cannot perform work that benefits the school at a proprietary school such as cleaning, purchasing, public relations

If students work at a parochial school it must be classified as a private, nonprofit school and students may not tutor on religious matter

25

References

FSA Handbook Volume 6, Chapter 2 34 CFR 675