Federal Work Study Home

Financial Aid Home

(You may want to print this information for future reference)

Home | Types | Finding Job | Dates | Pay Rate | Employment Policies | Work Hours | Pay Periods
Payday | Rights and Responsibilities | Breaks | Benefits | Merit Raises | Earnings Monitoring

Types of Work Available

There are many different types of work including: lifeguard, clerical assistant, library assistant, tutor, counselor, research assistant, lab assistant, child care worker, community services officer, journalist, recreation specialist, etc.

How to Find a FWS Job

1. Locate a position
   On the Web - you may review available job openings on the internet.
   
   Job Posting Boards
• Employment Opportunities Board located outside the Office of Financial Aid, UH-146
• Associated Students Human Resources Office located in the Titan Student Union Room 227.
  


2.  Contact the prospective employer to arrange an interview. Take your  TITAN online award summary with you.

Important Employment Dates

• If you accept your Federal Work-Study as part of your financial aid award for Fall, you must find a job and begin working by the end of September.
  
  If you do not plan to attend Cal State Fullerton for the Fall semester, please advise us of your plans in writing.
  
  
• If you intend to enroll for Spring only, you must begin employment by the end of February.
  
  
• Federal Work-Study positions expire at the end of the Spring semester; however, if you apply for financial aid for the following year and establish financial need, employment may continue throughout the summer.

*If you do not activate your award by securing employment by the appropriate date, your Federal Work-Study award will be cancelled.

Pay Rates

Current pay rates range from $8.00 to $16.12 per hour. The rate of pay is based on the skills required and the degree of responsibility involved in the position.

Federal Work-Study Conditions of Employment

• You must be enrolled at Cal State Fullerton at least half-time (6 units);
• Be a U. S. citizen or permanent resident;
• Have a social security number; and
• Be making satisfactory academic progress and sign the California Oath of Allegiance.

Financial Aid Requirements

• You must be enrolled in at least 6 units (half-time) during any semester in which you are employed.
• For continued participation in the FWS program, you must meet the standards for Satisfactory Academic Progress.
• If you lose your financial aid eligibility for any reason, you also lose your eligibility for FWS and you must stop working immediately.

EMPLOYMENT POLICIES

Job Placement

Once an employer has agreed to hire you, you must complete the FWS employment authorization process before you may begin working. You must show your employer acceptable identification (Social Security Card and Driver's License or other photo I.D.) and, if you are a non-citizen, DHS documentation to show that you are permitted to work in the U. S.

Your employer will submit all necessary paperwork for you to begin working.

Summer Employment

You may begin to earn a portion (20%) of your academic year award during July/August, if:

• You have already received an award letter which includes a Federal Work-Study award,
• You have made Satisfactory Academic Progress during the preceding year, and
• You will be enrolled at least half-time (6 or more units) during the Fall semester.

Maximum Hours per Week

You may work a maximum of 20 hours per week during the school year (September - May) and up to 40 hours per week during semester break in January, Spring break in April, Fall break in November, and Summer.

Pay Periods

Pay periods are based on the calendar month. At the end of the month, sign and submit your time sheet to your FWS supervisor for payment on the 15th of the following month. Your employer will complete and submit an Attendance Report to Payroll Services. If your Attendance Report is submitted late, you will still be paid, but the payment may be delayed.

Pay Checks

The Attendance Clerk at your place of employment distributes pay checks. Pay day is the 15th of each month. If the 15th falls on a weekend, you will be paid the following Monday.

You will be paid only for the hours you have worked and reported on your time sheet for the previous month. A small amount for federal and state income tax may be withheld.

Rights and Responsibilities

Breaks

You are entitled to one 15-minute break within four consecutive hours worked. When working a full eight-hour day, you may take two 15-minute breaks with pay and a minimum of one 30-minute lunch break without pay. Paid breaks may not be taken at the beginning or end of the work period and are not cumulative.

Employee Benefits

You are covered during your usual work hours by Worker's Compensation insurance against job-related illness or injury. FWS students are not entitled to other employment benefits such as overtime pay, paid holidays, vacation or sick leave, unemployment insurance or permanent status.

Merit Increases and Changes in Pay Rate

You may be considered for a merit increase, at any time, but ONLY AFTER a satisfactory performance evaluation has been completed with one employer. You are eligible for a performance evalutation at any time; however, typically, merit increases are considered when you are re-appointed at the begining of each semester, summer session, or academic year.

Should funding be available, your employing department may request a merit salary increase based on your "satisfactory" demonstration performance.

If your level of responsibility of complexity of duties has increased, your department may make a request to reclassify the position. If approved, the appropriate salary increase will be authorized.

All merit salary increase requests and reclassification requests must be submitted through the Office of Financial Aid.

Employment Expectations

You are entitled to be informed by your FWS supervisor of your expected work schedule and duties. You are expected to conduct yourself in a professional manner. An employer may terminate your FWS employment if:

• Your work schedule is not compatible with the employers' needs;
• You display unprofessional conduct such as repeated absences or tardiness;
• You do not maintain confidentially of records; or
• You work is unsatisfactory.

Monitoring Your Earnings

You are responsible for monitoring your FWS wages and notifying your FWS supervisor when you are close to reaching your FWS allocation (maximum earnings). You may not earn more than your FWS award amount as indicated in TITAN Online. If your FWS award is revised, you must notify your FWS supervisor immediately.

You are responsible for reporting your time accurately and for signing and submitting your time sheet on time each month to your supervisor.

Home | Types | Finding Job | Dates | Pay Rate | Employment Policies | Work Hours | Pay Periods
Payday | Rights and Responsibilities | Breaks | Benefits | Merit Raises | Earnings Monitoring

This page is maintained by the Cal State Fullerton department of Financial Aid. Report problems to fa@fullerton.edu

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