The University of Wisconsin-Platteville employs students on two types of payroll: Regular Student Employment and the Federal Work-Study Program. This handbook sets forth the UW-Platteville operational policies and procedures for employment of students through these defined programs.
The purpose of student employment is to stimulate and promote the part-time employment of students who need earnings from such employment to help meet their costs of attendance. Through student employment, the university can help maximize its financial assistance to students and at the same time benefit from the services performed by those students.
Employers should remain aware that employment is an integral part of the student’s education. Properly trained student employees will in the near future become highly marketable alumni. This is the type of outreach program that carries with it lasting, beneficial economic results for the university and the community.
The Financial Aid Office has general administrative authority over student employment, determines student eligibility to work, and initiates the forms to place students on the payroll. This office also verifies state and federal compliance towards affirmative action and equal opportunity guidelines, monitors for equitable wage rates, ensures that appropriate earning conditions and restrictions are maintained, and reviews university records to ensure that students maintain proper credit loads. This office is delegated the authority to terminate employment of students in instances of program abuse.
ACADEMIC YEAR: Anyone taking six (6) credits or more per semester may work on student employment during the academic year. If a student drops below six credits they must terminate all jobs on the student employment payroll.
A student who attends the fall semester but is not returning the following spring semester must terminate student employment the last day of the fall semester.
SUMMER: Students must meet ONE of the following criteria to be eligible to work on our campus during the summer months:
NOTE: Once a student has been dismissed, graduated, or for any reason is not returning to UW-Platteville for the following regular session, they are no longer considered a UW-Platteville student and, therefore, is not eligible for student employment.
Students who do not receive financial aid from the federally funded student aid programs are eligible to work under regular (state funded) employment only, with no limitation on the amount they can earn. Regular student employment is not given on the basis of need and is, therefore, not considered a financial aid award, but as income.
Only students who apply for and are awarded Federal Work-Study can work under the Federal Work-Study Program (FWS). The amount they can earn from FWS is limited to the amount of their award. Under our payroll system, a work-study student’s work authorization will automatically be electronically cancelled once they have earned their work-study award. At that time their earnings will change to the regular payroll account. Supervisors are encouraged to make a copy of the student’s work authorization for the amount of the student’s eligibility under the Federal Work-Study Program and to monitor the student’s earnings. Supervisors may contact the Financial Aid Office to see if the student is eligible for any additional work-study. If you do not have regular funds you must have the student stop working once they have earned their work-study award.
Students must contact the Financial Aid Office in order to obtain a Student Employment Authorization. This authorization must be completed by the student and employer and returned to the Payroll Office before a student may begin working.
Students may complete a financial aid application at any time during the year for a determination of eligibility for the Federal Work-Study Program. Actual awards depend on the financial need of the student and on the availability of funds.
The departmental employer is responsible for ensuring that all student employees work under reasonable conditions and are properly supervised. The employer is responsible for the training and supervision of student employees according to acceptable office procedures.
The employer must complete Section II of the work authorization form for the student and remind the student to return the completed authorization to the Payroll Office in a timely manner. The work authorization must be completed and returned to the Payroll Office before a student begins working.
Departments are expected to assist those students who have earning limitations to “pace” themselves throughout the year. Wages paid to students through the Federal Work-Study Program must remain without the student’s earning limitations. Once a student has reached their work-study limit, their earnings will automatically be taken from regular funds unless their work authorization is cancelled. For off campus work-study employers, the work authorization will be cancelled once a student has reach their earning limit and the agency will be responsible for any earnings over this amount. You may contact the Financial Aid Office to check on a student’s work-study earnings and/or if they are eligible for any additional work-study.
The purpose of student employment is to meet the general public good of the university. In no case may a university employer receive personal benefit or gain from the services of student employees. In no case may a student be paid for receiving instruction in a classroom, laboratory, or other academic setting.
Regulatory provisions do not prohibit students from being employed at more than one location on campus. If a student has an earning limitation and the department schedules the student to earn that limit during the year, the departmental supervisor should discuss the ramification of other jobs with the student employee. Departments may impose conditions or terms of employment prohibiting dual jobs, providing students have reasonable capability of reaching their earning limit.
The Fair Labor and Standard Act of 1938, as amended, prohibits institutions from accepting voluntary services from any paid employee. Therefore, any student who is employed must be paid for all hours worked.
Student employee benefits include coverage under the Worker’s Compensation Law. This allows for payment of medical expenses and/or lost wages resulting from an illness or injury by reason of their work. All accidents must be reported on the appropriate form to the Payroll Office, within 24 hours.
The student must complete the Federal I-9 form and obtain the work authorization from the Financial Aid Office in person and complete the form accurately. They must also return the completed authorization to the Payroll Office in person before they may begin working.
If the student cannot for any reason work when scheduled, it is the student’s responsibility to notify his/her supervisor in a timely manner.
Students working on the work-study payroll have an earning limitation and should monitor their earnings each pay period. If they have questions regarding their award or total earnings, students may contact the Financial Aid Office.
Student employees should conduct themselves in a professional manner while on the job. This includes appropriate dress, telephone etiquette, courtesy when meeting the public, and conscientious performance of assigned tasks.
International students with an F-1 visa may have one or more campus jobs. They are limited to working 20 hours for all jobs during any week when school is in session. Summer session would be determined by the student’s individual class schedule. International students may work 40 hours during any breaks, such as the break between the academic year semesters or spring break. International students also having a graduate assistantship can only work hourly jobs if the combination of hours does not exceed the 20 hours per week when school is in session. For more information on International Student employment please contact the International Student Advisor on campus.
On campus employers are required to pay all student employees at least the Federal minimum wage. For pay rates above the minimum, employers are asked to follow the Student Employment Wage Guidelines, which are available in the Financial Aid Office. Government regulations require the use of a wage scale, therefore, compliance is necessary. A student’s pay rate may only change at the beginning of each semester with the summer counting as a semester. The new wage rate should remain within the pay range set for the level of the position (skill level). A student whose pay rate is outside the level’s maximum rate will not be paid at the new rate without prior approval from the Financial Aid Office. Exceptions for changing a student’s pay rate other than at the beginning of the semester must have the approval of the Financial Aid Office.
When an employee is consistently tardy, absent, or does not perform specified tasks satisfactorily, the employing department has a right to terminate that student’s employment. First, however, every effort should be made to counsel the employee and offer the opportunity to improve.
Should the employee not heed the warnings, the department should notify the student that they will not be retained. The student may then be referred to the Student Employment Office for other job referrals.
Criminal acts, such as theft, may be cause for immediately dismissal of a student employee.
Employers must keep accurate records of any activities involved in the dismissal of a student employee.
Employment Eligibility Verification (Form I-9)
The Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 is a law written to insure that only American citizens and eligible aliens are authorized to work in this country. This includes students working on our student payroll, both Federal Work-Study and regular.
It is the responsibility of the Financial Aid Office to monitor this law as it pertains to student employees.
Student employees must complete a document called the Employment Eligibility Verification (Form I-9), which also requires certain specific forms of identification. STUDENTS WILL NOT RECEIVE A WORK AUTHORIZATION AND MAY NOT BEGIN WORKING UNTIL THE I-9 FORM AND THE WORK AUTHORIZATION FORMS ARE COMPLETE.
The student must have one document from List A or one document from list B and C.
List ADocuments that Establish Both Identity and Employment Eligibility:
Documents that Establish Identity
For persons under age 18 who are unable to present a document listed above:
Documents that Establish Employment Eligibility
Once a student is determined eligible to work on campus and has been selected to be employed by the hiring department, they are required to request a work authorization form in the Financial Aid Office. The student will be given a regular, work-study or lump sum work authorization. The work-study authorization will state the amount of work-study the student may earn for the academic year or the summer session (Section III). Upon completion of the authorization form by the student and supervisor, the work authorization form must be taken to the Payroll Office. At that time the student will complete a Tax Withholding Card (W-4). Whenever there are changes in name, address, exemption, or status, the student must complete and submit a new W-4 form. The student may not begin working and will not be paid until the work authorization form is on file with the payroll office.
NOTE: Students under 18 years of age must obtain a work permit and other documentation in order to be employed. See the Payroll Office for further information.
From the Wisconsin Administrative Code: Code of Ethics ER-Pers 24.04 – Standard Conduct:
No employee shall effectively recommend or decide to hire or promote another person when the person affected is a member of the employe’s immediate family unless certified from an open or promotional register.
Departments seeking student employees are required by law to ensure that all eligible applicants have reasonable access to vacancies. To provide assurance that the campus complies with affirmative action and equal opportunity requirements, all campus jobs must be advertised unless the position is filled by a student who held the position the previous academic year.
Employers have fulfilled the Affirmative Action requirement by listing their openings with the Student Employment Office, 204 Brigham Hall. To advertise a student job, the employer must provide the Student Employment Coordinator with the following information: title of job, job description and qualifications required, hours per week, pay rate, payroll designation, and the person to contact for an interview. A form to advertise positions is available in the Financial Aid Office.
Congress has enacted the 1988 Federal Drug-Free Work Place Act, which places certain responsibilities on the University as the recipient of federal grants and contracts. Pursuant to the federal requirements and in keeping with current university policy, all UW-Platteville student employees are reminded that university rules, policies and practices prohibit the unlawful manufacture, distribution, dispensing, possession or use of controlled substances on all university property and work sites. Any student employee who engages in any of these actions on university property or worksite or during work time may be referred to counseling or treatment, and may be subject to disciplinary action up to and including loss of job.
Student employees who are convicted of any criminal drug statute violation occurring in the workplace must notify their supervisor within five days of the conviction if the employees are employed by the university at the time of the conviction.
Students who have problems with controlled substances are encouraged to contact the Student Assistance Program Coordinator for referral to counseling or treatment programs. Voluntary contacts with the Student Assistance Program Coordinator may remain confidential. The UW-Platteville Student Assistance Program Coordinator may be contacted by calling the Student Affairs Office, 342-1854.
March 15, 2006