With some advance planning, an employer’s Federal Work-Study (FWS) paperwork can be organized and the accompanying processes streamlined. To assist employers, the Work-Study Office offers the following helpful hints:

Before hiring any FWS students, employers are encouraged to:

1. Become familiar with all the Work-Study policies and procedures.
2. Before posting a job, determine an adequate payrate and job title. Visit the HRS web site for current info.
3. Identify the departmental Payroll Contact who will be responsible for appointing and paying your FWS students.
4. Review the documents that must be completed upon hiring a Work-Study student (see the After Hiring a Work-Study Student section of Hiring and Managing Your Work-Study Student).
5. At interviews, always ask for the Work-Study Verification form and remember to communicate realistic job expectations and work schedule requirements to the student.

After hiring a FWS student:

1. Immediately submit the online Hire a Work Study document to secure your position.
2. Ask the departmental Payroll Contact to create the appointment (ANH) in *DEFINE.
3. Refer the student to www.hirealonghorn.org for important Work-Study information for students.
4. Introduce the student to the Payroll Contact and clearly communicate payment procedures and deadlines.
5. Ask the Payroll Contact to note all payroll deadlines on their calendar and create a spreadsheet containing the names of all hired FWS students, their respective supervisors, and pay period. This will assist in tracking MERs received (Monthly Earning Reports) thereby facilitating payment in a timely manner (FWS regulations require that all FWS students be paid at least once a month, without exception).

Paying FWS Students:

1. Tips for collecting MERs include:
• Make turning in MERs a job expectation.
• Have students sign in and out each day at work.
• In the student’s absence, ask the supervisor to complete and submit the MER to the Payroll Contact.
2. After gathering MERs for each FWS student, create the OV1 payroll document in *DEFINE. Immediately submit all original MERs to the Work-Study Office, mail code E3700. (Be sure to make copies for your own records.)

«TIP» Use the Balance Sheet (see Forms and Sample Forms) to track your FWS students’ earnings and remaining award amounts.