Office of Financial Aid

One hundred percent of the funding for institutional employment comes from the employing department's operating budget.  The individual hired must be a current student at Fort Lewis College.  There is no requirement that the student demonstrate need through the FAFSA, as there is for work-study jobs.  The student must be paid no less than minimum wage and no more than $11.00 per hour according to the provisions of the Student Employment Pay Plan.  The student must verify their identity and eligibility to work prior to employment.

Students obtain their Employment Contract from the Office of Financial Aid.  The supervisor and the student complete and sign the contract.  The completed, signed contract is returned to the Office of Financial Aid when the student is hired and before the student begins working. 

No student will be allowed to begin work until the Office of Financial Aid has received a completed and signed contract. 

Students' work-study awards will be rescinded if they fail to obtain their contract before census date in September.

INSTITUTIONAL STUDENT EMPLOYEES

Supervisors who hire students paid from departmental funds initiate the process by completing and signing the Contract Authorization Request Form (CARF).  The supervisor sends the completed CARF to the Office of Financial Aid.  The Office of Financial Aid confirms student identity and eligibility to work, and then returns a copy of the completed CARF to the supervisor.  The student may begin working after the Office of Financial Aid returns a copy of the completed CARF to the supervisor.

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

International students enrolled as full-time students must have a "valid for work" social security card before they begin working.  To apply for a social security card the student must take a letter from the Office of Financial Aid requesting a card, and proof of enrollment, to Social Security Administration.  The student must bring their social security card, passport, copy of I-20 and I-94 to the Office of Financial Aid before they begin working.  International students are not allowed to work more than 20 hours per week while school is in session.  The Fort Lewis College work week is Saturday through Friday.

The supervisor's responsibilities are:

• to interview and hire;
• complete the employment contract and return it to the Office of Financial Aid;
• establish a work schedule with the student;
• explain duties and responsibilities to the student before they begin working;
• provide training;
• monitor hours the student works;
• maintain student employment records;
• submit accurate time sheets to the Office of Financial Aid by the submission deadline each month;
• follow required termination procedures if applicable;
•  submit periodic written performance evaluations. 

If supervisors do not fulfill their responsibilities they will be relieved of their supervisory duties.  Please review Supervisor Responsibilities and Supervisor Instructions for Web Entry Timesheets for more details.

Students seek employment on a self-referral basis, independently arranging for interviews with supervisors.  Supervisors should know their department's short and long term student employment needs and the skills required of prospective employees.  Many students have considerable potential but little work experience.  Jobs are part of their educational process and may even complement their academic work.  Supervisors can teach valuable job skills that will facilitate transition to careers.  Carefully matching qualifications with job requirements enhances the employment experience.  Interviews are important to ensure that the student employee is suited for the job. 

The supervisor explains the student employee's rights and responsibilities once the student is hired.  The pay rate may be communicated to the student according to the pay plan when the student is hired, but the student may not begin working until their contract has been approved by the Office of Financial Aid.
 

Student employees accessing staff, faculty, administrator and/or student records must know the provisions of the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA) confidentiality and information disclosure law.  Violation of the right to confidentiality is serious and could result in liability to the institution.  Supervisors must inform student employees of the requirements of the law.  Supervisors should contact Fort Lewis College Registrar's Office for additional information about FERPA if necessary.  We strongly suggest that you require your student worker to sign a "Confidentiality Contract."

Supervisors are responsible for insuring that students are not offered fringe benefits such as retirement, overtime, vacation, sick leave or paid holidays. Student employees are covered by Worker's Compensation while on the job.

Supervisors make sure that students complete the Employee Withholding Allowance Certificate (W-4 form), which is available at the Office of Financial Aid or Payroll Office.  All student employee wages are subject to taxation. The W-4 must be completed, signed and submitted to the Payroll Clerk, 140 Berndt Hall.

Paydays are the 15th of each month; when the 15th falls on a weekend, payday is the Friday before.  Students may sign up for direct deposit at the Payroll Office at Room 140, Berndt Hall.

Students must complete a Check Distribution Form at the Cashier’s Office, Room 140, Berndt Hall, if they will not be able to pick up their paycheck before leaving Fort Lewis College.  The Check Distribution Form allows the pay check to be mailed to the student at their home address.  If the final pay check is to be applied to an outstanding Fort Lewis College bill, the student must report to Room 140, Berndt Hall to complete a Power of Attorney form which allows Fort Lewis College to apply the paycheck (or a portion of the paycheck) to the student’s bill.
 

Violations of confidentiality, insubordination, poor work performance, habitual tardiness and absence without prior notice or approval are some circumstances that justify terminating a student's employment.  If the student is not performing in a satisfactory manner, supervisors should discuss problems with students and attempt to provide assistance in an effort to improve the student's work performance.  Supervisors must clearly explain their expectations and give students the opportunity to ask questions and receive clarification.    

If the supervisor continues to be dissatisfied with the student's work, the student may be placed on probation for two weeks.  The basis for placing the student on probation must be documented in writing.  It should be discussed with the student and one copy placed in the student's personnel file, a second copy given to the student, and the third copy sent to the Student Employment Coordinator in the Office of Financial Aid.  This document must include performance expectations with a timeframe for accomplishment clearly stated.  If the student fails to perform satisfactorily during the probationary period, the supervisor may terminate the student's employment.  In all cases of probation or termination, the notification must be in writing.
 

Q: Is it possible for the student to work more than one job on-campus simultaneously?

A:  Yes, the Student Employment Coordinator in the Office of Financial Aid must be contacted by the student in advance.

Q:  May the student earn more than their work-study award amount?

A:  No; the contract specifies the maximum amount that the student may earn.  The student's earnings should be monitored to ensure that the student does not earn more than the approved limit nor work past the last day of the contract.  If a student over-earns their work-study award, the over-earnings are charged to the department budget.  The work-study student cannot earn more than the fall award during the fall term.  If there is an unused portion of earnings remaining from the fall term, it is added to the winter term amount and that total becomes the maximum amount the student may earn for the winter term.

Q:  May the student be paid from department funds after the work-study limit has been earned?

A:  Yes, but the employer must submit a Contract Authorization Request Form (CARF) to the Office of Financial Aid.

Q: Are the student employment earnings taxable?

A:  Yes, but the student needs to carefully review the instructions on the W-4 form (withholding form) to determine if they meet "exemptions from withholding" criteria.

Q:  Are there limitations on the type of work a student can be asked to do?

A:  Yes; the supervisor cannot ask a student to do personal tasks such as personal correspondence, running personal errands, etc.  The work assigned must be necessary for the operation of the department or office and must directly support its function.

Fort Lewis College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age or handicap in admission or access to, or treatment or employment in its education programs or activities.

Inquiries concerning Title VI, Title IX and Section 504 may be referred to:

Human Resources/Equal Opportunity Office
Fort Lewis College
970-247-7428

or

Office for Civil Rights
U.S. Department of Education
1961 Stout Street
Denver, CO 80294
 

Sexual harassment is generally defined as "any deliberate or repeated unsolicited or unwelcome verbal comments, gestures or physical contact of sexual nature".  It is distinguished from voluntary sexual relationships by the elements of coercion, threat or unwanted attention.  It is an abuse of power.  Men, as well as women, are victims of sexual harassment.  Fort Lewis College is committed to ensuring that all employees and students can work and learn productively without unnecessary interference or distraction. As part of this commitment, we strive to maintain an environment that is free of unlawful discrimination including sexual harassment.  Sexual harassment is unethical and illegal.  It is a violation of:

Title VII, Civil Rights Act of 1964
Title IX, Education Amendments 1973
Colorado Revised Statutes, 18.9 - 111
Fort Lewis College Policy

Employers at Fort Lewis College must adhere to the Student Employment Pay Plan. We encourage using the pay plan as a tool for determining seniority and merit pay raises.  Employers may hire students at any step or level. The maximum pay rate allowed is $11.00 per hour.  The Supervisor may not commit a higher rate to the student. The Student Employment Coordinator in the Office of Financial Aid will automatically disallow any pay rate in excess of $11.00 per hour. An exception to the rule is if an employer is using discretionary grant funds to pay their student employee.

This plan is not applicable over the summer. Any student hired in summer who will continue during the school year (September-April) is subject to the Student Employment Pay Plan, even if it requires a decrease in pay from the summer rate. Student employees must be advised of this before beginning work in the summer.

Employers may give students pay raises at their discretion any time. Students who continue in the same job and perform satisfactorily may receive a step increase at the end of the academic year. Supervisors have authority to withhold the increase based on unsatisfactory evaluations.  The pay plan will be reviewed on an "as needed" basis. 

The pay plan is as follows:

Level 1: Entry level and/or positions that do not require substantial skill, extraordinary responsibility or significant independent judgment.  The consequence of error is not critical.  Duties are routine, simple and governed by standardized procedures.  The position is closely supervised.  No previous experience, specific skill or education is required.

Step 1, Starts at Minimum wage
Step 2, Starts at $8.00/hour
Step 3, Starts at $8.25/hour
Step 4, Starts at $8.50/hour

Level 2: This level involves skilled positions with more complex duties that involve a substantial degree of responsibility and independent judgment.  Employees are capable of performing duties with minimal supervision and must take initiative regularly.  Characteristics that support assignment to Level 3 include: 1) planning and coordination of multi-faceted duties; 2) duties are hazardous; 3) position includes extensive public contact; 4) position is a senior lead-worker that may be responsible for training lower level positions.

Step 1, Starts at $8.75/hour
Step 2, Starts at $9.00/hour
Step 3, Starts at $9.25/hour
Step 4, Starts at $9.50/hour
Step 5, $9.75/hour

Level 3: These are highly skilled, advanced level positions.  Job duties are complex and can be specialized and varied.  Employees are given instructions and are expected to establish work priorities based on departmental goals, procedures and timetables.  Employees at this level will make recommendations, act independently, use initiative, and make decisions regarding work assignments.  Employees must have related coursework or previous work experience and the ability to establish working relationships with college personnel and the public.

Step 1, Starts at $10.00/hour
Step 2, Starts at $10.25/hour
Step 3, Starts at $10.50/hour
Step 4, $11.00/hour

The supervisor and the student establish a work schedule taking into consideration the student's class and vacation schedules.  The supervisor ensures that the student agrees to abide by the work schedule.  The student's work schedule may be revised each term according to their new class schedule.

Students paid through work-study funding may not earn more than half of the yearly award prior to the end of the fall term.  Conversely, the unused portion of the fall award is added to the winter term award.

Full-time students should not work more than 20 hours per week except during vacation periods.  Work-study students are not permitted to work overtime (40 + hours per week or over 12 hours per day).  Overtime hours will be charged to the department budget.  The student may not work for pay after the last day of the award period:  the last day of winter term finals if awarded work-study for the school year, or the last day specified on the CARF if paid through institutional funds.

The chart below is designed to help estimate the number of hours a student can work per week to meet their annual work-study award.  It assumes that the student will work for two terms, not including Thanksgiving, Christmas Break and Spring Break.  The standard yearly maximum work-study award is $2,000.

Supervisors have web timesheet instructions for both the supervisor and the student. A short instructional video is available that further explains how to enter your time. It is the supervisor's responsibility to train student employees on this process and notify students of deadline dates. 

Supervisors are responsible for verifying the accuracy of hours reported. The person signing as the supervisor must have direct knowledge of the hours worked as they appear on the time sheet. These time sheets are official records and as such, are subject to scrutiny through audits and program reviews from institutional, state and federal regulatory agencies.  The supervisor is accountable and will be held personally responsible for the accuracy of these records.

The student should submit his or her time sheet to the supervisor by the last working day of each month. The supervisor must approve their student's timesheet on webopus by the 5th day of each month. Any paper work-study timesheet turned in more than 30 days late will be paid out of departmental funds, not work-study funds. Students whose time sheets are not submitted or approved by the deadline will be required to wait an additional month for their paycheck.

Work-study is a financial aid program that enables students to work and earn money to meet educational expenses.  The work-study program promotes part-time employment for our students.  The program is designed for eligible students who are in need of earnings to pursue their postsecondary education.  It is funded from state and federal sources.  See the Fort Lewis College Student Financial Aid Handbook for more details.

The needs of the on-campus employer, although certainly important, are not the major priority in the work study program.  Funds appropriated are intended to supplement rather than supplant other employment funds.  Therefore, student employees may not be used to displace regular, non-student employees.

Eligibility criteria:

• Must be currently enrolled in at least 12 credit hours per term at Fort Lewis College in a regular degree-seeking program of study.
• Must be awarded work-study as a result of the timely submission of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) each year.
• Must demonstrate sufficient financial need (or no-need if applicant for Colorado No-Need Work-Study) as determined by the FAFSA results.
• Must meet and maintain minimum standards of satisfactory progress as defined by Office of Financial Aid.

Must complete the federal I-9 form at the Office of Financial Aid by providing a combination of documents verifying identity and eligibility to work such as:

• drivers license and social security card
• drivers license and birth certificate
• school photo ID and social security card
• school photo ID and birth certificate
• OR a valid passport

In the case of Colorado No-Need Work-Study, all of the above requirements apply, plus the student must be classified as a resident of Colorado for tuition purposes.

Students paid through the work-study program must qualify for the award each year. THIS IS NOT AUTOMATIC. If you plan to re-hire a student, remind your student to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by the recommended early submission deadline of February 15th each year. Due to funding limitations, students who do not meet the deadline may not be awarded work-study.

Determine your anticipated student employment needs for each academic year. To create new positions you must fill out a Student Job Description Form. To advertise a student position, the supervisor must post the job on the Career Services website.

Student Job Description Form
Student Employee Evaluation Report
Student Employee Hiring Plan
Student Employee Rights and Responsibilities
Student Employee Confidentiality Contract
Contract Authorization Request Form (CARF)

The supervisor is strongly encouraged to complete a Student Employee Evaluation Report for the student at least once per academic year. This helps both supervisors and employees communicate ongoing job performance expectations.