Procedure 4.5.1 - Student Employees
Part 1: Sources of Funding
There are four funding sources for student employees at Lake Superior College: Federal Work Study, State Work Study, grants, and college budget funds. Most student employee positions are not dependent upon the type of funding source. The funding source is determined by the Financial Aid and Business Offices on a case-by-case basis. Students and supervisors do not need to be concerned about the type of funding source assigned to the student.
All student employees are required to submit a FAFSA to determine whether or not they are eligible for federal or state work study programs. Eligibility for federal and state work study programs are determined as part of the standard financial aid process. To receive need-based work study, students must demonstrate financial need, maintain satisfactory academic progress, be enrolled at least half-time, and for state work study, meet residency requirements. Eligibility may vary from year to year depending upon the financial information of the student’s family and the resources available to the student from other sources. A student who is eligible for need-based work study is notified on their financial aid award letter. A student may earn up to the amount printed on the award letter and may not exceed the amount unless approved by a Financial Aid Specialist.
Part 2: Hours
Students who are eligible for the maximum student employment award for the academic year must average 10 hours per week while classes are in session in order for their employment to continue through the end of the academic year. A student cannot work more than 20 hours per week without prior approval from the Financial Aid Office.
Student employees are not entitled to overtime, sick, vacation or holiday pay.
Some student employment positions are available for up to 40 hours a week during the summer months.
Exceptions to these rules will be at the discretion of the President of Lake Superior College or designee.
Part 3: Pay Rates
The rate of pay for all student employees is subject to the Fair Labor Standards Act as Amended. The rate of pay is $10.00 per hour for all student employees.
Student employees are paid biweekly. Time sheets are due in the Business Office as noted on the pay period sheet. Students are not allowed to bring their signed time sheets to the Business Office. Supervisors must hand deliver time sheets to the Business Office or place them in a sealed envelope and sign over the sealed flap if they are to have them delivered by a student employee.
Part 4: Work Study Allocation
The student’s work study allocation, as shown on the award letter, is valid during the academic year. This is the maximum eligibility and may not be exceeded, under any circumstances, without prior approval by the Financial Aid Office. Additional loans and other financial aid will affect the work study award (decrease the number of hours he/she can work). It is your responsibility to keep an accurate, up-to-date accounting of all work study earnings to prevent exceeding the allocation.
If the supervisor approves time sheets listing more than 20 hours per pay period without prior approval, a warning notice will go out to both the supervisor and the student. If this continues, a written notice of possible termination will be sent to the supervisor and the student. If this still continues, the supervisor and student will receive written notice that they have lost their eligibility to be a student employee and the student’s position will be eliminated.
Part 5: Summer Employment
As a general rule, student employment during the summer is limited to save a majority of federal and state work study as well as college student employment funds for the school year. However, some supervisors may need student employees during the summer months. The Financial Aid Office will determine your eligibility for summer student employment. If you are eligible, one of the following will apply:
Subpart A: Students Enrolled in Summer School who are Returning Fall Semester. Students may be eligible for summer student employment after spring semester ends. To qualify for federal or state work study funded positions, the student must be enrolled summer session for a total of 6 credits or more and must be enrolling in the fall semester for a minimum of 6 credits. The total summer student employment award is determined by the Financial Aid Office. Students may be allowed to work a maximum of 20 hours per week while classes are in session.
If the student chooses to work 20 hours per week during the period when classes are not in session, any work study funded earnings received will be counted as financial aid for the next academic year. All earnings will be listed under fall semester’s financial aid as summer work study. Therefore, the student must have received an award letter for the upcoming academic year in order to qualify.
Subpart B: Students Not Enrolled in Summer School. Students may be eligible for federal or state work study funded student employment from after the end of spring semester up until fall semester begins even if they are not enrolled in summer school. The student in this scenario must not be attending summer session for more than a total of 5 credits, must have completed the FAFSA for the next academic year, and must have registered for fall semester classes for a minimum of 6 credits. The student will, therefore, be employed during a period of non-enrollment.
Any time that a student works during a period of non-enrollment, the amount that is earned that is funded by federal or state work study must be counted as financial aid toward the next period of enrollment. Any work study funded student employment that is earned during the summer will be counted as financial aid for the upcoming academic year.
The student is eligible to work up to 20 hours per week. The upcoming Academic Year Award Letter will list an award amount for summer work study. We are allowed to increase the fall semester budget once the supervisor and the student have signed a student employee contract. If the student will be paying income taxes for the upcoming year or have living costs directly related to the fact that they are employed in a work study funded student employee position, additional increases may be made in the fall semester budget. The student may see the subsidized loan eligibility or academic year work study eligibility decrease because of the summer earnings.
Subpart C: Students Enrolled in Summer School, but not Returning for the Upcoming Fall Semester. These students may be eligible for federal or state work study funded summer student employment after spring semester ends through the end of summer session. The student must be attending summer session for a combined total of 6 credits or more and is not planning to register for fall semester courses. The student must stop working at the end of the last summer course.
Subpart D: New Fall Term Students Applying For Summer Student. New students may apply for federal or state work study funded summer student employee positions. All students must have completed the financial aid process and found to be eligible. Students must certify their intent to enroll fall semester at Lake Superior College as at least a half-time student (6 or more credits). Students cannot begin their employment until after July 1.
Subpart E: College Funded Summer Student Employment. Students may be eligible to work in college funded student employment positions during the summer months provided they were registered for a minimum of 6 credits during the previous spring semester or are registered for 6 or more credits during the summer term or are registering for at least 6 credits during the upcoming fall semester. Students may be eligible for a maximum of 40 hours per week during the summer months.
Part 6: Required Records
The Business Office must have on file the student employee contract, copy of the student’s financial aid award letter, signed confidentiality form, W-4, and I-9 (Employment Eligibility Verification—see paragraph below).
The Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 mandates all employers hire only US Citizens or nationals and lawfully authorized alien workers. To meet this federal requirement, LSC requires certain identification and verification of new employees. These requirements apply to student employees. Identification documentation is either a valid passport or a combination of a picture driver’s license and social security card or a birth certificate. You must provide verification of your identity and employment authorization to the Business Office BEFORE beginning work.
Records of each student’s name, address, job, rate of pay, number of hours worked each day, and the amount paid each pay period will be retained by the Business Office.
Part 7: Resignation
The student may resign or change employment with due written notice to the supervisor at least one week in advance. If supervisor and employee agree, resignation may be immediate. The student must complete a new student employment contract when changing jobs.
Part 8: Termination and Termination Appeals
A supervisor may reduce work hours or terminate a student if the work load within the department decreases to such that the student employee is no longer needed.
The supervisor may terminate a student after sufficient warning and due written notice. Sufficient warning means at least one meeting or written notice in which the student is notified that termination of employment is probable if no improvement is shown. Due notice refers to at least one week. It is expected and desired that an earnest effort be made to provide opportunity for continuation.
Immediate dismissal may occur when, in the judgment of the supervisor or departmental administrator, continuation of employment would be damaging to the nature of operation for the individual department or the college at large. Such dismissal requires written notice to the student. All student employment termination requires notification to the Business Office and to the Financial Aid Office.
The following are grounds for disciplinary action and dismissal:
- Tardiness
- Un-excused absences
- Under the influence of alcohol or other drugs while on duty
- Violation of LSC and department or agency regulations, policies, and rules
- Violation of LSC Conduct Standards
- Violation of local, state or federal laws
- Unacceptable job performance
If the student wishes to contest the termination, s/he should first attempt to resolve the issue with his/her immediate supervisor. If it is not resolved to the student’s satisfaction, the student may choose to contact the Director or Dean of the department under which the student is employed.
Part 9: Satisfactory Academic Progress
The student must maintain satisfactory academic progress. The student may not work if they have been suspended for unsatisfactory academic performance.
If the student withdraws from all classes or drops below half-time enrollment (6 credits) during the semester, the student immediately cannot continue in the student employee position or return to the position once they re-enroll. Students who return to school must re-apply for employment on campus.
Each student employee will be supervised by a staff employee. Student employees may not supervise other student employees. A supervisor need not be present at all times the student is working.
History
Date Implemented: October 30, 2012
Date Updated: June 30, 2014
