Date Adopted: 10/80
Date Revised: 04/27/21
References: UMW Financial Aid Work Study Program Supervisor’s Handbook; HRS Procedures
Issuing Office: Administration and Finance
Approved By: Office of the Chancellor
I. Policy
The University of Montana Western shall administer student employment in accordance with established procedure, federal and state regulations and relevant collective bargaining agreement provisions.
II. Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to ensure that student employment is administered in accordance with established procedure, federal and state regulations, and relevant collective bargaining agreement provisions.
III. Procedure
A. Eligibility
- Federal Work Study & Department Work Study
Students must enroll for a minimum of six (6) credits during the academic year or three (3) credits during summer sessions at the University of Montana Western to be considered as eligible student employees. Enrollment shall be verified at the time the student assignment is created and within the first week of the spring semester (assignment may have been created during fall semester).
Supervisors should confirm with their students periodically that they are still in a minimum of 6 credit hours. Financial aid will periodically check the student’s hours as well. If an individual is not enrolled for at least six (6) credits at that time, he/she shall be immediately discontinued as a student employee.
- State Work Study
Students must be enrolled in 12+ credits. If a student drops below 12 credit hours, they must terminate their State Work Study position immediately.
Supervisors should confirm with their students periodically that they are still in a minimum of 12 credit hours. Financial aid will periodically check the student’s hours as well.
In the event an individual’s academic credit hours are less than six (6), the individual can no longer be considered a student employee. For taxation purposes, students enrolled for less than six (6) undergraduate credits are subject to F.I.C.A., state and federal taxes. If a student is enrolled for less than six (6) credits, he/she shall continue to be considered a student employee for employment purposes under the following conditions:
During summer and other scheduled academic breaks, student employees are not required to be enrolled. Applicable payroll withholdings will apply. In order to be considered a student employee during the summer, the student must be enrolled for at least six (6) credits during the immediate successive academic semester. Earnings for the summer semester count against the upcoming semester.
- Maintain financial aid Satisfactory Academic Progress.
B. Employment Conditions
The intent of this policy is that all applicable federal, state and institutional policies shall be observed. If there is a conflict, federal policies shall take precedence.
Student employees shall not replace or displace classified employees nor shall the employment of students result in a reduction of the number of regular work hours assigned to any classified employee.
- Rate of Pay: The hourly rate of pay for student employees will range between minimum wage and $10.70. Exception requests must be submitted in writing with justification. Supervisors may not pay a higher wage without approval. Submit requests to Financial Aid for work study positions. Submit requests to Business Services for non-work study positions. Students may not accept cash or other unauthorized forms of payment for work performed for the benefit of Montana Western. All payments must occur through the student payroll process.
- Recommended Workload: During the Fall/Spring semesters, the student may not work more than 19 hours per week. During Summer, students may not work more than 29 hours per week.
If the student is NOT enrolled during the Summer, the Supervisor may request, in writing, an exception for the student to work up to a maximum of 40 hours per week. The exception must be sent to the Personnel Officer in Human Resources. The decision must then be forwarded to the Financial Aid Office for awarding purposes.v
If the student is employed by two (2) or more departments, the maximum number of hours is still a total of 19 hours per week during fall/spring & a total of 29 hours during the Summer semester.
The student employee should not exceed the maximum hours in any payroll period (ie: 19 X 2 =38 during fall and spring or 29 x 2 = 58 in summer). A week is defined as Saturday thru Friday on a bi-weekly pay period.
- The number of hours per week a student employee may work depends on the student’s eligibility and the department’s need but cannot exceed the hours mentioned in #2 above.
- Federal Work Study & Departmental Work Study requires student employees to be enrolled in a minimum of 6 credit hours during fall or spring semesters.
- State Work Study requires student employees to be enrolled in a minimum of 12 credit hours at all times.
- Students may work during summer without enrollment but all Federal & State earnings must count toward fall semester financial aid eligibility and the student must be registered for the upcoming fall semester in a minimum of 6 credit hours for federal or a minimum of 12 credit hours for state work study.
- Overtime: Student employees are ineligible to have a work schedule that would result in overtime compensation and/or compensatory time.
- Benefits: Benefits including, but not limited to, annual leave, sick leave, holiday pay, health insurance coverage, retirement and other benefits for which regular employees of the University of Montana Western are eligible shall not apply to student employees.
- Length of Appointment: The duration of student appointments will be identified on the Work Study Assignment and may not exceed the Amount to be Earned each semester identified on the job assignment. The work study assignment will be provided to the student for the fall & spring semester and a separate job assignment will be given for the summer semester (one contract through June 30 & a second contract for July 1 to beginning of Fall semester). Students & Supervisors must comply with the requirements of the Work Study Assignment.
- There is no right to renewal and employment ends at the expiration of the designated term of employment, unless renewed at the discretion of the hiring department or terminated earlier.
C. Student Employment Responsibilities
Student employees must be consistently dependable, prompt and reliable in attendance and work the required period of time as agreed by the student and supervisor, provided it does not interfere with the student’s academic schedule. A student who accepts employment must work the hours and times agreed upon with the supervisor. If a student must be absent from work, the supervisor should be notified at least one working day prior to the assigned work time. All student employees are expected to fulfill their work obligations as agreed upon by the student and supervisor.
Before a student is eligible to begin work, the student must return the Work Study Assignment to the Financial Aid Office which allows the student to acquire the necessary payroll forms that must be completed and returned to the Student Payroll Coordinator. Once these forms are completed, the student will be issued a Hire Card denoting his or her work status. Hire Cards must be completed and returned to Business Services by the supervisor before the student begins working.
A student must fulfill all of the foregoing obligations to remain in good standing on the Student Work-Study Program.
D. Description of Job Duties
A brief written description of job duties will be posted on the UMWestern website for all students to view. The description has been provided to the Financial Aid Office by the hiring departments which is then shared with the Career Services Office. If duties change significantly during the term of employment, an updated description will be completed by the hiring department and a copy provided to the Financial Aid Office who will then share the update with the Career Services Office.
Written performance evaluations will be submitted to the supervisor during each semester to be completed and reviewed with each student employee. The completed evaluation must be submitted to the Financial Aid Office for the student’s record. If the student is unavailable for the evaluation, the supervisor should still complete the evaluation and submit it to the Financial Aid Office for the student’s record. The student will have access to the document upon their request.
Records of student employment, as discussed in this section, shall be maintained by the employing departments.
E. Sexual Harassment
Sexual harassment is an illegal form of discrimination under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972 and will not be tolerated on the Montana Western campus. If you feel your rights have been violated or have questions or concerns, please contact the Dean of Students at phone (406) 683-7388.
F. Termination of Employment
Students are employed at the discretion of the hiring department. Due to a department’s operational needs, staffing requirements, and/or funding limitations, a student’s employment may be discontinued at any time notwithstanding the term for which the student was hired.
A student may terminate employment and remain in good standing and be eligible for employment.
The supervisor may terminate employment but should give written notice to the student as well as submit notification to the Financial Aid Office.
If the student stops working without notification, the supervisor should contact the Financial Aid Office immediately via email so the student’s work study award can be updated; department work study allocation can be updated and the Financial Aid Office will notify the Payroll Office once updates are completed.
IV. Authority
UMW Financial Aid Work Study Program Supervisor’s Handbook; HR Procedures
V. Responsibility
Vice Chancellor for Administration and Finance, or Delegate, Supervisors, Deans/Directors.
