STUDENT HANDBOOK
A Message from the Financial Aid Office
The Office of Student Financial Aid & Scholarships would
like to thank you for your interest in the Federal
Work-Study Program. Work-study students serve as a
valuable resource for our College and your assistance is
greatly appreciated. This handbook was designed to help
you better understand the Federal Work-Study Program and
the opportunities that it provides. Recent studies have
shown that work-study participants often perform better
academically and develop a solid connection to the
institution. The job opportunities offered by Blue Ridge
enables students the ability to obtain “self-help”
financial aid and an opportunity for career, social,
personal, and educational development.
If you have any questions about our work-study
program please contact our office at 1-540-234-9261 ext
2241 of at
finaid@brcc.edu |
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Section I. Introduction to Federal Work-Study
A. Purpose
The purpose of this handbook is to define the rules and
regulations of the student employment program at Blue Ridge
Community College. The Federal Work-Study Program was
established to allow students an opportunity to not only earn
money, but to gain valuable experience through the work-study
program. The faculty and staff depend upon the students for much
of the work essential to the daily operation of the College.
B. Eligibility
To be considered for a Work-Study award, you must first
complete the Free Federal Application for Student Aid (FAFSA),
which determines your financial need. Funding for the Federal
Work-Study Program at Blue Ridge Community College is limited;
therefore, we cannot emphasize enough the importance of
completing this application early. Priority consideration is
given to students exhibiting the greatest need who apply before
March 15th.
After completing the FAFSA you must then complete the
Work-Study Student Employment Application located at
http://www.brcc.edu/financial_aid/work_study/forms.htm, and
submit your completed application to the Financial Aid Office.
If eligible, you will receive an award notification
indicating the maximum amount of gross pay to be earned per
term.
C. Federal and Institutional Requirements
Under Federal regulations, a student may be selected for
employment under the Federal Work-Study Program only if he/she
meets all of the following requirements.
- Enrolled in a minimum of 6 credits.
- A U.S. citizen, or in the U.S. for other than a temporary
purpose with the intention of becoming a permanent resident.
- Capable, in the opinion of the institution, of maintaining a
good academic standing while employed under the program.
- In need of earnings from such employment in order to pursue a
course of study at the institution.
D. Conditions of Employment
A student’s FWS award will usually allow him or her to work
from 15 to 20 hours per week. Student Financial Aid will attempt
to notify you when you are within $500 of the earnings limit.
If the student is working hours to make-up time missed from
work, he/she may not work more than 20 hours per week or 8 hours
per day. Students can only be employed in one FWS position at a
time; however, the student may hold another non-work-study job.
Students are not allowed to work when regular College employees
are not at work. In addition, students may not work during their
scheduled class periods.
E. Benefits
The FWS Program offers no sick leave, compensatory time,
vacation or holiday pay. As a Work-Study employee, you will have
the opportunity to gain far more than a paycheck. Each day will
bring rewarding new experiences and opportunities. The following
is a list of benefits you may attain in your work-study
position:
- Opportunity to explore different career fields
- Letters of recommendations
- Increase computer and office skills
- Experience for resume/portfolio
- Networking connections
- Time management strategies
- Communication skills
- Task organizational skills
F. Wage Rates and Calculations
The current wage rate is $8.00 an hour for on-campus
positions and $11.00 an hour for off-campus community service
positions.
Student employees may not earn more than the dollar amount of
their award. The amount is determined by the Student Financial
Aid Office. The award is divided in half to determine the
work-study award amount per semester.
The following calculator will help to determine how many
hours a student will be able to work per week during the
academic year based on wage rate and earnings limit.
G. Summer Work-Study
Summer FWS is offered from funding remaining in the spring
semester and also the impending fall semester. Since summer FWS
is determined by this residual amount, it is not always offered
during the summer months. If funding is available, students must
be enrolled at least half-time (6 credit hours) in both the
summer and impending fall semester to be considered for FWS
during the summer.
Section II: General Instructions and Procedures
A. Getting a Job
A student's primary resource in finding a work-study job is
the Work-Study Jobs section of the Work-Study Web site. The
student can search for both on- and off-campus jobs. Each job
lists the department, job title, a brief description, a list of
desired qualifications, the pay rate, and contact information.
When a student finds a job listing of interest, he or she
should call or e-mail the contact person listed and arrange for
an interview. If the interview is successful, the student may be
hired for the position. If the student is not hired, he or she
should continue calling employers or ask for assistance from the
Financial Aid Office staff.
B. Timesheets
All hours worked must be recorded on a Work-Study Employee
Time Sheet. Pay periods are two weeks long. If the student
begins working during the middle of a pay period, it is
important to enter the hours in the correct week on the
timesheet. The supervisor is responsible for approving the
hours; therefore, students are responsible for submitting their
time sheets when due to their direct supervisors in their
department. Signed times sheets are due in to the Financial Aid
Office by 10:00 a.m. on the date indicated on the work-study
payroll calendar. Late time sheets will not be processed until
the following pay period.
C. Checks
Checks are issued biweekly by the Payroll Office on the
Friday two weeks after the end of the pay period. Thus, any
student starting at the beginning of a pay period will not
receive his first check for four weeks. Checks are mailed to the
work study student’s mailing address. Students should ensure
that they keep their mailing address current with the College
Admission’s Office.
D. Schedules and Breaks
When hired, the student and employer should establish a work
schedule which is convenient for both parties. To ensure that a
student meets, but does not exceed, his or her earnings limit,
it is best to divide the student's limit by the number of weeks
to be worked and the wage rate. The result will be the
approximate hours per week the student should work. The
Financial Aid Office will provide the student worker with their
wage rate and the average number of eligible employment hours
they may work each week. Once this schedule is established, the
student is responsible for working those hours. A new schedule
should be revisited at the beginning of each semester.
Students should not work more than twenty (20) hours per
week, and should not work over forty (40) hours per pay period.
Work during scheduled breaks is permitted if mutually agreed
upon by the student and supervisor. However, please remember
that the income earned during these vacation periods will count
towards the student's work-study award limit. If you work four
or more hours a day you are entitled to breaks and/or lunch.
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