- Both the employer and the student should monitor the student’s FWS award. Students may not be paid from FWS funds beyond their FWS award.
- Students may not be paid from FWS funds beyond the employer’s allocation.
- Students may not work during their own scheduled class hours.
- Students may work up to 20 hours per week during the academic year (including Spring Break), except as noted on the pay schedule. They may work a maximum of 40 hours during the Summer break. Students may have a maximum of two work study jobs and cannot exceed the 20 hour limit between both jobs. The two jobs cannot be held within the same department.
- Students may be paid a minimum of $15.00/hour and a maximum of $25.00/hour depending on the job title and job classification assigned by the employer.
- Students may not work more than 6 consecutive hours without taking an unpaid half-hour break. Since it is the University’s responsibility to ensure that this regulation is met, employers should carefully review timesheets. Should a timesheet be submitted for more than 6 consecutive hours of work, the break will be deducted from the total number of hours submitted for payment or the timesheet may be returned unpaid.
- FWS pay periods are bi-weekly and timesheets should be submitted in agreement with that schedule. In accordance with federal regulations, students must be paid within four weeks of work performed.
- Students may only submit late timesheets for the past four weeks, not including the current pay period. The employer will be required to pay late timesheets on their own payroll. In all cases, FWS earnings must be paid in the award year in which they were earned.
- Students who have not signed up for payroll direct deposit in the Columbia portal my.columbia.edu will have their pay check sent to their home address as listed on SSOL.
- An employer should assign a full-time employee to supervise, monitor students’ allocations and hours worked, and to review and approve timesheets.
- FWS students are not eligible for fringe benefits such as paid breaks, paid sick days, paid vacation days, paid holidays, or unemployment benefits.
- FWS earnings are fully taxable. The University issues a W-2 to the student at the end of the calendar year that reflects all University earnings for that year.
- If a student becomes ineligible for payment under the FWS program (the student withdrew, already earned his/her FWS award, worked more than the hours allowed), the employer will be responsible for 100% of the student’s wages.
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