Federal Work-Study (FWS) Program
Student Handbook
This handbook contains general information for students participating in the Federal WorkStudy program at Orange Coast College. It will help you understand the basic requirements for
participation as well as your responsibilities as a work-study student.
The Federal Work-Study award is the self-help portion of your financial aid package. Being
awarded Federal Work-Study does not mean employment is guaranteed, or that once
employed, you will retain that position.
Hiring is granted on a first-come, first-serve basis, usually at the beginning of each
semester. The Federal Work-Study program allows students to work on campus in a variety of
departments/areas/offices including academic departments, laboratories, administrative
offices, tutoring centers, and the library. Federal Work-Study is a part of the total financial aid
package and is not intended to be the sole source of assistance.
If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact the following individuals, or
stop by the Financial Aid Office in Watson Hall Room 410.
Angela Varner, Student Financial Aid Specialist
Ext. 26165
[email protected]
Kathy Suarez, Student Financial Aid Specialist
Ext. 26463
[email protected]
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Table of Contents
What is Federal Work-Study? .................................................................................................. 3
How do I apply for Federal Work-Study?................................................................................. 3
Who is eligible for Federal Work-Study? ................................................................................. 3
How to accept your FWS offer? ............................................................................................... 4
What is a Federal Work-Study Student Assignment Form? .................................................... 4
Job Postings ............................................................................................................................. 5
Once You are Hired .................................................................................................................. 5
General Guidelines for Student Workers................................................................................. 5
Work Ethics .......................................................................................................................... 5
Address Changes .................................................................................................................. 5
Change in Awards ................................................................................................................ 5
Falsification of Time Reported ............................................................................................. 6
Payroll Process ......................................................................................................................... 6
Wages / Hours ..................................................................................................................... 6
How Are FWS Students Paid? .............................................................................................. 7
Employment Policies................................................................................................................ 8
Work Absences .................................................................................................................... 8
Lunch Hours or Breaks ......................................................................................................... 9
Employment Benefits........................................................................................................... 9
Termination ......................................................................................................................... 9
Transferring / Ending FWS Assignments .............................................................................. 9
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What is Federal Work-Study?
Federal Work-Study, also referred to as FWS, is one of three major federal student aid
programs from the U.S. Department of Education. It is designed to provide part-time
employment to students who have established significant financial need according to federal
guidelines. The federal government pays a percentage of the student's salary; the school pays
the remainder. FWS is part of the total financial aid package and is not intended to be the sole
source of assistance.
Many students either seek a position related to their career objective or seek positions that
offer skill development. In either case, the FWS Program is intended to provide a balance
between the interests of the student and the needs of the department/area/office.
How do I apply for Federal Work-Study?
You must complete the FAFSA and meet all the deadlines for submitting supporting
documentation. The priority deadline to submit the FAFSA is March 2nd and you should
indicate on the FAFSA you are interested in employment as part of your financial aid award.
Once the OCC Financial Aid Office receives your FAFSA information, you will be evaluated for
financial need and a financial aid package will be determined. If you have been offered a
Federal Work-Study award, you will be given the opportunity to seek employment on campus.
To initiate the process for work-study, you must first accept the work-study award online.
In order to be employed, you will need to login to the online application
system www.cccd.edu/employment, and apply for a FWS position. There is a link to the WorkStudy Student Assignment Form in your Federal Work-Study Award Letter. You will need to
take this form with you to any interviews. The FWS assignment form must then be completed
and signed by your employer and returned to Rena Quinonez in the Job Placement Office. You
will then receive an email stating your effective start date.
Who is eligible for Federal Work-Study?
FWS is awarded according to the standard financial aid application and statutory need analysis
procedure. In order to be eligible for a FWS award/funds, a student must:
 Maintain satisfactory academic progress (SAP) which is determined by the number of units
attempted and completed at the end of each semester as well as maintaining a minimum
GPA requirement.
CCCD SAP Policy - http://www.cccd.edu/students/financial-aid/Pages/SatisfactoryAcademic-Progress-Policy.aspx
 Be determined eligible and awarded a FWS allocation by the Financial Aid Office. Students
must complete the application process by filing a Free Application for Federal Student Aid
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(FAFSA) and meet the March 2nd priority filing deadline to be considered for priority
awarding. Recipients must reapply for the FAFSA each year.
 Not owe a repayment to any Title IV grant program nor be in default on any Title IV loans
received at any school.
 Be enrolled and remain in at least 6 units at OCC throughout each semester that you are
working and must be making consistent progress toward a degree / certificate. When a
student withdraws or is withdrawn from a class for any reason, it is the student’s
responsibility to inform the Financial Aid Office.
 Have an Expected Family Contribution (EFC) of 300 or less. The EFC is calculated using the
information that a student provides on the FAFSA.
How to accept your FWS offer?
Step 1- Accept your FWS award using the Check Financial Aid Status link on your MyOCC
homepage.
Step 2- Read the Federal Work-Study Student Handbook. You will need to sign a confirmation
that you have read and understand what is expected of you when you meet with Rena
Quinonez.
Step 3- Login using the link provided in your email to the online application system to apply for
a position.
Step 4- Wait to be contacted for an interview. Bring Assignment Form with you to all interviews
until you are hired in a department.
Step 5- Go to Job Placement on the 3rd floor of Watson Hall and make an appointment to meet
with Rena Quinonez. Bring your Assignment Form with you to appointment.
Step 6- Wait for the email that has your effective start date to begin working.
What is a Federal Work-Study Student Assignment Form?
The FWS Student Assignment form is used to authorize your participation in the program and it
indicates the amount of your FWS eligibility. It is the student’s responsibility to submit the form
back to the Job Placement Center. The student assignment form is accessible in your Federal
Work-Study Award Letter for each student.
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Job Postings
All job postings are online, you will need to complete an application and attach your Federal
Work-Study Award Letter and your class schedule to the application in order to apply for a FWS
position.
After interviewing, if you are hired, bring your completed assignment form to the Job
Placement Office. Wait patiently while the Financial Aid Office confirms your eligibility and
notifies you and your employer when you can begin to work.
Once you are hired
STEP 1 Personnel Action Form (PAF) will be emailed to Human Resources. If they do not have
your PAF, please notify Angela Varner.
STEP 2 All new hires and re-hires will receive an email from Human Resources Office, you must
submit all paperwork before you can start working.
**YOU CANNOT WORK UNTIL YOU HAVE SUBMITTED THE ADDITIONAL PAPERWORK!**
General Guidelines for Student Workers
Work Ethics
A good work ethic includes being dependable, reliable, and having the initiative to get the job
done correctly. Arrive at work on time. If you are scheduled to work from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm,
you are expected to be in your department no later than 9:00 am and leave no earlier than
12:00 pm. You may not arrive late or leave early due to your class schedule. You are expected
to have known your class schedule before accepting the hours you are asked to work.
FWS students must work under the direct supervision of department supervisors.
Address Changes
Update your address and phone number promptly with Personnel Services, Financial Aid, and
the Admissions & Records Office any time there is a change.
Change in Awards
Remember, FWS awards are subject to change, even after you begin working. This is especially
true if you receive additional financial assistance such as an outside scholarship or award that
was not considered in your initial financial aid package. The Financial Aid Office will notify both
you and your supervisor if we discover that the FWS award has to be increased / decreased or
canceled as required by Federal regulations.
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Falsification of Time Reported
FWS student employees may not falsify the number of hours worked to their employer. If a
student is found to have falsified hours, employment may be terminated, and the student will
be required to reimburse Orange Coast College all the money paid for falsified hours.
Payroll Process
Wages / Hours
When you accept a FWS position, you accept the following terms and conditions:
 Maintain enrollment in at least 6 units at OCC throughout each semester that you are
working.
 You are expected to be at work on-time as scheduled, or to notify your supervisor in a
timely manner if you are going to be late or will not be able to work.
 Complete new hire orientation with Personnel Services.
 Perform your assignment in a responsible manner.
 You are responsible for reporting your time accurately.
 Monitor your earnings so you do not exceed your award.
 Student employees are paid $12 per hour in the work-study program for all positions.
 You must work to earn a work-study award and will be paid for actual time worked on the
job.
 A work-study award is not a guarantee of a job or earnings totaling the work-study award.
 A work-study award may be made for fall and/or spring. Funding may change as the
student’s eligibility changes or as funds are spent by the institution.
 You must notify your supervisor immediately if the amount of your FWS award is revised or
canceled.
 As a FWS student employee, you cannot volunteer hours at your job. You must be paid for
all hours worked.
 The hours worked each week depends on the actual amount awarded.
 To calculate how many hours you may work each semester, divide the amount of money
you may earn each semester by your rate of pay. This gives you the number of hours you
may work each semester. There are 16 weeks in a term. Divide the number of hours you
may work each semester by 16. This gives you the number of hours you may work each
week.
Example: $2000 per semester ÷ $11.511 per hr = 173.76 hrs per term
173.76 ÷ 16 weeks = 10.86 hrs per week
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 You cannot work more than 8 hours a day and/or 19 hours per week. You cannot work
when the college is closed (i.e., holidays, weekends). Note: Best practice for student success
and retention suggests that students are more likely to have academic success working no
more than 15 hours per week.
 Submitting your timesheet is your responsibility. If you do not submit it in a timely manner,
you may not receive payment until the following pay period.
 Record your hours accurately each time you work. Do not wait until the end of the pay
period and try to reconstruct your work times. Record the total number of hours that you
work each day, on your time sheet, to the nearest quarter hour (.25 = 15 min., .50 = 30 min.,
.75 = 45 min.)
 Keep a regular paper timesheet to log day-to-day hours during each time period. This
serves as a record and a backup copy.
A student's work schedule and the number of hours worked may vary from semester to
semester because of his/her course load, class schedule, and extracurricular activities. The
student must make work schedule arrangements with his/her supervisor each term.
A student’s Work-Study Allocation is for one year beginning, the first day of the fall semester,
and ending May 28th , the last day of spring semester for all students.
If you are awarded for one semester, then the last day of work is the last day of that semester.
Wages under the Federal Work-Study Program are considered earned income and are subject
to Federal, State, and local tax withholding. Students employed under the Federal Work-Study
Program will receive a W-2 form at the end of February that documents all earnings at the
District for that tax year. It is the student’s responsibility to report all FWS earnings on their
own income tax returns. Be sure to report FWS earnings as earned income and as income
exclusion on question #44C of the FAFSA for the next award year to avoid being penalized for
the FWS earnings.
When your allocated hours for the semester are used up, you cannot work unless the
department is willing to pay you out of their own funds.
How Are FWS Students Paid?
FWS students will be required to submit all hours and times worked on a monthly basis via the
Internet at http://mycoast.cccd.edu. Timesheet must be submitted on the website by the 10th
of the month.
The actual amount students receive depends on the hours worked each month. If students do
not earn their entire FWS award, the unearned amount is forfeited at the end of the academic
year (June 9th). It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that their time worked is entered
into the website correctly and must be submitted by the hiring Manager by the appropriate
deadlines. Failure to meet the stated deadlines may cause the student not to get paid in a
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timely manner. Students/supervisors who wish to check the status of submitted time sheets
may contact the Personnel Services Office. Timesheets require both the student and
supervisor’s submission for the times and dates worked. It is also the student’s responsibility to
ensure that the timesheets are completed correctly and are submitted on time. Submitting
incorrect timesheets may cause a delay in pay. Due to fiscal year end requirements, all
timesheets that are not turned in prior to June 30th of the fiscal year will not be paid through
FWS funds and will become a responsibility of the supervising department to be paid.
The FWS pay period runs from the 10th of the current month through the 9th of the following
month. Student employees are paid by check each month on the 10th. Paychecks will be mailed
to the address we have on file. If the 10th falls on a Saturday, students are paid on
Friday. Similarly, if the 10th falls on a Sunday, the students are paid on the following Monday.
For Example: Pay period from: August 10th – September 9th (Student submits worked hours
by September 9th and will not get paid until October 10th.)
Students may choose to fill out a Direct Deposit Form and have paychecks deposited directly to
their own personal bank accounts. Students may pick up this form from the Personnel Services
Office.
Employment Policies
Work Absences
Planned absences: If you know that you have a special event, doctor’s appointment, or other
planned absence, please let your supervisor know as soon as possible that you are going to be
absent during your regular work hours. If at all possible, five working days’ notice would be
preferable, as this will give time to make arrangements to cover your shift.
Unplanned absence / late to work: If you are going to be unexpectedly late or absent, please
contact a supervisor as soon as you know so that the necessary arrangements to cover your
shift can be made.
No call / no show: If you do not call or show up for work within 15 minutes of your start time,
you will be considered a “no call, no show.” The first time this occurs, you will receive a written
warning from your supervisor. The second time this occurs, you may be terminated from
employment.
Lunch Hours or Breaks
Students are allowed a paid fifteen-minute break during a shift of four hours or longer. If a
student works more than six consecutive hours during one day, student must take an unpaid
break or lunch of at least a 30-minute break and this break must be indicated on the timesheet.
It is expected that break periods be taken approximately half-way through their shift. Students
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may not take breaks at the beginning or end of the shift, and students may not combine your
breaks to come in late or leave early.
Employment Benefits
Every student employee is covered during working hours by Worker's Compensation for workrelated injury. It is imperative that the employee immediately report any job-related accident
to his/her supervisor and to the Student Health Center. Additional information regarding
Worker's Compensation is available from the Office of Payroll and Benefits.
Federal Work-Study student employees are not entitled to receive employment benefits such
as overtime pay, paid holidays, vacation, sick leave, medical benefits, retirement benefits, shift
differential, jury duty or unemployment insurance.
Termination
Students may be terminated for several reasons. A student:
a. Must be terminated when the FWS award allocation is fully earned;
b. May be terminated at student’s request;
c. May be terminated when student’s performance is unacceptable based on an
objective assessment;
d. Enrollment drops below six (6) units;
e. Is repeatedly late for work;
f. Fails to make arrangements with your supervisor prior to absences;
g. Falsifies hours reported on timesheets.
Transferring / Ending FWS Assignments
FWS students may only be employed in one position at any given time under the FWS program.
Students may choose to change positions. In general, they are discouraged from changing
positions more than once during the academic year. Student employees must give supervisors
two weeks’ notice before terminating their employment. Student employment is temporary
employment and therefore, supervisors may choose to end the employment of student
employees at any time for any reason.
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