|
2007-2008 Federal Work Study (FWS) Information for Students
(We strongly suggest using Internet Explorer to view this page)
THE BASICS
1. The GW Office of Student Financial Assistance provides you FWS funding.
2. The GW Career Center helps you find a FWS job.
This year’s program begins: Tuesday, September 4, 2007
This year’s program ends: Saturday, May 3, 2008.
PLEASE READ THE INFORMATION ON THIS PAGE CAREFULLY!
Scroll to the bottom of this page for a complete list of printable forms and checklists to help you with FWS (which contains all the information that is listed on this page).
WHAT IS THE FEDERAL WORK STUDY PROGRAM?
The Federal Work Study Program (FWS) is a federally-funded work program which allows students who have received a Federal Work Study Award as part of their overall Financial Aid Package to earn wages during college while working at pre-approved organizations, including the University itself, local nonprofits, government agencies and community service employers.
Attend an FWS Orientation Session
For the 2007-2008 academic year, there will be two orientation sessions held at the beginning of the fall semester. We strongly suggest attending one of them:
- Tuesday, September 4, 2-4pm, in the Dorothy Betts Marvin Theater
- Wednesday, September 5, 5-7pm, in the Dorothy Betts Marvin Theater
The programs will begin promptly, so please arrive early to allow enough time to find an available seat. If you unable to attend one of these sessions, you may make an appointment with a Career Consultant by calling 202.994.6495.
Click here if you would like to view the PowerPoint presentation that was shown to parents at Colonial Inauguration.
Click here to read about Frequently Asked Questions (and answers!) pertaining to the FWS Program.
AM I ELIGIBLE TO PARTICIPATE IN FWS?
If you have not applied for financial aid through GW’s Office of Student Financial Assistance and have not been awarded a financial aid package which includes a Federal Work Study Award, then you are not eligible to participate in this program. You are still welcome to use GWork, our online jobs board, to locate non-FWS campus jobs and local part-time employment off campus.
HOW DO I GET A FEDERAL WORK STUDY AWARD?
At GW, the monetary aspect of the FWS program is administered by Office of Student Financial Assistance (OSFA). You must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) each year in order to be considered for an FWS award. This form is available through the University's Office of Student Financial Assistance (OSFA).
Click here for instructions on how to accept your Federal Work Study award online.
Be aware that your FWS may be adjusted:
GW’s OFSA may make adjustments to your FWS award if your financial information changes – even after the academic year is in progress. If a scholarship or another form of financial aid is added to your financial aid package after that package has been finalized, Federal Work Study funds could decrease, or the award could be cancelled completely.
If your FWS award is adjusted:
GW’s OSFA will notify only you. A federal privacy law called “FERPA” (Family Education Rights Privacy Act of 1974) prohibits OSFA from sharing that information with anyone else.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Neither the Career Center nor the employer will be notified if there is an adjustment of your FWS award. YOU - and only you - are responsible for notifying your employer as soon as you know your FWS award has been changed.
The change can have important effects on the number of hours you are able to work as a FWS student, or even whether you can continue to work under the FWS program at all. Please contact OSFA if you have questions about your FWS award changing.
WHAT IS A FEDERAL WORK STUDY JOB?
Once you’ve accepted your FWS award, visit the Career Center to learn about obtaining a FWS job. There are many options.
A FWS job is a part-time, temporary position with a pre-approved employer. You may work on-campus at any office that is part of the University as long as that office has signed a FWS Participation Agreement with the Career Center, or you may work at a select group of off-campus non-profit organizations who have been pre-approved by the Career Center.
Each employer decides upon the nature of the work, sets an hourly wage, determines when and how to interview you, and works with the Career Center to get you “hired” so that you can receive a paycheck every other Friday. GW FWS students may not start working before Tuesday, September 4, 2007, and must end their work study job no later than Saturday, May 3, 2008.
WHEN DO I FIND A FWS JOB?
Most students find their FWS jobs at the beginning of the Fall semester, although you may obtain a job at any time during the year. You may choose to wait until the Spring semester until you obtain a FWS job. If you decide to wait until the Spring semester to obtain a FWS job, you must notify your Financial Aid Counselor in OSFA by October 12, 2007, or risk having your FWS award CANCELED.
Click here for more information about the October 12, 2007 deadline.
WHERE DO I FIND AN FWS JOB?
FWS students may be employed only by organizations that have been pre-approved by the University. The student is responsible for identifying and applying for positions of interest in the manner specified in the job listing. If you are considering an off-campus position, you must confirm with the Career Center that your employer has been pre-approved.
The best ways to find a federal work study job with an approved employer:
1. Attend the FWS Job Fair on Thursday, September 6, 2007
Dozens of employers will be waiting to meet you at the FWS Job Fair on Thursday, September 6, 2007, from 1:00–4:00 pm in the Marvin Center’s Grand Ballroom. Please dress appropriately since many employers conduct preliminary job interviews at the Fair. Bring your resume and be prepared to fill out job applications. You will need your GWorld ID card to gain entrance to the Fair.
2. Online Job Listings through GWork
During the summer, the Career Center staff works to arrange appropriate Federal Work Study opportunities. ALL FWS positions available will be posted on GWork, our online job listing service, beginning on August 27, 2007. After that point, job listings will continue to be updated as positions are filled and new positions are approved.
· To read about GWork, click here:
· To register and/or log in to GWork, click here:
3. Contact GW Departments
Contact the office manager at any GW department that interests you, and ask if that office or department will be hiring FWS students.
WHERE CAN I WORK?
ON-CAMPUS:
You can work for any GW department, office, institute or center as long as that organization has signed a 2007-2008 FWS Participation Agreement with the GW Career Center. When you contact or visit a prospective employer, ask if they’ve “signed a contract with the Career Center.” If you meet your employer at the FWS Job Fair on September 6, you can be assured that they have signed a contract.
OFF-CAMPUS: You may work for any of the pre-approved off-campus non-profit agencies who have been selected by GW to participate in the 2007-2008 FWS Program. If an employer does not appear on this list, you may NOT use your FWS funds there. If you have any doubt about whether an off-campus organization has been pre-approved to hire GW FWS students, contact the Career Center at fws@gwu.edu!
If you make contact and accept a job from an organization that has not been pre-approved, your FWS funds cannot be used and that employer is fully responsible for paying you. The University will not have any leverage in helping you obtain a paycheck if you accept employment with an unapproved organization.
Approved Off-Campus FWS Employers for 2007-2008:
Updated August 22, 2007
· AACRAO – American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers
· Ashoka: Innovators for the Public
· Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America
· Breastfeeding Outreach of Greater Washington
· Campaign Finance Institute
· Center for Cultural & Technical Interchange Between East & West
· DC Children’s Trust Fund
· DC Employment Justice Center
· Freedom House
· Genetic Alliance
· GW Hatchet
· GW Medical Faculty Associates
· Hillel at The George Washington University
· Institute for Women’s Policy Research
· Jerusalem Fund/Palestine Center
· Men Can Stop Rape
· National Air & Space Museum
· National Archives & Records Administration
· National Association for Environmental Management
· National Association for Law Placement/PS LawNET
· New Leaders for New Schools
· Paralyzed Veterans of America
· Peace Corps
· Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network
· Reach 4 Success
· Robert Graham Center – Health Landscapes
· Student Conservation Association
· Women In Government
GETTING HIRED
When you think of “getting hired,” you think of the point in time where an employer makes you a job offer and you accept.
When we in the GW Career Center talk about “getting hired,” we mean the process of inputting essential data about you and your job into GW’s Banner system so that a paycheck can be generated for you - we’re creating an employment record in GW’s enterprise system for you. THIS MUST HAPPEN BEFORE YOUR FIRST DAY AT YOUR FWS JOB.
Click here to view the Student Checklist with Policies & Procedures.
REPORTING HOURS WORKED:
If you work on campus, your employer will show you how to "clock in" and "clock out" using a phone located in your employer's office. You'll dial an extension that tells GW's time-keeping system (called KRONOS) when you arrive and when you leave.
If you work off-campus, your employer will advise you how to record the hours you work. Your employer will fax a timesheet (provided by the GW Career Center) every two weeks so that a paycheck will be generated for you by GW's Payroll Office. If your employer misses the time reporting deadline, you may experience a delay in receiving your paycheck. Your employer should tell you if this is the case (it should be rare!).
Please Note: Although work-study earnings are taxable, they need not be reported as earned income on your financial aid forms for the following school year. For more information, contact the Office of Student Financial Assistance, 202.994.6620 or 800.222.6242, Rice Hall 310, 2121 I Street NW, finaid@gwu.edu.
GETTING PAID
You will be paid every other Friday on the same schedule as all other university employees. While you are employed in a FWS job, your paychecks are issued by GW, even if you work off campus.
Click here to view Frequently Asked Questions (with answers!) about your FWS paycheck.
Click here to view the 2007-2008 GW Payroll Calendar.
GET DIRECT DEPOSIT
Direct deposit makes your life easier! Your FWS wages will be electronically deposited into the bank account or accounts that you specify.
IF YOU DO NOT SIGN UP FOR DIRECT DEPOSIT...
If you work ON CAMPUS, you will pick up your paycheck in your department on pay day.
If you work OFF CAMPUS, you will pick up your paycheck in the GW Career Center in Old Main, 1922 F Street, NW, on payday.
Click here to read more information about Direct Deposit from the GW Payroll Office.
Click here to download a copy of the Direct Deposit form. Return this form at any time during the year to the Career Center or the Payroll Office in Rome Hall, T-101. Expect a delay of one to two payroll periods while your chosen bank(s) sets up the electronic transfer protocols.
TAXES
FWS positions are subject to federal and local taxation. Students must complete federal and local tax forms, as well as an Employment Eligibility Verification (I-9) form prior to beginning work. These forms are available from the Career Center. Assistance in completing tax forms is available from the GW Tax Department located in Room 100 of Rome Hall.
Click here to read Frequently Asked Questions (with answers!) about taxes.
“USE IT OR LOSE IT” – FINDING A JOB BY FRIDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2007
You must obtain a FWS job and begin work by Friday, October 12, 2007 in order to retain your award. If you are not hired by this date, your award will be subject to automatic cancellation or reduction by OSFA. If you are applying for a job on or near October 12, please check your GWeb account to make certain that your FWS award is still ACTIVE - your FWS award must be active in order for you to be hired into a FWS job. If your award status is NOT ACTIVE, contact your Financial Aid Counselor as soon as possible.
You may choose to wait until the Spring semester until you obtain a FWS job. If you decide to wait until the Spring semester to obtain a FWS job, you must notify your Financial Aid Counselor in the GW OSFA by October 12, 2007 or risk having your FWS award canceled. Click here for more information.
The "Use It or Lose It" policy is intended to minimize the number of students who accept, but do not use their work-study awards. This policy helps OSFA maximize FWS awards for all students.
Click here for more information about the October 12, 2007 deadline.
ADJUSTMENTS TO YOUR FWS AWARD
GW’s OFSA may make adjustments to your FWS award if your financial information changes – even after the academic year is in progress. If a scholarship or another form of financial aid is added to your financial aid package after that package has been finalized, Federal Work Study funds could decrease, or the award could be cancelled completely.
If your FWS award is adjusted:
GW’s OSFA will notify only you. A federal privacy law called “FERPA” (Family Education Rights Privacy Act of 1974) prohibits OSFA from sharing that information with anyone else. The Career Center will NOT be notified that your FWS award has changed. Your FWS employer will NOT be notified that your FWS award has changed. YOU are responsible for notifying your employer as soon as know your FWS award has been changed. The change can have important effects on the number of hours you are able to work as a FWS student, or even whether you can continue to work under the FWS program at all. Please contact OSFA if you have questions about the adjustment of FWS awards.
MONITORING YOUR FWS AWARD THROUGHOUT THE YEAR
Since only YOU have access to information about your FWS award, it’s important to check your GWeb account regularly to see if anything about the award has changed.
YOU are also responsible for knowing when you are “running out of money” – that is, when the amount you’ve earned at your FWS job approaches the limit of FWS funding you’ve been given by OSFA. For example, if you’ve been awarded $2200 in FWS funds for the 2007-2008 year, you can only EARN UP TO $2200 at your FWS job.
When you’ve “used up” your FWS funds, you must either:
(a) STOP WORKING or
(b) be hired directly onto the payroll of the employer you work for so that the employer pays 100% of your salary. (Until the point where you’ve “used up” your FWS award, your employer pays a percentage of your wages and the federal government pays a percentage). If you have a question about running out of FWS funds, contact your Financial Aid Counselor in OSFA.
CHANGING FWS JOBS
Changing FWS jobs mid-year is very strongly discouraged. If you must change jobs, keep in mind that the hiring process must start over so expect a delay in paychecks during this transition time.
ONE FWS JOB AT A TIME
Students are not permitted to have more than one FWS job at any given time.
CLICK ON THE LINKS BELOW TO VIEW, DOWNLOAD AND PRINT FORMS RELATED TO FWS
2007-2008 STUDENT EMPLOYMENT FORMS PACKET
You may click below to download the entire packet or individual forms from the packet:
Complete Forms Packet
Download the entire packet (above link) or click below for individual forms from the packet:
*If you wish to file your taxes in a local jurisdiction other than the District of Columbia, please visit the Internal Revenue Service website to find the appropriate form at http://www.irs.gov. You may also find forms at thttp://www.gwu.edu/~payroll.
NEED ASSISTANCE?
· Questions about the FWS process: Call the Student Employment Line at 202.994.8046 or e-mail fws@gwu.edu.
· Need help finding a FWS job? Call the Career Center at 202.994.6495 to schedule an appointment with a Career Consultant, or stop by during Drop-In Hours (Academic Year - Mon-Thu 1-5pm; Fri 1-3pm; Summer - Mon-Fri 1-3pm).
· Have a question about your FWS paycheck and you work ON CAMPUS? Speak to your FWS supervisor.
· Have a question about your FWS paycheck and work OFF CAMPUS? E-mail us at fws@gwu.edu.
· Need to talk about a workplace issue concerning your FWS job? Call the Career Center at 202.994.6495 to schedule an appointment with a Career Consultant, or stop by during Drop-In Hours(Academic Year - Mon-Thu 1-5pm; Fri 1-3pm; Summer - Mon-Fri 1-3pm).
· Have any questions about your FWS award itself? Contact your Financial Aid Counselor in GW’s Office of Student Financial Assistance at 202.994.6620 or finaid@gwu.edu or stop by Colonial Central in the Marvin Center.
|
|
