Am I eligible for student employment?

  • You must be enrolled in at least 6 credits, unless you are scheduled to graduate in the current quarter.
  • You must be in good academic standing (2.0 GPA).
  • If you are a Work Study recipient, you must demonstrate financial need by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or the Washington Application for State Financial Aid (WASFA).

How many hours can I work when enrolled?

  • You cannot exceed 19 hours per week while attending classes during a quarter.
  • You can work up to 40 hours per week once you have completed your last final of the quarter. However, you must check that there's enough remaining in your Work Study award to cover the increase in hours.
  • If you overspend your award, you or your supervisor’s department will need to reimburse the college for over-earnings.

What dates can student employees work each quarter?

Students can work beginning the first day of fall quarter through June 14th which is the FINAL day for employment for all work study students working in on campus positions.

Where are jobs listed and how do I apply?

Visit the Handshake website for all SPSCC job listings. 

Do I need to have a resume/cover letter?

Yes, a resume and cover letter are mandatory for all student employment positions. You can visit the Learning Support Center or Career Services for help reviewing and updating your cover letter and resume or visit the Learning Support Center resource page for help.

How long is Work Study Authorization Form valid for?

Work Study Authorization Forms are completed once per academic year and are valid through June 14th--Last day of work for work study students.

What do I do if I am hired during my graduation quarter and I plan to be enrolled under 6 credits?

If you plan to be enrolled under 6 credits during your quarter of graduation, you must complete a Notification Of Enrollment Under 6 Credits form and email it to studentemployment@spscc.edu 15 days before the beginning of your graduation quarter.

Where do I get my W-2 form?

Contact Human Resources for information about your W-2.

Where do I submit the hiring paperwork?

  • Newly hired student employees can submit their completed and signed Work Study Authorization Form and hiring documentation to the financial aid office, who will ensure your forms are completed correctly and forward the information to HR.
  • You must complete a FAFSA or WASFA application each year to ensure work study eligibility and you will need to complete a new WSAF with your employer if you plan to continue in your work study position for the upcoming year.

When do I need to complete a background check (Check via Human Resources)?

You will only be asked to complete a background check if your position requires you to drive a state or college-owned vehicle or have unsupervised access to children under sixteen years of age, developmentally disabled persons, or vulnerable adults.

After I submit my hiring paperwork, when can I begin working?

You must wait to receive an “Eligible to Work” email from the financial aid office before you can be scheduled to work.

What process do I need to complete if I change jobs or supervisors?

  • If you are a Work Study recipient, you must have a Work Study Authorization Form completed by your new employer and submit that information to the financial aid office indicating you have changed work study jobs.

What process do I need to complete if I need to leave my job or I am terminated?

  • You must coordinate with your immediate supervisor if time off is needed. 
  • If you require extended periods of time off for any reason (disability, family and medical, military, jury duty, vacation), you will need to speak to your immediate supervisor.
  • If given leave while maintaining a position, it will be rendered without pay unless you decide to use accrued paid sick leave hours.

If you vacate your position, you must:

  • Notify your supervisors immediately that you no longer plan to continue in your position as a work study.
  • Email studentemployment@spscc.edu to notify the financial aid office that you are no longer participating in work study employment.

 

Work Study vs Student Hourly Positions

Work Study is a need-based financial aid award determined by the completion of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or Washington State Aid (WASFA), which allows for a portion of the earnings paid to a student out of Federal or State funding allocations.

Hourly Student positions are simply students who are part-time hourly employees. 100% of the student earnings for students hired into hourly positions will come from the department's budget. Employers intending to hire students in hourly positions, should work closely with HR to ensure that Federal and State laws regarding the employment of students are monitored and followed.

*We strongly encourage on campus employers to utilize federal and state work study programs to the best of their ability to ensure that the campus is maximizing all of the funding resources available.

Hiring Work Study Students

  • Complete the Position Request Form located here.
  • Work Study Specialist will review the form and classify your job as federal work, state work study and/or student hourly (if classified as student hourly you will work directly with HR to hire your students.
  • Once your job is classified as federal or state work study, you will be approved to set up your job in Handshake (you will have the ability to see approved work study applicants in Handshake).
  • Once you've hired your student(s), you will digitally complete the Work Study Authorization Form (WSAF) and that will automatically be sent to the Work Study Specialist.
  • The Work Study Specialist will contact your new hire to complete the paperwork for submission to HR. 
  • Once HR has completed the set-up for the student employee, the Work Study Specialist will email new hire start date and instructions to your new employee.

Completing the Position Request Form (PRF)

This is the first step in requesting student employee position on campus. Completing the form allows for the Work Study Specialist to ensure your position is correctly classified and that your job descriptions is updated and follows guidelines and policy for hiring students. 

  • Clearly state the requirements and duties for the job and ensure that the job descriptions comply with Equal Opportunity Employment Guidelines
  • Clearly describe the educational benefits a student can expect to gain from the work experience.
  • Whenever possible, positions should reinforce the student's educational or career goals.
  • Employment of students cannot displace regular full-time staff positions, fill vacancies due to a labor dispute or impair existing contracts for service.
  • Work study students may not fill positions that have been occupied by regular employees during the current or prior year. 
  • Work study positions during the academic year are part-time with a maximum of 19 hours per week.
  • Job descriptions MUST be resubmitted and approved every academic year. 
  • The Work Study Specialist will notify departments of the window under which departments will need to submit new and continuing job requests.
  • Job Descriptions will require you to estimate how many positions you expect to hire in the coming year.
  • Once the Job Description is completed and approved employers may hire multiple students under the same job description.

Student Job Classifications

Job classifications for student jobs are determined by the Work Study Specialist and the SPSCC Human Resources department.

State Work Study

Jobs listed in the Office of Financial Management (OFM) will be classified as state work study per Washington State Achievement Council (WSAC) guidelines. On campus state work study positions are eligible for 60% reimbursement of the student earnings. 

Examples of State Work Study Job Titles:

  • Office Assistant I or Office Assistant II
  • Food Service Worker
  • Grounds and Nursery Specialist
  • Instruction and Classroom Support Technician
  • Lab Assistant
  • Early Childhood Education Specialist
Federal Work Study

Federal work study positions are eligible for 75% reimbursement to the department unless employed in a Community Service Position or under the America Reads Programs (Some Tutors) which are eligible to  be reimbursed at 100% of the student earnings.

Examples of Federal Work Study Job Titles:

  • Student Tutor
  • Student Athletic Assistant
  • Access Services Scribe
  • Clipper Cafe Barista
  • Student Ambassador
  • Peer Mentors
WorkFirst Work Study

Students eligible for WorkFirst work study will be hired under this classification. WorkFirst work study students are eligible for 100% reimbursement of the student earnings back to the employer.

Whenever possible, employers should be willing to hire work study students. SPSCC is allocated federal and state funding to support these programs. This also allows you to hire additional workers by maximizing your budget for student employees and ensures proper utilization of campus resources.

In the instance that you do not have any viable applicants who are eligible for work study or who are unable to participate in work study such as, international students, running start students, your position would then default to student hourly and you would need to work with HR to hire your student and ensure you are following all applicable laws for hourly student employment positions.

Help for Employers in Handshake

Complete the employer account process and once your job is approved and classified you will be able to post it directly into Handshake. You are responsible for monitoring your job position and contacting student applicants for interviews (see Hiring Work Study Students above).

Tips for Successfully Employing Work Study Students

  • Students must meet quarterly requirements for Satisfactory Academic Progress and remain in good standing to continue working in student positions. 
  • Employers must monitor student hours to ensure that students aren't working over the maximum 19 hours per week and are not working over their work study awards.
  • Employers should notify employeecheckout@spscc.edu to indicate students who are terminated from their positions or are no longer working. 
  • Employers must go through the Position Request process yearly even if they plan to continue to employ the same student in the following year.