FAQs: Community Service Agencies
- Who is eligible to work a paid Federal Work-Study (FWS) Community Service position?
- How can I determine whether or not a student is eligible for FWS?
- How many hours per week are students allowed to work?
- How will I ensure my student employee does not surpass his or her Federal Work-Study eligibility?
- How much can I pay Federal Work-Study students?
- Can we pay a Federal Work-Study student employee a flat rate or time and a half for working special events?
- What are the employment dates for Federal Work-Study students?
- How do students report their time worked?
- When do Ultratime printouts have to be submitted to the Office of Student Employment?
- How are Community Service agencies billed?
- Who is eligible to work a paid Federal Work-Study (FWS) Community Service position?
Only students who are awarded Federal Work-Study in their Financial Aid Offer are eligible to work in a Community Service position. Students awarded Campus Employment are not eligible.
- How can I determine whether or not a student is eligible for FWS?
You must request documentation indicating the student received Federal Work-Study. Documentation should be requested before a student is interviewed. Examples of documentation include:
- Copy of the Financial Aid Offer email sent to the student by the Office of Financial Aid offering Federal Work-Study
- Printout of the student’s current financial aid (from InsideND) reflecting “Federal Work-Study” or “Federal Community Service”
- How many hours per week are students allowed to work?
Students may hold more than one position at a time; however, University policy limits the number of hours a student may work to 20 per week (total of all positions) during the academic year.
In addition, a FWS Community Service student’s earnings are restricted by the amount of their Federal Work-Study eligibility. A FWS Community Service student’s earnings may NOT exceed his or her Federal Work-Study eligibility. Doing so may impact other financial aid the student has been awarded. It may also require the employing agency to reimburse wages in excess of the student’s eligibility.
- How will I ensure my student employee does not surpass his or her Federal Work-Study eligibility?
The Financial Aid Offer or printout will indicate how much the student is eligible to earn for the full academic year. Please note that Federal Work-Study eligibility can change during the semester; it is the student’s responsibility to follow up with you.
Ultimately, it is the student’s and agency’s responsibility to monitor the student’s earnings based upon the rate of pay and the number of hours worked. Keep in mind that if the student holds a second or third FWS Community Service position, earnings from those jobs will also be deducted from the student’s eligibility. It is important to confirm hours on a regular basis so large numbers of unpaid hours do not accumulate.
- How much can I pay Federal Work-Study students?
The hourly rate of pay should be determined by using the following factors: the range and complexity of the job's duties; the knowledge and skill requirements necessary to perform the job; and equity (wage relationships with other student employees doing similar work). Please review the Eligibility & Rates page for the current hourly student pay rate.
- Can we pay a Federal Work-Study student employee a flat rate or time and a half for working special events?
- Based on the receipt of the SPAF, we enter the Hourly Rate and Hours per two week Pay Period for the position. The system is set-up to pay the student a set hourly rate x the number of hours worked. We do not have a mechanism in place to increase the hourly rate of pay for a position for a specified number of hours.
- What are the employment dates for Federal Work-Study students?
August 1, 2023 is the academic year start date for student employees (earliest).
May 10, 2024, is the final day that a FWS Community Service student can work for the 2023/2024 academic year. The agency may be responsible for reimbursing the student for any hours worked after this date.
- How do students report their time worked?
- Students submit their time through UltraTime, which they can access through InsideND. Since off-campus community service agencies do not have access to UltraTime, students need to print a copy of their timesheet and give it to you for approval. You need to sign the timesheet, and then before the payroll deadline, email an image of the timesheet with your signature (which is the approval of the hours worked) to stdempl@nd.edu. Student Employment then logs into UltraTime and approves the hours worked
- When do Ultratime printouts have to be submitted to the Office of Student Employment?
Ultratime printouts are due to the Office of Student Employment (stdempl@nd.edu) by the Friday before the end of a pay period. The Payroll deadline is 9:00 a.m. every other Monday following the end of a pay period, with a few exceptions around the holidays. Ultratime printouts received after this deadline will be paid on the following payroll. The Bi-Weekly Payroll Calendar can be viewed on the Payroll website. Please encourage your students to submit their Ultratime printouts in a timely manner to ensure they are paid promptly.
- How are Community Service agencies billed?
- Based upon the percentage outlined in the Agency Agreement, your organization will be billed every 2 months. Payments should be made to the University of Notre Dame within 30 days of receipt of an invoice. Organizations that have a University account number (FOAPAL), your account will be debited electronically. If you have positions that are eligible to receive 100% Federal Work-Study funding you will not be billed.