Work-Study Employer

1.    To request work-study students for the academic year, the designated supervisor must complete a Federal Work-Study Assignment Questionnaire for each academic year.   This questionnaire notification is typically sent to supervisors end of April/early May.  We encourage the employer to contact all staff members in their department/unit/agency to determine the number of students required for the department before completing this questionnaire.

2.    Updating the department’s contact information is important to the success of the program and the experience of the student because the contact person is responsible for orientation, supervision and payroll.

3.    Be specific when listing any preferences or requirements (i.e. must have office experience, must interview first, etc.) in the preference section.   Typically, students are not interviewed individually but are required to complete and submit a ‘Federal Work-Study Program Assignment Questionnaire’ every year to determine interests and abilities for placement.

4.    To rehire a specific student, please enter the student’s name and check the “Rehire” box on the request page. However, there are no assurances that the requested student(s) will be awarded Federal Work-Study or be assigned to your department, especially if they elect not to return to the same department.

5.    The request form is available in WINGS. Please see the link at the bottom of this web page to access the request form. Employers without WINGS access need to complete the hard copy form for each term.

6.    Below are the UW-La Crosse approved Federal Work-Study positions and descriptions.

• Athletic Assistant: General office/computer work, running errands, equipment room, laundry, etc. May involve taking statistics for teams/working for athletic events (evenings)
• Computer Lab/Support: Supervise/assist students using computers and facilities, as well as troubleshooting technology issues if applicable to position. Demonstrate use if necessary. Basic computer knowledge/skills.
• Custodial Assistant: Clean and perform miscellaneous manual tasks in care of buildings.
• Customer Service Attendant: Inventory/stock shelves, deliver/check in/out equipment, schedule appointments, maintain records, clean /repair machines/equipment. Fill orders, serve customers, operate cash register, and handle cash.
• Laboratory Assistant: Supervise/assist students/visitors using laboratory equipment/facilities. Demonstrate/operate machines. Clean/organize equipment/materials. Prepare labs for classroom activities.
• Landscape Maintenance Assistant:  Mow, line trim, plant, water. Handle litter and recycling. Maintain fields before and after athletic events. Perform other miscellaneous manual tasks in care of grounds.
• Library Assistant: Gather/organize information/visual materials. Schedule appointments, fill orders, check materials in/out. Straighten/mend/inspect/stock & monitor books/films/other educational resources.
• Office Assistant: Type, data entry, file, run errands, photocopy, greet visitors, answer telephone, circulate mail, prepare class materials, etc.
• Recreation Assistant: Officiate and/or score keep intramural sports leagues. Training included therefore no certification required, though general sports knowledge is helpful. Certified lifeguards also needed for open swimming and water aerobics classes.
• Teacher’s Aid: Assist in preparation of class materials and/or instruction, grade papers, etc.
• Tutor: Advise/tutor students.
• Other: Will need to describe position and duties.

Federal Work-Study (FWS) positions are assigned to students who have accepted their FWS award and submitted their FWS Assignment Questionnaire (required each year).

2.   Typically, the students are assigned FWS positions approximately two weeks before the start date of a term. We will make every effort to match students with the department’s needs; however, this will not always be possible since we try to assign students by their interest or major. Students must be assigned a FWS position by the Financial Aid Office, even if a student had been assigned to the department in the past. To check a student’s eligibility for Federal Work-Study, or to see if the student has a valid assignment from our office, contact the Financial Aid Office at 785.8604

3.   The designated supervisor will receive a copy of an official "Federal Work-Study/Community Service Assignment" referral for each student assigned to their department from the Financial Aid office via campus e-mail. Students cannot work under the Federal Work–Study Program without a work–study referral from the Financial Aid Office.  Additional students may be assigned to the department as students submit their FWS Assignment Questionnaire.

4.    The student(s) assigned to your department have been notified to report directly to the supervisor on the referral for scheduling. It is important to notify the Financial Aid Office regarding any work-study student who has not reported to the department by the end of the second week of classes.

• Supervisors must work with their Student Hourly Process Coordinator to process both new student hires and confirm returning student employees. During the hire business process in Workday, additional steps are required to enter costing allocations and work‑study information. The  Student Hourly Staffing job aid provides detailed guidance for hiring a student employee or adding an additional job to an existing student record in Workday.
• Students must complete Onboarding and all related hire tasks in Workday before their start date.
• Pay and Time Entry
  • Students are paid every other Thursday via direct deposit.
  • Pay rates are set by the supervisor or department and must meet the federal minimum wage.
  • Students are responsible for recording, reviewing, and submitting their own time in Workday (Entering Time in Workday – Employee). Students must submit by end of day (EOD) Sunday of the week prior to the pay date.
  • Supervisors must review and approve time (Approving Time and Time Off in the Time and Scheduling Hub - Manager) by EOD Monday of the week prior to the pay date.
• Departments are responsible for monitoring student work‑study earnings, as departments will be charged 100% of any earnings that exceed the student’s work‑study allocation.
• Students employed under the Federal Work‑Study/Community Service Programs for the 2026–2027 academic year must adhere to the academic year schedule.

*Please note you must be logged into Workday for the above links to work.

HOLIDAYS AND NON-CLASS DAYS
Students are not required to work during holidays and non-class days, but may work up to 40 hours per week when classes are not in session.

2026-2027 Academic Year schedule:

• Sunday, September 6, 2026 - Saturday, May 15, 2027 (using Federal Work-Study funding through UWL Student Payroll)

When classes are in session, students may not work more than 25 hours per week.

Funding for Federal Work-Study will automatically be cancelled for all students who do not report to their supervisors by the end of the second week of classes. Students are advised to contact the Financial Aid Office to discuss any problem and/or changes before the second week of classes. Once the Financial Aid Office is notified that assigned students are canceling their Federal Work-Study, replacement students will be assigned as they become available.