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Federal Community Service Work Study

Employer Guidelines for Federal Community Service Work Study (FCSWS)

The FCSWS program is a federally subsidized work program which provides eligible students the opportunity to work for a public or 501(c)3 nonprofit organization whose mission and work benefits the community. Salaries average $10/hour, with the qualified employer paying 25%of the hourly wage. Below are the guidelines employers must follow before hiring a student for a federal community service work study.

Benefits

The employing organization benefits by receiving graduate student interns at an affordable rate. The student benefits by working in a position that has a positive impact on the community, while earning compensation.

Eligibility/Federal Guidelines

  1. Job/internship must have a direct impact on improving quality of life in the community.
  2. Your organization must be a public or non-profit service organization.
  3. The student must have a Federal Work Study award.
  4. Contract must be signed between your organization and Carnegie Mellon University. Carnegie Mellon University will not sign any internal agreements or contracts for your organization.

Process to Hire a Student

  1. Post a job in TartanTRAK and indicate that it is an internship posting.
  2. Once you receive resumes, arrange interviews, and select the student you wish to hire. (Please be sure they have a work-study award.)
  3. Request the Federal Community Service Work Study Approval Form from Mary Lou Brososky at (412) 268-9102 and provide a brief job description.
  4. Pati Kravetz, Director of Student Employment, will review the approval form to ensure the job meets federal guidelines. If it does, she'll contact you so you can sign the FCSWS contract. The contract is between your organization and Carnegie Mellon University. If your position doesn't meet the federal guidelines, you will be notified.
  5. As the employer, you agree to pay 25% of the agreed upon hourly wage for the student salary; the Federal government pays 75%. The student will generally earn a total of $10/hour.
  6. Once the contract is signed, the student may begin to work if the semester has begun. A student usually receives a $1,500 work study award each fall and spring semester and up to $5,600 for the summer semester (full-time over the summer). Please note that these are general guidelines, and the work study award may vary.

Monitoring Student Hours

  1. Students will have timesheets to track their work hours.
  2. You're required to sign the timesheets and fax it to Mary Lou Brososky at 412-268-7036 by the due date listed.
  3. Carnegie Mellon will bill you for the 25% of the student’s hourly wage.
  4. You're responsible for paying 100% of the student salary should the student exceed his work study award/allotted hours (ordinarily 150 hours per semester).