To be considered as an eligible employer in the Community Work-Study Program, the agency and positions offered must meet the following conditions as established by the US Department of Education:

• Employer must be a US federal, state, or municipal public agency or private nonprofit organization as certified by the IRS.
• Position must directly benefit the community beyond Cornell University.
• Community service is defined as services designed to improve the quality of life for community residents, particularly low-income individuals, or to solve particular problems related to their needs.

New employers will need to submit the following forms to review eligibility:

1. Letter of Intent
2. Federal Work Study Agreement (contract)
3. Job Description Form
4. Certificate of Insurance
5. Articles of Incorporation
6. Federal Tax Exempt Letter
7. Employer Safety Agreement

The Community Work-Study Program of the Einhorn Center, together with the Office of Financial Aid and Student Employment, will review these forms to verify eligibility. Upon confirmation you will be notified in writing.

Maintaining Eligibility

Off-campus employers maintain their eligibility with the Community Work-Study Program by:

• Completing and returning the annual Federal Work Study Agreement (contract) before July 1
• Following stipulations regarding employment listed in the contract
• Completing student time card approvals in Workday
• Maintaining current job descriptions with CWSP
• Maintain designated liability insurance coverage and submit certificate annually
• Paying bills on time
• Completing student evaluations

Typically hiring can be done at the beginning and middle of each term, but please refer to our Important CWSP Program Dates.

For a checklist of recommended actions to take when hiring a student, interview tips, and required steps to take with CWSP after you hire a student, download our Hiring Checklist for Off-Campus FWS Supervisors (PDF).

Ready to Hire a Student? Next Steps:

• Email the CWSP Coordinator

•  the student’s name and Cornell Net ID, so the Coordinator can check the student’s work study eligibility.
• If haven’t already, direct the student to contact CWSP Coordinator to sign up for a supervisor training to learn more about program details.
• When extending an offer of employment, review items listed in the Hiring Checklist for Off-Campus Supervisors (PDF).
• Once you’ve decided which student(s) to hire, direct them to the Community Work-Study Program (CWSP) Coordinator or website to sign up for the program training.
• You will receive a “Hiring Addendum” via email that requires signatures from the supervisor and fiscal officer before the hire is authorized.
• The student employee and supervisor will each receive an email titled ‘Appointment Confirmation’ confirming the student’s appointment to the payroll and their start date.

Do not allow students to begin working until you each have received the “Appointment Confirmation” email. Any wages earned prior to the student’s official start date will be charged 100% to the hiring organization.

Conditions that Restrict a Student’s Employment Eligibility

• Bursar account hold or Dean’s hold
• Not registered with the university
• Financial Aid package that has not been finalized
• Does not have an I9 form on file (it proves eligibility to work in United States)

Employer Share of Wages (Billing)

• Cornell is considered the “paymaster” only; the hiring organization is the “employer” and responsible for supervising and confirming hours worked.
• FWS through CWSP funds 75% of a student’s gross wages, and the employer funds the remaining 25%. Eligible jobs through the America Reads/Counts Challenge initiative, in which student-employees tutor Pre-K through 9th-grade students in reading or math or coordinate such a tutoring program, can be funded at 100%.
• Bills are sent at the end of each term. Payment is expected within 30 days of billing notice. Late payments will affect an agency’s ability to post jobs and hire students, and, in extreme cases, can result in collection procedures being enacted by the university.

Important: Employers are Billed 100% of Student Wages if Any of the Following Occur:

• Student earns wages in excess of their FWS award.
• Student works prior to being appointed or receiving their start-date email notification.
• Student loses or runs out of work-study eligibility and continues to work.
• WorkDay time is submitted after the academic-year or summer employment-term for which they were hired has ended and they can no longer be paid with their FWS award.

For more information about hiring a student, payroll, or billing, please contact the CWSP Coordinator.

How to Submit a Job Description

Begin by downloading the Federal Work Study (FWS) Job Description Form. Review the instructions and complete the form in full. Return the FWS Job Description form CWSP Coordinator via email.

Work Hours

During the academic-year employment term, students’ work hours should be limited to 15–20 hours/week. We suggest not expecting more than 10 hours a week during high stress times. During breaks, with their supervisor’s approval, and during the summer, students may work full-time if not taking classes.

Hourly Pay/Wage Rates

Guidelines for Establishing Wage Rates

In accordance with Federal Work Study Guidelines, the following must be considered and taken into effect when establishing wage rates:

• The skills needed to perform the job;
• How much persons with those skills are paid in the local area for doing the same type of job;
• Rates the school would normally pay similar non-FWS employees;
• Any applicable federal, state, or local laws that require a specific wage rate.

It is not acceptable to base the wage rate on the student’s need or any other factor not related to the student’s skills or job description.

How to Post a Job

Before a job description is posted, there will be an approval process to ensure eligibility. The Einhorn Center and Cornell University may limit or restrict tasks based on agencies insurance liability coverage.

Once approved, the jobs are listed on Student Job and Internship Postings site.

Students choose jobs based on the appropriate term and region and by career field. The Einhorn Center cross-posts all CWSP positions under the term “public-service,” in addition to career fields specific to the job.

Jobs are typically posted within five business days of their arrival and are posted until mid-semester for each fall, spring and summer term. If you fill an open position, please notify CWSP so the posting can be removed.

To Edit, Reactivate, or Remove a Job

Send an email to CWSP