Work Study

The Law School employs many students who have accepted a Work Study Award as part of their student financial aid package. Work Study Awards are funded by the federal government and administered by the University. Work Study students must work and submit biweekly time sheets to earn their award through on-campus employment or through off-campus community service work with a qualified agency. Work Study funds are awarded by the Student Finance Office.

Each Work Study award is granted for specific period of time. Academic year Work Study Awards are granted for a period including both fall and spring semesters. Some students apply for and receive summer Work Study Awards which must be earned or forfeited during a discreet portion of the summer, usually beginning on a specific date in May and expiring in mid-August.

Students may earn no more than 50% of their total academic year Work Study Award during the fall semester. The full balance of the award may be earned in the spring semester. Any portion of a Work Study Award which is not earned by the end of the award period, is forfeited by the student. The Tracking Work Study Earnings Form - School Year 2011-2012 will assist students and their supervisors in tracking the Work Study earnings and award balance.

The Law School relies on first year law students with Work Study Awards to perform many services essential to the Law School community. First year law students, with Work Study Awards, are initially considered for employment in the Law Library. Some of the roles filled by first year law students with Work Study are critical to the success of the instructional and research needs of faculty and students, including shelving library books, staffing the Circulation Desk, supporting the Interlibrary Loan program, assisting with the processing of new research materials and books, staffing the Information Systems HelpDesk, and assisting with our student computer labs.

Most second and third year law students with Work Study Awards either elect to return to the Work Study job which they held during their first year or choose to assist a faculty member with legal or specialized research.

If a Work Study student wishes to divide her/his award to fund two or more on-campus jobs, s/he must complete the Authorization to Split Work Study Form, as well as an Authorization Information Sheet (for Student Employment) for both jobs.

If a Work Study student earns her/his full award and both the supervisor and the student are interested in a continued employment arrangement, the student must speak to their supervisor about the possibility of funding the student's work from the employing department's budget (Student Labor). If the supervisor has the necessary funding, the student must complete a Authorization Information Sheet (for Student Employment) and submit it to staff in the Student Employment Program Office.

Work Study students who are ending their employment in an on-campus Work Study job prior to the end of their employment authorization period and without earning their complete award, must complete the Unencumber Work Study Funds Form and submit it to staff in the Student Employment Program Office.

Important Dates and Deadlines 2012-2013

08/24/12	First date that authorized students may begin earning their 2012-2013 academic year Work Study Award.
10/05/12	Deadline to accept a Work Study job placement, complete and submit all required employment authorization documents and be added to the University's Work Study Payroll. Students must speak with Student Employment Program staff if they are not placed in a job by this date and they wish to preserve their Work Study Award for future use. (such as during the Spring semester).
12/13/12	Fall Work Study ends. Students may earn up to 50% of their total award in the fall semester.
12/14/12	Students may begin to earn the spring portion and/or balance of their Work Study Awards.
05/02/13	Last day that Work Study students may earn their academic year Work Study Award.

Work Study Forms

Work Study students, depending on their individual circumstances, may be required to complete one or more of the following specialized forms as part of the employment authorization process for a specific job, in addition to those forms required for all potential student workers.