Student Employment Office

STUDENT FINANCIAL SERVICES | OFFICE OF THE UNIVERSITY REGISTRAR | STUDENT EMPLOYMENT

Off-Campus Employers

How Are Work-Study Jobs Created?

Guidelines for Work-Study Employment

Employment under work-study may involve public interest work, which is considered work performed for the national or community welfare. Work performed to benefit a particular interest, individual, or group is not permitted.

Work is NOT eligible for work-study if:

It impairs existing service contracts.
It displaces regular employees.
It fills jobs that are vacant because regular employees are on strike.
It primarily benefits the members of a limited membership organization such as a credit union, fraternal or religious order, or a cooperative.
It involves the construction, maintenance, or operation of any part of a facility used or to be used for religious worship or sectarian instruction.
A student's political support or party affiliation is taken into account in hiring the student.
It involves any partisan or nonpartisan political activity associated with a faction in an election for public or party office.
It is work as a political aide for any elected official.
It involves work for an elected official outside the regular administration of federal, state, or local government.
It involves lobbying on the federal, state, or local level.

Federal Work-Study Community Service

Federal Work-Study students are encouraged to pursue employment that is community service related. Community service positions contribute to the improvement in the quality of life for area residents by helping solve particular problems related to their needs. Job categories that are considered community service include:

Health care, child care, literacy training, education (including tutorial service), welfare, social services, transportation, housing and neighborhood improvement, public safety, crime prevention and control, recreation, rural development, community improvement, and emergency preparedness and response.
Support services to enrolled students with disabilities (including students with disabilities who are enrolled at school).
Activities in which a student serves as a mentor for purposes such as tutoring, supporting educational and recreational activities, and counseling, including career counseling.

The U.S. Department of Education has clarified the issue of the acceptability of indirect community service positions as follows:

Students may be employed in community service positions that provide either direct or indirect services to the community. For example, it is acceptable for a Federal Work-Study student to be employed in a clerical position for a food bank. It is not required that the student be involved in delivering services directly.

Student Employment Management System (SEMS)

A work-study student may only work for a supervisor who has a SEMS account and job listing. The Student Employment Management System (SEMS) is the method by which any full-time employee of a nonprofit organization or government agency can create a work-study job online. The supervisor is responsible for maintaining their work-study job listing, and should be the person responsible for the supervision of the student once hired.

A new off-campus employer who is interested in employing work-study students must first register a SEMS account through the Student Employment Office. Please contact the Off-Campus Work-Study Coordinator, Karen Holland at 215-573-9171 or send an e-mail. After the employer has successfully created the job, it is placed in a pending approval state, and an e-mail is automatically sent to Karen Holland for approval. Once approved, the work-study job is posted to the Student Employment Office website.

Off-Campus Work-Study Agreement

If the employer wishes to hire a student, then the employer must sign an Off-Campus Work-Study Agreement, which will obligate the employer to pay a matching share of the student's gross authorized earnings up to the maximum amount of the student's work-study award.

NOTE: The matchng share rate for the academic year is 25% and 50% for the summer.

Hiring Students

Online Job Appointment Form

Once the student is hired, the supervisor will use the Student Employment Management System (SEMS), to appoint a student online to a job number using the student's Penn ID number. An e-mail confirming the student's job appointment will be sent to the student, supervisor, and Karen Holland.

A new student employee may not begin working until all required documents are completed by the student: W-4 (Employee's Withholding Allowance Certificate) and online I-9 (Employment Eligibility Verification). The student must come to the Student Employment Office:
140 Franklin Building
3451 Walnut Street

NOTE: International students are NOT permitted to work off campus.

Student Orientation

It is the supervisor's responsibility to familiarize the student employee with the organization's standards of behavior and to make sure the student receives proper training in order to accomplish the tasks assigned.

We recommend that the supervisor review the following topics with the student:

Review the job responsibilities so there is a clear understanding of what is expected of the student
Review issues of confidentiality and sensitive information
Safety and health practices (if applicable)
Use of electronic devices
In the event of the supervisor's absence, what other staff member can the student direct problems or questions

How Are Student Employees Paid?

Time Reporting

Federal and University regulations require that weekly hours must be supported by a listing of clock hours worked for each work-study student. A student must sign in and out with the employer at the beginning and end of each work period.

All employers are required to use the University's Time Report Form. The weekly form must be signed by the supervisor and student.

If a supervisor fails to submit hours for a student before the pay period deadline, the supervisor must submit the hours nevertheless on the correct weekly Time Report Form. This should be the exemption, and not the rule.

A supervisor is not permitted to catch up on hours previously worked but not submitted, nor can a supervisor enter more hours than a student worked in order to affect a higher wage rate for the student.

Time Report Forms are due in the Student Employment Office every Friday by 5:00pm. The forms may be faxed to 215-573-8974 or e-mailed to seomail@exchange.upenn.edu. A student will be paid for these hours on the following Friday.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Many Jobs May A Student Have?

While it is preferred that a student have one job, we recognize the need for a student to work an adequate number of hours per week (within established limits) in order to cover expenses. A student's number one priority is academic achievement. Therefore, a student is limited to two jobs at any given time.

A student must have permission from their off-campus supervisor before seeking a second job. If approved for a second job, the supervisor must inform the Off-Campus Coordinator Karen Holland by email. The supervisor has the right to deny the student's request to work at a second job. The supervisor's decision is final.

How Many Hours Can A Student Work Per Week?

A student's primary responsibility is their academic achievement and work cannot be a priority.

When classes are in session, students (full-time or part-time) are not permitted to work more than a total of 20 hours per week.

When classes are officially not in session, students (full-time or part-time) are not permitted to work more than a total of 40 hours per week. A student is required to take an unpaid break or lunch of at least one-half hour after five consecutive hours of work.

Withdrawal/Leave of Absence

A student must be removed from the work-study payroll for the following reasons:

Graduates
Withdraws form the University
On leave of absence
Dismissed or suspended for academic or conduct reasons

What is the Procedure for Changing or Leaving a Job

Work-Study Students: An employed student who intends to withdraw from the program, or who wishes to change jobs within the semester, must inform their supervisor. A student is expected to give at least one week's notice before leaving a position. This gives the department the necessary time to find a replacement for the student, or to adjust the work schedules of remaining employees in order to offset the staffing shortage. Releasing a student from a job is done online by the supervisor. An e-mail confirming the student's release will be sent to the Off-Campus Coordinator, Karen Holland.

Withdrawal from the program will not jeopardize a student's chances of receiving work-study eligibility in future years.

What is the Attendance and Attire Policy?

It is the student's responsibility to report to work on time for every scheduled shift. If the student cannot work because of an illness, emergency, or will be late for work, the supervisor must be notified as early as possible before the shift begins. Potential conflicts should be discussed well in advance with the supervisor. Continued tardiness and failure to provide adequate prior notice of absence as determined by the supervisor are considered grounds for termination.

Requirements for attire are determined at the direction of the employing department.

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