Federal Work Study Program (FWSP)

Using the FWSP Online System

FWSP Account Login

Each participating department has a designated account number(s) (17XXXX). Each account must have at least one departmental preparer and at least one approver registered in the FWSP Online system.

Click here to view a video tutorial to help you navigate the FWSP Online.

Information for New Users

• If you are a Rutgers University Faculty or staff member who would like to set up a new FWSP account, please email:
  • Rutgers Health Newark- Christopher Edmundo
  • Rutgers Health Piscataway – Lashauna Clark
  • New Brunswick  – nb-fws@ofa.rutgers.edu
  • Newark – seo_nwk@ofa.rutgers.edu
  • Camden – Melanie Moretti
• It is important that you do not register as a new user until you receive instructions.
• If you have requested an account and have been issued an account number by the SEO, click here to register.
• If you are new to the FWSP or would like a refresher on the ins and outs of the program, click here to view a guide.

Submitting Online Job Description Forms

Preparers who would like to request FWSP student employees must submit Job Description Forms (JDFs) in the FWSP Online under their departmental account. All JDFs must also be approved by designated departmental approvers.

Preparers will be able to choose from a list of designated approvers who have registered for their department. If the correct approver is not listed, preparers must either instruct their approver to register before continuing on with the JDF, or choose a different approver from the list.

JDFs are carefully reviewed by the SEO and used during the placement process. Students do not see JDFs. However, it is important that preparers include as much detail as possible to assist the SEO in finding a student who is a good match for the position.

FWSP Placement Process

The SEO places FWSP-eligible students, who have completed job applications, in approved FWSP jobs beginning in June and continuing through the beginning of the academic year. Students are matched to jobs based on a comprehensive job application and information included in departmental JDFs. FWSP job placements are authorized by the Student Employment Office only. Requests from students to work in specific departments will be considered whenever possible and must come directly from the student, not the department.

All students who are placed in jobs will appear on departmental web assignment pages. On or about August 15, the SEO will notify supervisors that web assignment pages are ready to be viewed. At that time supervisors can begin contacting the students who have been assigned to work for them, using the contact information listed on departmental assignment pages. We ask that supervisors do not contact students until they receive notification from the SEO. Students listed on departmental web assignment pages are the only students who are permitted to work for that particular department through the FWSP.

Continuing FWSP students must complete a FWSP Job Survey, which they will receive via email each spring, in order to either continue in the same job or be placed in a new job for the following academic year.  All students who do not indicate that they would like a new job, will automatically be renewed in that job again, unless the department includes that student on their Do Not Assign list. (Do Not Assign lists are located in the FWSP Online System.) Renewal students will be listed on web assignment pages after the SEO completes the renewal process.

Web Assignment Pages

All students who are placed to work in a department are listed on their Web Assignment Page. By clicking on each student’s name, preparers can access the student’s details, including contact information.

Web Assignment Pages also include important information about each student such as their RUID, Department, Job Title, Pay Rate and Pay Range, employment status, and total award amount.

Payroll

FWSP student payroll is handled by the department the student works for (with the exception of Off-Campus Community Service Employers).  All students must be entered in PeopleSoft by their hiring department before they can begin working.

Under FWSP regulations, students must be paid for all hours worked and may not exceed the FWSP award amount specified on their EAFs. Students can work a maximum of 20 hours per week.

Students under the age of 18 are required to take a 30-minute unpaid break after 5 consecutive hours of work.  While there are no requirements for students over the age of 18, it is recommended that they are allowed to take an unpaid break after 5 consecutive hours of work, if they wish to do so.

Information for Departments Employing Rutgers Health Students

Rutgers Health employers (hiring Rutgers Health students) can contact Jaime Hudson

Charging Instructions

It is very important to confirm/update all FWSP student employees’ charging instructions to ensure that they will be paid out of a FWSP account, not a departmental account. Incorrectly paying students out of departmental accounts, may result in loss of FWSP eligibility for those students for future academic years.

Pay Rates

FWSP student pay rates are determined by the SEO and must be adhered to.  The current pay rates are as follows:

Range II – $15.13/hr
Range III – $17.25/hr
Range IV – $20/hr

Students should not be paid any other pay rates out of FWSP accounts. Departments who wish to pay students more than the established FWSP pay rates, must do so out of their own departmental accounts.  If a FWSP student is doing the same exact job as a non-FWSP student, both students should be paid equally hourly wages.

Record Keeping Requirements

All FWSP participating departments are required to maintain the following documents for every FWSP student employee for every pay period:

• Clock hours showing the dates and times that each student employee began and finished each work shift, including unpaid breaks.
• An effort certification statement, which states that the supervisor verifies the student actually worked the hours listed for each pay period. Supervisors can sign paper copies of effort certification statements or departments can run and save/print the Time Certification Report in PeopleSoft.

A sample effort certification statement is below.

I certify that the enclosed records accurately represent the effort expended during the period indicated for all students on this report for the weeks ending enter date here for enter department name here, enter FWS account number here.

Please note that documents supporting time worked, as well as effort certification statements, must be kept for a period of three years, plus the current academic year. Departments must be able to produce documents immediately upon request, in the case of a federal audit.

Questions regarding payroll should be directed to Payroll Services.

Statement of Confidentiality

It is strongly recommended that supervisors have every FWSP student employee sign a Statement of Confidentiality Agreement.  Departments are also permitted to develop their own confidentiality agreements. Please notify the appropriate staff member below immediately if you suspect a breach of confidentiality:

• New Brunswick – Gina Kandil
• Newark – Lorena Silva
• Camden – Melanie Moretti

Departmental and University Requirements

FWSP student employees are considered employees of the department they work for and the university.  Therefore, they should complete any training modules, certifications, acknowledgments, etc., that are required by their hiring department and/or the university, just as any other employee of the department would.

Specifically, all new FWSP student employees should complete the online training course regarding the university’s policy on Sexual Misconduct.  FWSP student employees should be encouraged to complete the online training course upon receipt of their personalized email message from UHR, and must be paid if completing the training while at work (which is recommended). Please note: the SEO does not administer the online training course.  If you or your student employees have questions about the course, please contact the Office of Employment Equity directly.

Supervision of FWSP Student Employees

Supervisors are responsible for informing students of all departmental policies and procedures, training students on their specific jobs and giving students clear performance expectations.

It is highly recommended that supervisors provide students with some type of orientation session before they begin working. The SEO staff is happy to answer questions and provide suggestions in regards to supervision of FWSP student employees.  View a suggested model of supervision.

FWSP Supervisor Listserv

The SEO manages a supervisor listservs used to distribute important information regarding the FWSP throughout the year. If you or any faculty/staff members from your department, who work with FWSP student employees, would like to be added to the listserv for your region, please contact:

• New Brunswick – nb-fws@ofa.rutgers.edu
• Newark – seo_nwk@ofa.rutgers.edu
• Camden – Melanie Moretti

Termination Protocol

All terminations of FWSP students must follow this protocol.

Before terminating any student from a FWSP job, the student’s supervisor must submit a termination request in the FWSP Online System. Both Preparers and approvers can submit termination requests.

To submit a termination request:

• Vist https://fwsp.rutgers.edu
• Click the blue “login with NetID” button and enter your NetID and password
• Click Students on the top menu
• Click Termination Requests
• Click New Termination Request
• Type the student’s name. Their RUID and department information will auto-fill
• Be as detailed as possible when completing the next two sections
• Indicate whether or not you have issued any written warnings to the student
• Click submit

The SEO will review all termination requests and reach out to the staff member who submitted the request for follow-up before making a decision on whether or not the termination request will be approved. DO NOT, under any circumstances, notify the student of the termination until you receive APPROVAL from the SEO.

Please note: terminations will not be approved unless the staff member requesting permission to terminate has proof that the student has been counseled on the issues and has not shown improvement, and also has received either formal verbal and/or written warnings.  Under no circumstances can a student be terminated if they are not aware that there was an issue.

Read more information about what to do if you are considering terminating a student from a FWSP job.