Welcome to Southwestern Illinois College’s Work Program. Now that you have been hired as a student worker, you need to become familiar with the policies and procedures. This guide, designed to assist you with these policies and procedures, applies to both the Regular Student work (RSW) and the Federal Work-Study (FWS) Programs. The knowledge you will gain as a student employee will be very valuable to you when you graduate and pursue your chosen career.

Good luck in your new student work position at Southwestern Illinois College. Specific questions not addressed in this guide should be directed to the Office of Financial Aid and Student Employment, Belleville Campus, (618) 235-2700, ext. 5288.

Southwestern Illinois College, Community College District #522, is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Our mission is to provide for individual growth through educational excellence and the active partnership with students and the community. The Student Work Program supports this mission in three ways:
•It provides part-time limited employment for students, helping reduce the financial barriers to higher education.
•It provides real life learning experience for students, encouraging them to be self-directed in the lifelong learning process.
• It provides effective support services to the college at a reasonable cost, contributing to the effective accomplishment of the goals of the college.

Student Worker Responsibilities

It is your responsibility to:
1.Meet enrollment requirements. Eligible hours DO NOT include some GSBS classes, Massage Therapy, Construction Carpentry, Nurse Assistant or Ward Clerk courses. Enrolled courses must be required for your program.
2.Maintain satisfactory academic progress towards a degree or certificate as defined in the Southwestern Illinois College Financial Aid Manual.
3.Perform assigned duties as established by the employer.
4.Give notice, as defined by the supervisor, if time off from work is needed.
5.Provide the employer with at least a one week notice upon terminating employment.

It is required that student workers complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), an application for student financial assistance, to determine eligibility for other financial aid programs.

Students who are employed by the college in either Regular Student Work or Federal Work-Study may not be simultaneously employed by the college in any other employment category.

Students are not eligible to participate in Southwestern Illinois College’s student work programs if any of the following apply:
•Currently in default on any federal loan.
•Exceeds maximum time frame (150%).
•Not making Satisfactory Academic Progress.
•Have a Title IV overpayment.

NOTE: Background checks may be required for some positions.

Initial Hire Checklist

In order to begin work and receive your first paycheck, you must complete each item of this checklist with your supervisor. Please be sure you have completed the following.
1. Student Employment Data Form
2.Application for Student Work
3.Employment Eligibility Verification, I-9 Form, and photocopies of two acceptable documents
4.Copy of Social Security card
5.Illinois W-4, Employees Illinois Withholding Allowance Certificate
6.Federal W-4, Employees Withholding Allowance Certificate
7.Confidentiality Form
8.Beneficiary Designation Form
9.Mandated Reporter Status Form

All completed information must be received by the Office of Financial Aid and Student Employment before the hire process is complete and your first paycheck can be processed.

Enrollment Requirements

To work in the fall and/or spring semesters, a student must be enrolled in at least 6 financial aid eligible credit hours. To be eligible to work in the summer session, a student must be enrolled in at least 1 financial aid eligible credit hour.

Wages and Hours

The wage rate for all student workers is the current Illinois minimum wage.

If the federal and/or state minimum wage increases, the Regular Student Work and Federal Work-Study wages will automatically be adjusted.

The maximum number of hours a student can work is 20 hours per week when school is in session and 30 hours per week during breaks. Your supervisor maintains the authority to reduce your hours due to variances in workload or departmental budget constraints.

During the summer session, a student enrolled in 6 hours or less may work up to 30 hours per week. A student enrolled in more than 6 hours will be subject to the 20 hours per week rule.

FICA taxes will be deducted from your paycheck if you fail to meet the criteria for exemption:
• Students can qualify for the FICA exemption if they are enrolled at least half-time (6 credit hours).
•This FICA exemption does not apply to students who are not enrolled in classes during school breaks of more than five weeks (including summer breaks of more than five weeks).

A student employed under the Federal Work-Study Program will only be allowed to earn up to their Federal Work-Study award. A student can determine total hours available to work by dividing the Federal Work-Study award by the current Illinois minimum wage. This statement only applies to the fall and spring semesters.

A student is not permitted to work overtime.

Breaks

A student is entitled to receive one paid 15 minute break for each consecutive four hour shift.

A student must take a one-half hour break without pay for a shift of more than six consecutive hours.

Paychecks

Student paychecks are issued on the 13th and the 28th of each month. If a payday falls on a holiday or weekend, checks will be distributed on the preceding work day. Students are paid on a delay basis, meaning students perform the work and then turn in a timesheet to be paid. Please refer to the Timesheet Due Date Schedule provided to your supervisor. This schedule lists the day that time sheets are due and the day that you will receive pay for the timesheet submitted. Students wishing to pick up their paychecks on payday may do so by notifying the supervisor; otherwise, paychecks will be mailed unless signed up for direct deposit.

Time Sheets

An electronic time sheet will be completed by the student via eSTORM for each pay period. The dates and hours worked should be recorded/saved daily. At the end of the pay period, the student will submit the timesheet to the supervisor for review and approval. Payment for the hours worked will be disbursed on the next paycheck – two weeks later. Time sheets submitted late or containing errors can prevent disbursement of a paycheck. Check for accuracy and meet all deadlines.

Leave of Absence

A reasonable request for a short leave of absence without pay for business or personal reasons will be evaluated on an individual basis by your immediate supervisor. The supervisor will evaluate the request considering the following factors as fairly as possible:
•Length of service
•Reason for request
•Performance of individual
•Staffing needs of department
•Number of absences granted

An extended leave of absence for illness will be granted, subject to the discretion of the supervisor and the Office of Financial Aid and Student Employment.

Terminations

Any students wishing to resign should notify their supervisor, preferably in writing, at least one week in advance of their last workday.

Supervisors have the authority to terminate any student who does not meet:
•Enrollment requirements
•Satisfactory academic progress requirements
•Work assignments

Note: A student, who fails to maintain the required number of credit hours, has ceased to be enrolled, or fails to meet Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements, will be subject to immediate termination.

Grievance Procedures

Any student who feels he/she was not treated fairly may present in writing, to his/her supervisor, a statement concerning his/her position. If, after consultation with the supervisor, the problem is not resolved, the student may present a written statement to the Director of Financial Aid and Student Employment within seven days from the conference with the supervisor. The Director will review the incident and attempt to assist the student in resolving the problem or in obtaining other employment.

Community Service

An opportunity to perform community service as part of the Federal Work-Study Program may be available.

Satisfactory Academic Progress Requirements

According to the Federal United States Department of Education and college policy, a student applying for federal or state funded financial assistance must be maintaining satisfactory academic progress in his/her course of study in order to receive these funds. Furthermore, such course of study must lead to an eligible degree or certificate requiring at least 16 hours of coursework.

A student must be making satisfactory academic progress regardless of whether the student had previously received aid. Before aid is awarded, a student’s progress will be evaluated according to policy guidelines. All prior terms of attendance are included in the evaluation. Course work attempted at other colleges and accepted for credit by Southwestern Illinois College will be considered in determining eligibility. Students who have not previously received financial aid may not be notified of their status until application for financial aid is made. All student workers must meet these requirements. See Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy.

Maximum Time Frame

According to Federal Regulations, educational objectives or degree/certificate requirements must be completed within a specified time frame. At Southwestern Illinois College, the maximum timeframe is 150% of the required hours for your program. Transfer work accepted and applied to the college’s programs will be considered in this time frame. Students who have earned a bachelor’s degree will be considered as having exceeded the maximum timeframe. All students who have exceeded the maximum timeframe will be considered ineligible for financial aid unless an appeal has been submitted and approved. See the Financial Aid Office for instructions on how to submit an appeal.

“Southwestern Illinois College student employees are entitled to the same legal protections from discrimination and harassment, as are provided to our faculty and staff under state and federal legislation.”