You can earn money to help with your college expenses or earn spending money. Studies indicate that students who have college work experience gain more than money. They learn to network and work and communicate with others. They also develop leadership, problem-solving, decision-making and time management skills. Most student workers who work fewer than 20 hours per week even do better academically.

Student employees are paid bi-weekly (every other week) on the same schedule as MC Staff. Student employees are subject to the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour. All payment is made through direct deposit to the personal bank or credit union account provided by the student at the time of hire. All employees are required to participate in direct deposit with payroll. Once hired, students will be assigned a new hire onboarding checklist through Paycom which included direct deposit information, training modules, and other new hire paperwork that must be completed before a student begins work. Work hours and timekeeping is managed through the MC payroll portal, Paycom.

Most work-study positions will pay minimum wage, $7.25 per hour. A few jobs will pay a higher wage because they require specialized skills, knowledge or certifications. If you are Federal Work-Study you may not earn more than the amount of the work-study award in your financial aid package.

Work-study is awarded as follows:

Freshmen      Up to $1,500 per academic year

Sophomores  Up to $1,800 per academic year

Juniors          Up to $2,000 per academic year

Seniors         Up to $2,000 per academic year

No. Your work-study position is a real job just like any other job on campus. As an employee of the college, you are needed to work the times you are scheduled to work and to complete the tasks you are assigned. If you need time off to study, talk with your supervisor in advance about scheduling time off from your job. Remember, you have made a commitment to be at work at scheduled times. Work study is a “real job” where the employer requires work in exchange for wages.

If you need time off from your job, you must discuss the situation with your supervisor at least 24 hours in advance of the time you need to be absent from work. Your supervisor may request that you submit your request in writing. In the event of illness, you must contact your supervisor as soon as possible before your normal time to report to work. Habitual tardiness and failure to work your assigned schedule are not acceptable work behaviors and may lead to loss of employment.

Yes, the Human Resources Office will verify student employment to authorized outside parties with your written approval. Students or alumni must complete the MC Student Employment Verification Release Form and return it to employment@maryvillecollege.edu or by fax to 865-981-8050. The form is kept in your student personnel record.

You may apply for a position anytime one is posted in Handshake. However, most offices will fill their positions in the fall for the full academic year. If you play a sport or have a difficult class schedule, tell the supervisor during your interview to see if it is possible for the department to work with you on your work schedule for that semester.

If you qualify for Federal Work-Study, you may be able to work at one of the established Community Shares Organizations or even create your own Community Shares position with a qualifying organization. Community Shares positions are community service jobs with local non-profit governmental and community-based organizations. If you are interested in a community service job that is not listed on Handshake, contact Chris Freeman, 865-981-8299, in the Center for Community Engagement about working for the organization.

The Department of Homeland Security requires employers to verify the work eligibility of all employees, including student workers. The Social Security card is normally the most convenient document for employees to use to certify the I-9 Form, but your U.S. Passport or your certified birth certificate are also acceptable documents to verify your work eligibility. See the I-9 list of acceptable documents for the full list of documents you may use. If you have lost your Social Security card, you may apply for a replacement card from the nearest Social Security office. If you need to start working right away, you may present the receipt that the Social Security Administration gives you and then the original card once you receive it.

Yes, you must apply each academic year for work-study positions. Work-study funds are awarded for only one academic year at a time, and are based on financial need as determined by the FAFSA. A student might be eligible for FWS one year and not eligible the next year if the amount of financial need decreases.

Yes, the FWS amount is subject to change if you receive additional resources, such as scholarships, loans or grants. You will be notified if the amount of your FWS award changes so you and your supervisor can adjust your work hours.

Any portion of your FWS award that is not earned by the end of the academic year will be forfeited and cannot be transferred to a subsequent award period or paid to you. There is no guarantee that you will be able to earn your entire FWS award.

No, the money you earn from working through the work-study program must be paid directly to you. Then, if you choose, you may use that money to pay on your bill in the MC Business Office.

Talk with your supervisor about your concerns or problems with the position. Talk about your expectations for the job and how it has not met your expectations. Make sure that you fully understand the job duties and your responsibilities. In most jobs the employee must perform a few boring tasks before being trained on the more challenging aspects of the job. After talking with your supervisor, if you still think this is not the right job for you, you may resign from your position by giving your supervisor a written letter of resignation and working a two-week notice. After you have completed working your notice, you may apply for another job.