Work-Study Employers

Dates and Deadlines

 2024-2025 Academic School Year

Important Information

• All allowable start dates are contingent upon Satisfactory Academic Progress and minimum part-time enrollment.
• The last day to work, regardless of the day of the semester, is when the student depletes their funding.
• Work-study students are only eligible to work 20 hours per week during any given semester.
• The Financial Aid Office bills back any overages to the department at 100%.

A graduating student may not be employed as a student employee past the date of course-work completion. The last day of classes is the last day a graduating student is allowed to work.

Resources

• Work-Study Overview and Compliance Video
  • Acknowledgement Survey
• Sample Earnings Calculator
• Sample Sign in and Sign Out sheet

Avoid Getting Billed Back

Departments must ensure the student provides a copy of their work-study award letter prior to processing an EPAH to hire the student.  The Award Overview letter will show the type of work-study award, Federal or State, and the amount of their award. Click here to see a sample Award Overview letter.  Departments are responsible for keeping track of their work-study earnings to ensure the student does not exceed their award.  Any payroll hours submitted that exceed the student’s work-study award will be billed back to the department at 100%.

Each department is also responsible for terminating their work-study student(s) either at the point they depleted their award, stop working for your department, or at the end of the semester or aid year, whichever is sooner.  For example, students who work for your department for only the Fall term must be terminated no later than the last day of the Fall semester.  Students who work for your department for Fall and Spring or Spring only must be terminated no later than the last day of the Spring term.

Departments interested in hiring or re-hiring a work-study student(s) during the summer term, must ensure the student provides you a copy of their award letter indicating a summer award.  Students apply for a summer work-study award via the work-study waiting list before the application closes.  The summer work-study waiting list opens when registration for the summer term begins.  Departments are responsible for terminating their work-study student(s) for the summer either at the point the student depletes their award, stops working for your department, or at the end of the summer sessions, whichever is sooner.

Job Posting Instructions

As an employer seeking to hire students please note that as of May 2019 all students in the NMSU system (community colleges and main campus) have a Handshake app account through MyNMSU. This is the one-stop location for posting student employment opportunities as well as registering to attend the fall Las Cruces Student Employment Fair.  One of the new features of the Handshake app is students who are not awarded work-study funds will not be able to apply for work-study positions.  The student’s accounts are updated twice weekly to reflect their current work-study eligibility status. Please note, it is important that if you're considering students who do not have Work-Study funds (regular student employment) you post the job twice: once for on-campus student employment and then duplicate the job posting to allow Work-study eligible students to apply for the position.

Getting Started

1. Connect with your On-Campus Point of Contact (select from the On-Campus Employers – POC List) This first step only needs to take place once. If you leave your current position and move to a different NMSU department you will need to register for a new account with a different POC.  Call or email your Point of Contact and request an invitation to join their unit.  Your POC will verify that you are employed in this reporting division or college and send you an invitation to establish an Employer Manager account (powered by Handshake). Follow the directions provided by your POC in the invitation email that you receive.  If you are taking classes (also a student) please call Career Services at 575-646-1631 prior to contacting your Point of Contact.  Some modifications will need to be made as you already have a Handshake student account.  These modifications will need to be completed with NMSU Career Services in order to prep your Handshake profile to also be able to log into an Employer Manager account.
2. Off-Campus partners must be a nonprofit federal, state, or local agency. All off campus partners must have a valid 501(c), and must be located in Dona Ana County.

Posting a Job

1. Log-into your Handshake app account. 
2. From your home dashboard Click on Post a Job button.
3. Complete 3 steps: Job Basics (Title, job type, Employment Type, duration, Work-study (yes/no), Job Details (Description, Job Functions, Salary, location, required documents), Job Preferences (NOTE: none of the preferences you add to this page will block students from applying for your job, but it will show you candidates that meet all of your preferences, and those who don’t.  These preferences are optional (Graduation date range, School Year, Minimum GPA (First-semester freshman, graduate students, and transfer students will not have a GPA until they complete one semester).  You don’t have to fill out every field as some may not be relevant to on-campus student employment. If you need assistance, please check out the OEL Handshake page. 
4. Review and save your job posting, the posting will be pending until the Office of Financial Aid approves Work-study postings or NMSU Human Resources Services (HRS) for Regular Student Employment or Graduate Assistantships. (Remember: An accurate job description can promote a better selection of student employees which ultimately leads to better work performance and employee relations).
5. Once the job posting is approved, students will be able to view and apply for your job posting using the Handshake app.

Contact NMSU Career Services with any questions related to utilizing the Handshake app at 575-646-1631, HireNMSU@nmsu.edu or stop-by at Garcia Center Room 224.