Student Employment Information for Students

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Look for On- and Off-Campus Work

• Workday
• Off-Campus Federal Work Study Jobs

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Please Complete the Required Forms

Once you have been hired into Workday and BEFORE you can begin work, you must complete the required Onboarding tasks assigned to you: Verify your Federal I.d., complete the I-9, W-4 and M-4 Forms and set-up Direct Deposit information.

I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification Form 

The I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification Form (completed online in Workday) is required by the Department of Homeland Security/U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, who also stipulates the types of acceptable identification. Proper identification must be shown to a staff member of the Office of Financial Aid after the onboarding process in Workday has been completed. Also, all forms of identification must be originals; copies of documents are not acceptable.

If this is the FIRST time you are working for the College, please complete onboarding and then visit the Office of Financial Aid with your identification.

Common examples of acceptable identification include an un-expired U.S. Passport or a combination of a driver's license or Amherst I.D. and a birth certificate or Social Security card. International students must have an un-expired passport with an I-551 stamp or attached INS Form I-94 and I-20 or an Alien Registration Receipt Card with photograph. The I-9 must be completed within 3 business days of your date of hire. The I-9 form has very specific directions and requirements and should be read carefully. The Office of Financial Aid staff must uphold federal requirements and cannot accept any document not specifically listed as acceptable by the government.

W-4 Employee's Withholding Allowance Certificate

The W-4 Employee's Withholding Allowance Certificate directs Amherst College to withhold the correct Federal income tax from your pay. Please be aware of the federal income tax withholding rules as they may apply to your situation. You may be eligible to claim "exemption" from Federal withholding. For additional information on this option, you can visit the IRS interactive tool .

Massachusetts M-4 Employee's Withholding Exemption Certificate

The Massachusetts M-4 Employee's Withholding Exemption Certificate directs Amherst College to withhold the correct State income tax from your pay. Both forms must be read carefully, filled out completely, and electronically submitted through the on-boarding process in Workday.

Any questions on completing these forms, beyond the general instructions given, should be referred to a parent, guardian, or your tax consultant.

Student employees who qualify for "exempt" status will have nothing withheld from their earnings for Federal or state income taxes when you claim "exempt"..

Social Security and Medicare tax (F.I.C.A.)

Social Security and Medicare tax (F.I.C.A.) is not withheld from student earnings for on-campus positions during the academic year.

However, F.I.C.A. taxes will be withheld from summer hours worked. F.I.C.A. taxes are also withheld for most off-campus Federal work-study positions throughout the calendar year.

Payroll Responsibilities

To be paid, you must complete a payroll time sheet every two weeks. You can download the 2023 payroll due dates below. From your Workday home page, the Time dashboard allows you to enter your time for a given day and view your previous time entry. At the end of the two-week pay period, after you have entered all your time, click Submit to send your time for approval by your supervisor. Your supervisor will review and approve it (or send it back to you if adjustments are needed), then advance it to the Student Payroll Office. Time sheets submitted after the due date or which are incomplete will result in a two-week delay in the issuance of a paycheck.

Direct Deposit

The Student Payroll Office strongly encourages you to take advantage of the FREE direct deposit service available to all employees. Students who choose this option will not have to worry about lost or stolen checks. You do not need to have a local bank account to take advantage of direct deposit. Students who have direct deposit set-up will be able to view their earnings and withholding information via Workday. For more information on the process, see the document below. Funds will be electronically transferred to a bank account of your choice at the opening of business on each bi-weekly payday.

Sick Time

On July 1, 2015 the Commonwealth of Massachusetts established a sick time law that impacts part-time employees, including student employees who work during non-academic periods (summer). For additional information, please refer to the College's Sick Time policy.

Earnings Authorization

The average number of hours recommended for student employment is 5 to 7 hours a week. Employment during non-academic periods (Summer, Fall, Thanksgiving, and Spring recesses and Interterm) should not exceed 40 hours a week. Earnings during these periods are regarded as part of your academic year earnings. With the approval of your supervisor, you can regulate your working hours so that your total earnings do not exceed the authorized earnings level.

If You Exceed the Authorized Level

You may continue to work beyond the authorized amount in your Financial Aid Award, except in the instance of an off-campus Work-Study position, where you will need to contact the office to inquire about additional eligibility. You should note, however, that earnings in excess of the authorized level must be reported as "non-need-based" earnings in financial aid applications for the following academic year. In most cases, a modest amount of earnings in excess of the authorized limit will not affect the subsequent year's financial aid. Larger earnings amounts may result in an expected "student income contribution" that is greater than the amount normally expected from a student's non-need-based earnings (currently $900 to $1,800 - typically derived from summer employment).