Employer FAQs

Why should I hire a student who is eligible for Federal Work Study (FWS) to work in my department?

Each year, the U.S. Department of Education allocates FWS funds to Vanderbilt University to support eligible students. Hiring an FWS-eligible student allows your department to receive wage support, as a predetermined percentage of the student's wages is covered by the FWS award. The exact amount each student qualifies for is determined by a federal application and financial aid formula.

Are students automatically assigned a job when they receive FWS funds?

No. Receiving an FWS award does not guarantee or assign employment. Students must search for and apply to jobs independently through the online job portal, HireADore.
Employers are encouraged to post all available positions on HireADore, which is used by both FWS-eligible and institutionally funded students to find on-campus jobs. Employers may also approach individual students they are interested in hiring to discuss potential job opportunities.
Hiring an FWS-eligible student helps your department save money by reducing the amount you pay in wages.

Do students pay taxes on their wages?

Yes. Student wages are subject to federal income tax. However, most student employees are exempt from FICA (Social Security and Medicare) taxes if they are enrolled at least part-time and working fewer than 30 hours per week.
All student employees must complete a W-4 form to select their tax withholding preferences. Completed forms should be submitted to HR Processing (Baker Building, 10th floor).

What should a student do if they believe they were underpaid or overpaid?

Students should report any payroll discrepancies immediately to their department’s HCM (Human Capital Management) Specialist. The HCM will then contact the Vanderbilt HR Payroll Office to investigate and resolve the issue.

Can a student hold more than one position at Vanderbilt?

Yes, students are allowed to work in more than one position. However:

Undergraduate and international students are limited to a total of 19 hours per week across all jobs.
Graduate and professional students may work up to 29.5 hours per week during the academic year.

When applying for an additional job, students must inform all hiring managers of their existing positions. HCM Specialists from the involved departments must coordinate to ensure the student’s additional job is correctly entered into Oracle.

Employer FAQs

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