Student and Spouse Employment Guide Princeton Theological Seminary Admissions & Financial Aid Introduction to the PTS Student Employment Guide The purpose of this guide is to inform Princeton Theological Seminary students (and/or spouses) about possible employment opportunities, both at the Seminary and in surrounding communitites. Student applicants for on-campus employment are strongly encouraged to apply for Federal Work Study funding as a way to pay for their living expenses during the school year. It should be noted that Federal Work Study students are given priority by on-campus Department Supervisors during the hiring process. The Office of Admissions & Financial Aid maintains an online job board (accessible at https://our.ptsem.edu/ics/Campus_Life/Student_Job_Board.jnz). The job notices (also posted on the online job board) located outside of the office of Admissions & Financial Aid (Templeton 210) provides postings of job openings in local businesses and churches. The Office of Admissions & Financial Aid does not hire, refer, or endorse any student applicants for on-campus or off-campus job opportunities. Procedures for Student On-Campus Employment • Students must apply directly to the PTS Department where they wish to be employed. The Department Supervisor will make the decision regarding hire. It is the student’s responsibility to contact the department and set up interviews, and complete all hiring requirements with the Office of Admissions & Financial Aid and Payroll. • At the time of hire, all students are required to complete a Federal I-9 form and Federal W-4 form and present the appropriate identification to the Office of Admissions & Financial Aid. Appropriate identification includes a U.S. or Foreign passport; or driver’s license and social security card. More information regarding this process will be given to each new hire by their department. • Students with Federal Work Study interested in a work study position in a local community service organization should stop by the Office of Admissions & Financial Aid for more details. In the past, there have been employment opportunities with organizations such as The Bonner Foundation, Crisis Ministry, Enable, Homefront, Life Ties, Nami, Pace/Princeton University, PEI Kids, Princeton AlumniCorp, Princeton Human Services, Princeton Public Library, Princeton YMCA, Princeton YWCA, Rescue Mission of Trenton, and TASK. Procedures for Spouse On-Campus Employment • If a student’s spouse or other family member wishes to work on campus, he/she must apply through the PTS Human Resources Office. The Human Resources Office may be reached at (609) 497-7720. 1 Suggestions for Those Seeking Off-Campus Employment (Students and/or Spouses) • Take advantage of the online job board which can be found by logging in to PTS Community and clicking the Student Services tab . There are postings for openings at local businesses and churches, as well as for babysitting and other part-time positions. New postings are added frequently. • Check out the classified advertisements of the following newspapers online: Bucks County Courier Times (PA) www.phillyburbs.com New York Times www.nytimes.com Philadelphia Inquirer www.philly.com Princeton Packet www.princetonpacket.com Trenton Times & Star Ledger www.nj.com/classifieds • Refer to Section II of this guide entitled “Off-Campus Employment Opportunities.” Students should also refer to Section I entitled “Guidelines for Student Employment.” Section I: Guidelines for Student Employment Student Employment Strategies for Gaining On or Off-Campus Jobs Resources • The online job board lists a variety of both on and off-campus jobs that range from temporary to permanent and from part-time to full-time. These listings are updated as new jobs are added or listed jobs are filled. Please visit (requires a PTS user ID and password): https://our.ptsem.edu/ics/Campus_Life/Student_Job_Board.jnz. • Another successful resource that most individuals use is networking with other students and/or spouses. This allows individuals to hear about a company or organization first-hand and receive a referral. Contacting Potential Employers • It is the student’s responsibility to initiate contact with a potential employer. Each job description includes a contact name and phone number. Contact the supervisor or department directly to inquire about a job or to arrange an interview. 2 Job Requirements • Make sure that before you accept a position, you know what will be expected of you. It is important that the duties required by this position are compatible with your schedule and school load. Do not take a job that requires more hours than you can commit, and do not assume that you can adjust your schedule once you have a position. Generally, students can manage around 10 hours per week if they are not currently doing field education. Procedures When Hired • All students working on-campus (both work study and non-work study students) must have their supervisor enter them on the Time & Attendance Log online. This lets the Office of Admissions & Financial Aid know that the supervisor has begun the hiring process for them. Upon being hired, students with a Federal Work Study award must also inform the Office of Admissions & Financial Aid of their position (even if it is an off-campus community service position). Failure to do either of these will result in a delay of payment for any hours worked. • The Seminary Departments work with each other, but they function as separate entities. Students may switch departments if they are hired by another department. If a student quits one job mid-year to begin another in a different department, the “Procedures When Hired” must be followed. If you do not notify the Office of Admissions & Financial Aid of the change in your employment, this will result in a delay of payment for any hours worked. Note About Off-Campus Jobs: • Please realize that Princeton Theological Seminary does not pre-screen the off-campus employers who advertise on the job board. It is the student’s responsibility to research the working conditions of off-campus employment before making a commitment to work in any off-campus setting. Student Employment & Student Federal Work Study (FWS) Awards • Many PTS students qualify for FWS funding. If a student receives an FWS award, the student must either work on-campus or choose from a list of eligible off-campus sites (community service organizations). An FWS student has the freedom to choose a position, but must interview with the department directly. 3 • Because off-campus employers only pay a percentage of an FWS student’s wage, it is helpful if students who receive these awards tell their prospective employers during the hiring process that they are FWS students. • The earnings of FWS students cannot exceed the amount awarded. It is the responsibility of the students to track their earnings. The amount of the award will be on the Time & Attendance Log for students to make it easier to track how much time they have worked and how much time is left. • Any adjustments in an FWS award may be made only after the student’s financial aid package is reviewed by the Office of Admissions & Financial Aid. • Students who want to request an increase in their maximum earnings should submit their request in writing to the Office of Admissions & Financial Aid or e-mail [email protected]. • Students with FWS awards may work more than one job, but only one job can be paid through the work study award. Other jobs will be considered “non-work study” and are paid fully by the employer. Turning down an FWS award one year will not affect the possible award of FWS the next academic year. Federal Work Study Time Sheets & Payroll Procedures At the beginning of each year, a schedule of pay dates for the entire academic year is available on-line. This schedule includes pay period beginning and end dates, and pay dates. Students should familiarize themselves with this schedule. Students should keep a record of hours logged. Department supervisors must approve student hours in order for payment to be made. FWS hours for all FWS students working on and off campus must be reported on the Time & Attendance logs on-line. Late submission will result in the student’s paycheck being held until the next pay period. Students working on campus should enter their hours every day that they work; however, they should submit their hours on-line for the supervisor’s approval once a pay period. They should not hold their hours or report more than one pay period at a time. All payroll checks will be distributed through campus mail by the Business Office. If a student is expecting a check and does not receive one, they should be in touch with the Business Office. 4 Note: It is the students’ responsibility to make sure their hours have been submitted. It is important that their supervisor or other designated department official approve the student’s hours in a timely fashion. FWS students working off campus; i.e., Bonner Foundation, Crisis Ministry, Enable, Homefront, Life Ties, NAMI, Pace/Princeton University, PEI Kids, Princeton Alumni/Corps, Princeton Public Library, Princeton YMCA, Princeton YWCA, Rescue Mission of Trenton, and TASK, will complete timesheets on-line. Once you’ve submitted your timesheet you will receive a system-generated e-mail on your PTS account; this is a copy of your timesheet. Please forward this e-mailed timesheet to your supervisor and have them approve your hours. They can then email the approved timesheet to the Office of Admissions & Financial Aid before 4:30 by the end of the pay period. Timesheets can be emailed to [email protected]. Guidelines for Student Employees All students, including those with FWS awards, must complete and submit the Federal W-4 and state tax withholding forms, as well as a Federal I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification form to the Office of Admissions & Financial Aid prior to beginning employment.