Trent Work Study Program Guideline

Trent Work Study Program Guideline

Associated Policy:N/A

Approval Authority:PVP

Policy Sponsor:University Registrar

Date of Initial Approval:May 20, 2014

Last revised date: March 18, 2015

Purpose:

Determine a guideline for student eligibility for the Trent Work Study Program (TWSP)

Guideline:

Scope

The Trent Work Study Program (TWSP) provides funding for part time employment during the fall/winter semester for domestic students with a financial need. International students should consult the Trent International (TI) office for work study opportunities.

Funding for the program is supplied by the Tuition Set Aside (TSA) fund.

Eligibility

Students who demonstrate a financial need and are eligible for Trent University bursary assistance are eligible for the TWSP program. Please refer to the Trent University Bursary Policy for complete eligibility criteria, which are the same for bursary recipients and Work Study participants

Students must be in full time attendance, as defined by OSAP, to qualify for TWSP positions. Please refer to the Trent University Bursary Policy for the OSAP full time attendance definitions. Both undergraduate and graduate students are eligible for the TWSP program.

The TWSP program is meant to supplement, not replace, provincial government aid programs and a student’s own resources. Students must be in receipt of OSAP, another provincial government student aid program, or First Nations band funding to qualify for a TWSP position

Application

No application is required if the student is in receipt of OSAP, another provincial government loan program or Native band funding. The Financial Aid office will issue a TWSP eligibility email to all eligible students each term.

Appeals & Special Circumstances

Students who do not meet the eligibility requirements described above may complete a bursary appeal form to explain special circumstances and demonstrate their financial need.

Hours of work

The work study program extends through the fall/winter study session. No limits are placed on the number of hours that a student can work.

Rate of Pay & Reimbursement

The rate of pay is determined by individual employers according to the guidelines established by the Human Resources department. The Financial Aid office will determine the maximum reimbursement rate for employers annually. Any earnings above the maximum reimbursement amount are the responsibility of the employer.

Student Responsibilities

Students are responsible for confirming TWSP eligibility with the Financial Aid office for presentation to employers. Students must also disclose to their employers if they are employed in more than one TWSP position.

Students are responsible for reporting all gross wages to OSAP, or any other sponsoring agency or aid program.

Employer Responsibility & Contribution

Employers will be reimbursed at a rate of 75% of a student’s gross wages, to a maximum reimbursement of $2,000 per fall/winter semester, per student. Employers are responsible for the remaining 25% of a student’s gross wages.

The maximum reimbursement is $2,000 per student for a fall/winter semester. If a student works for more than one employer, the reimbursement will be split equally between the employers. Employers are encouraged to consult with employees to ensure they are not working more than one position without the employer’s knowledge.

Employers must complete all hiring forms with Human Resources and will ensure that a student is eligible for the program by asking the student to present confirmation of TWSP eligibility. Employers who hire an ineligible student will not be reimbursed by the TWSP program.

Employers are responsible for paying student employees each bi-weekly pay cycle. Wages earned before the start of the fall semester or after March 31 of the Winter session will not be reimbursed.

Employer Application & Allocations

Applications for the program are usually available in June of each year and can be found in the myTrent portal. Detailed instructions on the posting of jobs and hiring procedures can be accessed through the Career Centre.

The employer allocations for the TWSP program will be determined by the Financial Aid office, based on employer use of student labour and available funds. Allocations are usually communicated to employers by the middle of July.

Summer funding

The TWSP program offers a limited number of summer positions. The positions are reserved for core administrative departments that provide essential services and require student labour during the summer. Students may work full time during the summer, and employers are reimbursed for 100% of gross wages. Employers should contact the University Registrar for details.

The summer employment program is meant to help students finance their next full time study session. To be eligible for funded summer employment, students must demonstrate financial need and have been in receipt of OSAP, out of province government student aid, or First Nations band funding during their last study session.

Students must have been in full time attendance during the previous fall/winter session, and must be returning to full time studies during the next fall/winter session. Students are not required to take summer courses to be eligible for the summer program. However, students who have graduated, and will not return to full time attendance during the next fall or fall/winter session are not eligible.

Related Policies, Procedures and Guidelines:

1. Collective agreement between Trent University and OPSEU local 365, Appendix III Student Employees
2. Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Development (MAESD), 2017-18 Tuition Fee Set Aside Guidelines for publicly-assisted universities and colleges.
3. Undergraduate Bursary Policy

Links:

N/A

Date for Next Review:

March 2020

Page 1 of 3