Scholarship Payments

Labor Status Forms

Labor Status Forms must be processed for the following:

• the primary position
• each secondary position
• break period labor

Secondary positions (including break positions) must be approved before a student can begin work. There must be a primary status form on file in order for the student to begin work.  

An online electronic labor status form is used when contracting all student labor positions.  The form can be accessed at: lsf.berea.edu

Position Codes

There are specific position codes for each student job within Labor Departments.   When position codes are assigned (e.g., S12345), they are connected to specific job information: Department (org/account), WLS level, a position title and will correspond with an appropriate approved position description .  It is not necessary to assign each student a different code; rather, each student should be assigned the code that reflects the WLS Level of the position. This may mean that multiple students are assigned the same code.

Term Codes

The College’s administrative record system uses a special code to designate the academic year and term. Term codes are created by combining the year number and the term number (fall term=01; spring term=02; summer term I- 03; summer term II - 04). For example, the fall term 2022 would be coded as 202211.

Holds

Students are not permitted to register for classes or confirm enrollment for the term or summer until they have submitted:

• Upon entry to the college a Labor Enrollment Agreement and an I-9 form;
• Before the start of a academic year, term, or summer a Status Form - Labor Position Participation Agreement;
• Towards the end of an academic year a submission of the Labor Experience Evaluation.

This process is monitored through an electronic “hold” system that prevents access to registration or confirmation if business is outstanding. Holds are removed when processes are completed.

NOTE: Some Graduates who have not fulfilled labor hours requirements may also receive a hold on their account until an appropriate number of community service hours (usually an amount equaling the hours shortage) are recorded after graduation. In this case, the hold will prevent the graduate from receiving official transcripts until the hold is removed. The Labor Program Office will maintain the procedure for establishing the community service work.

Timekeeping

The TRACY UltraTime timekeeping system is a comprehensive time management system that allows supervisors to track attendance, hours, and performance. Participation in the system is required of all students and labor supervisors.

Student Time Entry

Time entry must take place at the start of work and the at the completion of the work. Only in special circumstances (e.g. such as an emergency situation such as where an RA must address immediately a situation or access to a computer or IP phone is not available…) can hours worked be captured after the work has been performed.  For the few student workers who have been given access to enter time into the TRACY system through a time sheet method (Web time), entering hours before work has occurred is prohibited and grounds for disciplinary action by the labor department and program. All students with TRACY Web time access also have access to time entry through either the IP-phone or TRACY UltraPunch (Time entry through a computer). The IP Phone and UltraPunch is the preferred method of capturing hours worked for all student workers.

NOTE:  Web Time approval and access requires an application process.  The application shall be resubmitted each year and will be reviewed periodically to monitor compliance.   If overused or abused, the privilege can be revoked at any time.

Labor Supervisor Certification of Student Time

Supervisors are responsible for the certification and oversight of time worked by students in their department.   This holds true even when using a proxy such as another staff member or student manager to assists in time management and approvals. –see important notification below.

IMPORTANT LABOR SUPERVISOR NOTIFICATION

Approved 5/21/11 by the Audit Committee of the Berea College Board of Trustees

1. It is the responsibility of designated staff or faculty Labor Supervisor to certify the work hours of their student worker(s)
2. The responsibility for review and certification of time worked remains with the designated staff or faculty Labor Supervisor even when that supervisor authorizes a student manager to assist with the time reporting
3. Failure to certify time worked by students during a term will result in withdrawal of the position(s) allocated to the staff or faculty Labor Supervisor and the student workers will be reassigned to another supervisor. Subsequent reinstatement as a Labor Supervisor will require signed agreement to assume time verification responsibility thereafter.

Scholarship Payment Schedule

Students are normally paid every 3-4 weeks during the academic year and every 2-3 weeks during the summer. The payment schedule can be accessed at https://www.berea.edu/labor-program-office/pay-schedule-scale/.

Unrecorded Time Form

The Unrecorded Time Form is used to report scholarship payment hours in cases where:

• Hours are being submitted for payment through Labor Pool;
• The student was paid an incorrect scholarship payment.

The Unrecorded Time Form can be accessed by contacting the Student Payments Manager.

Students and supervisors must submit time by the designated due dates on the Payroll Schedule. If time worked was not submitted to Payroll via Tracy, payment is subject to delay or denial. All unrecorded time must be submitted and confirmed by the Labor Supervisor by the payroll due date. Unrecorded time may not be added to future pay periods. Unrecorded time requests must be submitted within two pay periods of the unrecorded time. Any time submitted outside of this deadline will be denied upon request. This policy requires students and labor supervisors to take responsibility for all time worked and protects the College’s finances. Failure to submit students’ time can result in a decrease in allocations and/or removal of students from the department.

Direct Deposit Requirement

Berea College requires all student payments to be made via direct deposit. Direct deposits can be made to your bank account regardless of its location.  Many local banks offer free checking accounts to our students along with debit cards and free ATM access.  If you do not have a bank account, preloaded cards are excellent alternatives (two examples of a prepaid card would be Bluebird by American Express and GreenDot by Visa. These are only examples not endorsements of Berea College).

The Labor Program Office can answer questions regarding direct deposit or can assist you in setting it up with your bank.  When setting it up, you will be asked to bring a cancelled check or a statement that clearly shows your bank account information.  Handwritten account numbers are not accepted.

Scholarship Payments and Overtime

Students enrolled and working in the Labor Program* earn a work scholarship of which the Labor Grant portion is applied to the cost of education (“tuition”) each term. The amount applied is: $4,500 (Fall); $4,500 (Spring); and up to a maximum of $4,200 for 8 or more weeks during the summer. The remainder is made up in check payments based on hours worked.  The direct scholarship payments receive are not subject to overtime. Based on this fact departments should not work students beyond 40 hours a week. Supervisors should carefully monitor student schedules to avoid working students beyond 40 hours. If a student works beyond forty hours the scholarship rate received will not change. During the academic year, students should not consistently work more than the hours assigned and scheduled by the labor supervisor.

*Comprehensive Work-Learning-Service program - an integral and stated part of the institution’s educational philosophy and program

Banking Hours

Departments are not permitted to “bank” hours to be paid on a different week or pay period.

Last Day to Change a Labor Position

Labor Release

This form is used when discontinuing an existing labor position.  Rules governing the last day to drop (release) a labor position applies. This form is found at lsf.berea.edu. Students should not be released from their position without a consultation with the Labor Program Office.

Tax Forms and Tax Liability

Student scholarship payments received are not subject to withholding or FICA. However a scholarship tax liability might apply and is dependent on the total amount of non-qualified aid received during the year. The Financial Aid office provides students annually with a tax letter that assists the student in determining the amount of taxable aid income received.