Time Reporting, Payroll, & Benefits

Wage per Hour

A student employee's wage is determined directly by their employer but will follow the Student Employee wage parameters through the Student Wage Matrix and Student Employee Position Descriptions. All positions will pay at least the DC minimum wage, which is $17.50 per hour as of July 1, 2024.

During your employment, you will receive an hourly wage for your work and any required training. You do not get paid for time spent commuting to and from your job. Your department may not add hours to your timecard as a way to pay you for a "bonus" or as part of an "early release"; this is considered a misrepresentation of your working hours. Your supervisor will determine the protocol for short breaks during working hours, but they should follow GW HR’s Work Rules on Hours of Work.

Time Reporting

Clocking Hours: Time reporting for student positions is done through the University Time Reporting System (UKG), GW’s timekeeping system. Students should clock in each time they start working and clock out each time they stop. Instructions for time reporting can be found on Payroll Services website. Additionally, students are advised to keep a personal written record of their hours worked to provide a reference in the case of discrepancies or confusion. The working hours that you record through UKG translates directly into your paycheck - therefore, it is crucial to record your time accurately.

Your Timecard & Missed Punches: Students can view their timecards by using the instructions provided by Payroll Services. If you forget to clock in or out, notify your supervisor immediately so your department's timekeeper can make the necessary corrections to your timecard - do not clock in/out after you have already begun/ended a shift. You will receive email notifications from Payroll Services whenever you miss a time punch.

Multiple Positions: Students with multiple positions must be very careful to clock in appropriately. If you have multiple student employment positions, consult your GWeb employment information to determine which is your primary or secondary position. Payroll Services has provided video tutorials on how to clock in and out of Primary and Secondary positions.

Misuse of the Time Reporting System: It is a violation of the terms of your employment to misuse UKGand/or misrepresent your work hours, and can result in termination and/or disciplinary action through GW’s student conduct process and the GW Police Department.

Payment Options

Payments for student employees are issued on a biweekly basis following GW’s Biweekly Payroll Calendar. Use the payroll calendar to understand each biweekly pay date and the corresponding work dates included in that paycheck. You may notice that it takes nearly one month to receive your first paycheck when you start your employment - this is due to how the payroll cycle functions, and is the case across the university. If you have multiple student employment positions, you are issued a single paycheck for the combined jobs’ earnings.

Receiving Payment Options

Direct Deposit

It is strongly recommended that you sign up for direct deposit so that your paycheck can be electronically deposited into your bank account(s). This is the easiest, safest, most reliable, and preferred method to receive your payment. To sign up for direct deposit submit your information on GWeb under the Employment Information tab. You can enroll in direct deposit at any time during your employment.

Direct deposit can take up to two weeks to take effect, so you will receive paper paychecks until then. You will receive an email notification from Payroll Services each time your paycheck is directly deposited.

The Payroll Services website provides instructions to review your pay stub online.

Rapid! Paycard

If you opt to use the Paycard, each paycheck will be directly loaded onto a card that is issued to you. Please review the Payroll Services website for more information on the Paycard option and how to enroll.

Paper Checks

If you do not fill out a direct deposit form or use a paycard, you will receive paper checks. Paper checks will be mailed to the student’s address listed on their W4 tax form.

Taxes

All student employment positions (including Federal Work Study positions) are subject to federal and local taxes. The amount of tax withheld from your paycheck is determined by how you fill out your tax withholding forms when you start your employment. Student Employment cannot legally advise you on what to claim or estimate how much tax will be withheld from your paycheck. Please speak to a family member or tax professional if you need personal advice on your tax withholding forms.

If you need to make changes to your tax forms, you may submit updated tax withholding forms on GWeb. Check out our walk-through video on this topic. If you do not submit your tax forms, Payroll Services will withhold taxes at the maximum rate; therefore it is in your best interest to complete tax forms promptly after being assigned them in your onboarding tasks. Taxes that have been withheld from your paycheck can only be recovered by filing an annual tax return with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

Benefits & Time-Off Approval

Sick Time Accrual

Student employees begin accruing sick time on their date of hire and are eligible to use accrued sick time during their employment with manager approval. Accrued sick time is credited on the last working day of each month and may not be used prior to its actual accrual. For student employees, sick time accrual is equal to one (1) hour for every thirty-seven (37) hours worked, for a maximum accrual of seven (7) days per year. Student employees may also be eligible for benefits under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). For more information, visit GW Benefit’s Time Off and Leave Guide. For questions regarding these benefits, please contact GW Benefits at [email protected].

Time-Off Reporting

All eligible employees (including student employees) will use UKG, the university’s time reporting system, to request and manage their paid time off. If you are new to the UKG system, we encourage you to visit the GW Benefits Time Off webpage to view micro-tutorial videos and other helpful resources. In addition, there are several UKG Tips available to help you navigate UKG as a first-time user and ensure you are accurately submitting time-off requests.

How to Contact Student Employment

Student Employment is available by emailing [email protected] or calling 202-994-8046. We are also available for virtual appointments for employers and students; please visit our Support Meeting website to schedule your appointment.