Employer Costs:
In addition to 50% of the salary expense, your agency will be responsible for additional payroll related employer costs which will vary from less than 1% of gross pay to approximately 9% of gross pay. The amount charged is based upon full-time vs. part-time enrollment status of the student employee.
Normally, students with work-study awards are required to be enrolled full-time, which means lower costs for your agency. However, when students are not enrolled full-time, they are subject to both Social Security and Medicare taxes and the employer costs increase.
The payroll related employer costs are as follows:
| Social Security Tax: | 6.2% of gross pay (when student is not enrolled full-time) |
| Medicare Tax: | 1.45% of gross pay (when student is not enrolled full-time) |
| Mas Transit Tax: | .6% of gross pay, unless federal grant funded.* |
| Worker's Compensation Assessment: | 1.5 cents per hour worked. Limit: $2.60 per month |
* Depending upon work location, a mass transit tax may be assessed. However, if your agency is funded by federal grant funding, no mass transit tax will be charged.
Note: Agencies that are federal grant funded are issued a contract number that begins with the number "2."
Social Security and Medicare Exemption:
Students that are enrolled half time or more are exempt from Social Security and Medicare tax. Undergraduates must be enrolled in 6 credit hours and graduates must be enrolled in 5 credit hours to be exempt.