External Employer LAEP Guide

Welcome future LAEP employers! We are delighted that you are interested in the SJSU LAEP program. Let's get started!

STEP 1: Determine Your Eligibility

Review the eligibility requirements to determine if you qualify as a LAEP employer. ONLY the following entities may employ students. If you are any of the following types of employers, you’re ready for Step 2!

Public Colleges

Research centers and institutions operated by California public postsecondary educational institutions, if their learning-aligned employment opportunities provide participating students with direct opportunities to participate in the research that is undertaken by the respective research centers and institutions.

Public Schools

Public schools operated by school districts, county superintendents of schools, the Department of the Youth Authority, or the Department of Education.

Nonprofit and for-profit employers

Nonsectarian, nonpolitical organizations capable of providing full-time employment after graduation or connection to another employer able to provide full-time employment after graduation.

STEP 2: Eligible Employers Apply

If your organization/company meets the eligibility criteria listed in Step 1, and are interested in joining the SJSU LAEP program, please complete the LAEP Employer Interest Form.

Please review the CSAC LAEP page and the SJSU LAEP info session slide deck to get a general overview of the program.

STEP 3: Submit and Sign Agreement Forms

All employers are required to sign a LAEP Employer Agreement prior to posting any positions on SJSU Handshake. In addition, you must complete the Addendum (p7 of the document) for each student after you hire them. You will receive a notification from DocuSign requesting your signature for the Employer Agreement, and a separate notification for the Addendum. Please review this document carefully.

STEP 4: Posting your Positions on Handshake

After you sign the Employer Agreement, you can now post your positions on SJSU Handshake. Please make sure to follow the Handshake guidelines for LAEP job postings.

Your LAEP job description must include, but is not limited to, the following:

1. Name/classification of position
2. Name and address of employer
3. Department or office where the eligible student will be employed
4. Location where the eligible student will perform his or her duties
5. Name of the eligible student's supervisor
6. The term of the eligible student's anticipated employment, including beginning and ending dates
7. Purpose or role of the position within the organization
8. Duties and responsibilities associated with the position
9. Rates of pay for the position
10. General qualifications for the position and for various levels and rates of pay associated with the position
11. Procedures to determine an eligible student's rate of pay
12. Evaluation procedures and schedules, if applicable
13. Career competencies developed (please indicate all that apply from the list below and exclude those that do not apply):
  - Career and self development
  - Communication
  - Critical thinking
  - Equity and inclusion
  - Leadership
  - Professionalism
  - Teamwork
  - Technology

IMPORTANT NOTE: All LAEP positions MUST have the "LAEP" acronym before the job title (i.e., LAEP - Event Organizer; LAEP - Engineering Intern, etc.) This is the only way students can find LAEP-eligible positions on SJSU Handshake.

STEP 5: Recruiting and Hiring LAEP Students

After your positions are posted, and you start receiving applications, make sure you require student applicants to submit their "LAEP ELIGIBILITY CERTIFICATE." This document, issued by the San Jose State University Financial Aid and Scholarship Office (FASO), shows the amount of LAEP funding a student is eligible to receive. You will need the information in this document to complete the employer addendum.

After identifying the final candidate(s), please complete the Student Hiring Form and send an email to laep@sjsu.edu with the name of your final candidate(s) AND a copy of their LAEP eligibility certificate(s). A Student Participation Form on DocuSign will be generated for you to complete. This form must be completed for EACH student hire.

STEP 6: Employer Registration and Set-up

Employer Registration through PaymentWorks

Your organization/company representative listed in the LAEP Agreement will be contacted by a member of our team to complete an SJSU Registration Form in PaymentWorks (if applicable). PaymentWorks is required to process reimbursements of student compensation. Your organization is responsible for completing this requirement ahead of the reimbursement process.

Step 7: Payments

Your organization is expected to pay students’ salaries upfront, then submit an invoice to laep@sjsu.edu (no later than the 15th of each month). The invoice should contain: Your SJSU PO Number, Student Name, and details of the hours to be reimbursed.

LAEP funding reimbursements:

1. For LAEP positions with nonprofit employers, the program may provide no more than 90 percent of the student's compensation.
2. For LAEP positions with for-profit employers, the program may provide no more than 50 percent of the student's compensation.
3. For LAEP positions with public educational institutions or nonprofit corporations, the program may provide no more than 90 percent of the student's compensation.