Direct Pay vs. Contract Pay
Contract Pay Training Site
This refers to an agency that has contracted with USD for your time. You will be a USD employee, and as such, receive your monthly paycheck from USD. You are paid to work 64 hours per month (16 hrs/week/4 weeks/month for $1,040/month). We do not have the flexibility with our assistantship system to have students placed on an "hourly" status. Because of this, if you miss any time (due to illness, holidays, weather, etc.), you are responsible to work with your supervisor prior to or immediately following the absence to develop a plan to make up the missed time. Most contract sites require a student to make up missed time within the next pay period to ensure that missed hours do not accumulate. Exceptions to this must be pre-approved by your agency supervisor. Students sometimes "bank" hours by working extra days, longer hours, etc., if they know of a planned absence. However, banking hours should be kept to a minimum since missing time and/or making up time can be disruptive to the agency and to your clients. Your schedule should remain constant each week, except in extenuating circumstances.
Direct Pay Training Site
Students are paid directly for their time on-site by the agency. It works very much like an hourly pay process, where you are paid for the hours that you work and not paid for the hours that you miss. Your supervisor will discuss the agency's procedures for tracking your time. You are expected to work a minimum of 16 hours per week. If the agency allows you to work extra hours for pay, you must not work (bill) for more than 20 hours a week, since this would exceed what full-time students are permitted as an assistantship.