Skip to main content Skip to main navigation Skip to footer content

Learning Aligned Employment Program

IMPORTANT UPDATE - The Learning Aligned Employment Program is on Pause as of June 30, 2024.

Due to the Governor's proposed budget, the Learning Aligned Employment Program has been placed on hold for the foreseeable future starting July 1, 2024.  Should their be a change, we will update you here.

Community Employers (External) LAEP Guide

Welcome future LAEP employers! We are delighted that you are interested in the Fresno State 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 Fresno State LAEP program, please complete the LAEP Employer Interest Form. (Currently not accepting new employer partners).

Please review the CSAC LAEP page and 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 (Click HERE to see a sample form) prior to posting any positions on HireFresnoState. In addition, you must complete the LAEP Employer Agreement Addendum (Click HERE to see a sample form) for each student after you hire them.

Please do not submit these sample forms.  Instead you will receive a notification from AdobeSign requesting your signature for the LAEP Employer Agreement form and will be sent the Addendum once you've selected the students you want to hire. 

STEP 4: Posting your Positions on HireFresnoState

After you sign the Employer Agreement, you can now post your positions on HireFresnoState by visiting http://bit.ly/hfs_employer.  Should you encounter any issues posting your position, please contact Damian Lay, Employer Connection Specialist, at dlay@csufresno.edu.  You can also view our Video Tutorial.

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

  1. Name of the position (e.g. LAEP - Marketing Intern)
  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. 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 HireFresnoState.

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 Fresno State Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships , 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 or candidates, please send an email to laep@mail.fresnostate.edu with the name of your final candidate(s), a copy of their LAEP eligibility certificate, and your offer letter that includes agreed upon hourly wage, and the number of hours. A LAEP Employer Agreement Addendum on AdobeSign will be generated for you to complete. This addendum must be completed for EACH student hire.

Step 6: Billing Payments

Your organization will be invoiced monthly to mailing address listed on your LAEP Employer Agreement.  To continue in the LAEP program you must submit payment for the invoice within 30 days of the date of the invoice.

LAEP funding limitations:

  • For LAEP positions with nonprofit employers and public educational institutions, the program may provide no more than 90 percent of the student's compensation.  The employer will be charged for 10 percent of the student's compensation.

  • For LAEP positions with for-profit employers, the program may provide no more than 50 percent of the student's compensation. The employer will be charged for 50 percent of the student's compensation. 

IMPORTANT NOTE: Once the student's LAEP funding is exhausted, the student will be terminated from Fresno State's payroll system.  The employer can move the student to their payroll system and continue to employ the student if they wish.


More Questions?

Visit our LAEP FAQs (Coming Soon!) for answers to our most commonly asked questions.  You can also contact Mary Willis, Director of the Career Development Center at Fresno State at mwillis@csufresno.edu.