PBSci Personnel/Payroll
5th Floor Physical Sciences Building
Mail Stop: PB Sci. Pers/Pay Res. Acctg.
Fax: 831-459-5599

Policy Summary for Postdoctoral Scholars (11-month)

Welcome to the University of California and the Division of Physical and Biological Sciences. This sheet contains highlights of the major personnel policies that apply to you. Complete policies for Postdoctoral Scholars are available on-line.

A Physical and Biological Sciences Personnel/Payroll Representative and an Academic Personnel Coordinator were assigned to assist you when your employment with the Division began. Our Contact List provides his/her phone number, e-mail address and work schedule. All Personnel/Payroll Representatives are located in the Physical and Biological Sciences Business Office, 301 & 302 Jack Baskin Engineering Building. You may contact your Personnel/Payroll Representative if you have questions about any information on this sheet. If your representative is not available and you need information right away, you may call the Business Office's main reception line at 459-2018 for assistance from one of our other representatives.

Your position is one that is designated as exempt for purposes of compensation and reporting of time. Exempt employees are considered "salaried" and are paid at a fixed percentage each month, not to exceed 100%, and are expected to fulfill the duties of their positions regardless of hours worked. Time worked is not recorded for purposes of pay and exempt employees are not eligible to earn straight or premium overtime compensation.

PAY PERIODS: Your Personnel/Payroll Representative will be able to tell you when to expect your first paycheck. Thereafter, you will receive monthly paychecks on the first of the month following the month worked (i.e., January time worked is paid to you February 1st.). Your W-2 form will reflect time worked from December through November, not January through December. If your pay date falls on a Saturday or Sunday, you will be paid the preceding Friday (with the exception of December time which is always paid in January).

HOURS OF WORK: The work week for a full-time exempt employee is normally considered to be a minimum of 40 hours, and for part-time employees, the proportion of 40 hours that is equivalent to the appointment percentage. Greater emphasis is placed on meeting the responsibilities assigned to the position rather than working a specified number of hours.

TIME RECORDS: Exempt employees are paid a predetermined salary and not paid based on hours worked. Therefore, actual hours worked should not be reported on time records. Sick leave and other leaves should be reported in full-day increments only, do not report partial days off on your time record. Time off (see next section) is not entered on the time record. Part-time employees should contact their Personnel/Payroll Representative about how to report leave. Completing or approving time records that do not accurately reflect time is a falsification of an official university document. Time records should be submitted to the Business Office no later than the third working day of the following month (i.e., January time record is due the third working day in February). A new time record will be sent to you as soon as possible (usually by the middle of the month) with an updated sick leave balance. Keep track of your leave in another place (such as on a desk calendar) until you receive a new time record.

TIME OFF: Postdoctoral Scholars do not accrue vacation. Postdoctoral Scholars are expected to take time off each academic year in the intersession and recess periods (which constitutes about four weeks, excluding University holidays) between the beginning of Fall Term and the end of Spring Term. If, however, the Postdoctoral Scholar's training and research program involves work during these periods, it is expected that the mentor will approve equivalent time off at another mutually agreeable time. This policy applies to all Postdoctoral Scholars unless an extramural funding agency contains provisions to the contrary. Postdoctoral Scholars will remain on pay status during intersession and recess periods or their alternatives. Time off is not reported nor tracked on time records.

SICK LEAVE: You are eligible for paid sick leave of up to twelve days per twelve-month appointment period. This policy applies to all Postdoctoral Scholars unless an extramural funding agency contains provisions to the contrary. Postdoctoral Scholars with appointments of less than twelve months are eligible for sick leave in proportion to the appointment period (i.e., a Postdoctoral Scholar with a six-month appointment is eligible for up to six days of sick leave). Sick leave is prorated for part-time employees of 50 percent time or more. Unused sick leave is carried forward to subsequent Postdoctoral Scholar appointments, and there is no maximum amount of sick leave you may accumulate. Sick leave is allocated at the beginning of the appointment and is immediately available for use. Sick leave may be used when you are ill, for medical appointments, illness of family members or bereavement. If you will be out for more than five days, even if you have sufficient sick leave balances, please contact your Academic Personnel Coordinator to request a leave of absence under the Family Medical Leave Act.

HOLIDAYS: The University observes thirteen (13) administrative holidays during the calendar year. You may obtain a list of holidays from your Personnel/Payroll Representative. Holidays will be designated on the monthly time records you receive from the Business Office by an "H" preprinted in the appropriate box under "other leave" taken. An employee with a part-time appointment of 50% time or more receives prorated holiday pay.

HEALTH & SAFETY: The University has a campus wide Injury and Illness Prevention Program to assure a safe and healthful work environment for its employees. You are responsible for your personal safety, knowing and complying with the applicable policies, procedures, and work rules, and promptly reporting serious dangers to your supervisor or campus safety official. Talk with your supervisor about safety regulations and safety training opportunities relevant to your job duties. For your information, campus emergency procedures and a listing of campus safety and emergency services is located in the front of the Campus Directory. In addition, the campus Environmental Health and Safety web site provides extensive information about safe work practices and safety-training programs offered on campus. If you work at a computer for more than 4 hours a day or 20 hours a week, it is recommended that you take a class on ergonomics. To register, go to http://ehs.ucsc.edu/training_classes.

ACCIDENT REPORTS: If you sustain a job-related injury or illness, you must report this to your supervisor immediately . State law requires you and your supervisor to complete appropriate forms (available in the Business Office) within 24 hours of the occurrence of any job-related injury or illness. If you wish to be seen by your own doctor in the event that you are injured or become ill on the job, you must have on file in the Business Office a "UCSC Employee Physician Designation Form" prior to being injured. You should have received a form when you signed employment forms in the Business Office. If a designation form is not on file, the University will arrange for your medical care at the Dominican Occupational Health Center.

REAPPOINTMENT/MERIT REVIEWS: Based on the end date of your current appointment, research needs, budgetary considerations, and job performance you may be eligible for reappointment with a possible merit salary increase in one to three years. All Postdoctoral Scholars will be reviewed annually. You may contact your unit's Academic Personnel Coordinator for your specific review schedule and for details of the review procedures.

LEAVES OF ABSENCE: If you will be off more than five days for reasons other than time off, whether with or without pay, please contact the Business Office immediately to discuss your leave of absence options (including Family Medical Leave Act), applying for disability where appropriate, and to ensure your absence does not jeopardize your insurance benefits.

HEALTH AND WELFARE BENEFITS: All Postdoctoral Scholars are eligible for benefits under the Postdoctoral Scholar Benefits Plan (PSBP). The University of California has partnered with insurance broker Garnett-Powers & Associates (GPA) to assist with enrollment and to provide customer service. Detailed information regarding the PSBP and how to enroll can be found on the GPA website. GPA customer service staff are available to answer questions you might have regarding plan designs, benefits available, enrollment procedures, claims issues, or any concerns with the PSBP. The toll free customer service number is 800-254-1758 or you can e-mail GPA staff at psbp@garnett-powers.com . You may also contact the UCSC Benefits Office at 459-2013.

To be covered by health and welfare benefits, you must enroll in the PSBP within 31 days from your appointment begin date.

To enroll, go to the GPA website and complete the PSBP Enrollment Form and the PSBP Standard Life Insurance/AD&D Beneficiary Form. Print, sign, and submit a hard copy of these forms to Julie Putnam, UCSC Benefits Office, prior to the PIE end date listed above .