Frequently Asked Questions SCS Postdocs Have

Postdocs on an agency fellowship appointment, i.e., PHS, NSF, Heart Association, etc. do not automatically pay into the State University Retirement System, SURS. Arrangements can be made with SURS to have deductions taken out on a volunteer basis.

Any institutional allowances that are included with the fellowship must be spent according to the rules and regulations of the issuing agency. For further information concerning your fellowship and institutional allowances please contact Kay Busboom or Julie Thomas in the SCS Business Office at 244-6231 (Kay) or 244-3915 (Julie).

Fellowships are not taxed, but to avoid owing a large sum at the end of the year, additional money can be taken out voluntarily from each check for state and federal taxes.

Postdocs on fellowships must provide their own health insurance.

Postdocs who are US citizens who have at least a 50% or more appointment for nine months or longer automatically receive university insurance coverage.

Postdocs who might be changing from a regular Postdoctoral Research Associate appointment to a fellowship appointment and already have insurance through the university must fill out a Faculty and Academic Professional Leave of Absence Without Pay Form for an Educational Leave and receive approval in order to keep their health insurance at the same rate.

If a fellowship covers more than one year, a new leave form must be filled out each year.

Postdocs who are taking a leave of absence to take a fellowship appointment can, if they choose to, continue to pay into SURS on a voluntary basis, but they can't receive service credit.

The university may not offer health insurance coverage to individuals who have less than a 50 percent appointment for less than nine months, and who are not participants in the State Universities Retirement System (SURS). The following categories of international scholars may not be eligible to participate in SURS and therefore cannot be offered university health insurance:

• Employees who hold J-1 visas and their dependents, who hold J-2 visas,
• F-1 visa holders in practical training and their dependents, who hold F-2 visa

Some J and F visa holders may be eligible for participation in SURS and thus can have university health insurance coverage. A "Substantial Presence Test" determines whether an individual qualifies as a Resident, and therefore can participate in SURS. Calculations are based on the length of time(approximately two years) that an individual has been in this country. On this campus, Norm Maske, in Payables Accounting and Tax Compliance, does these calculations. He can be reached at 3-6706.

Unfortunately, the premiums for coverage in private health insurance plans are higher than those for university health insurance and the coverage may not be as comprehensive.

Domestic postdocs will have to attend an orientation session once they arrive on campus where they will be able to choose their health insurance provider.

Postdocs are paid once-a-month, on the 21^st of the month, up to a 12-month period. There are 1.083 sick days available for each month’s work during a 12 month period. Vacation is earned by eligible employees at the rate of 2 days per month. During a 12-month appointment year the employee is encouraged to use all of the vacation earned during that period.

Once an international employee arrives on campus he/she will be brought by the department sponsoring them to the SCS Human Resources Office in Room 312 Noyes Lab. The staff in the HR Office will instruct the employee to go to the Social Security Office in Champaign where he/she will apply for a social security number. It takes several weeks for the employee to receive their social security card. In the mean time, the employee will be issued a temporary number by the Payroll Office in Room 100 of the Henry Administration Building in order to start the payroll process.

The employee’s appointment will be set up in the SCS HR Office.A copy of the appointment will be given to the new employee who can then take it to the second floor of the Illini Union Bookstore and receive their ID Card. The ID Card allows the employee to use the campus library system, ride the MTD buses, cash checks on campus, once they have established a checking account at either the Employees Credit Union or any area banks.

Postdoctoral positions are considered staff and not student positions and follow the staff hours of work. Postdocs/staff do not take the same holidays as the students do.
2006-2007 Holiday Schedule