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L&S Post Degree Training
What is Post Degree Training?
Post degree training, also known as “employees-in-training (ET)”, is an employment category at UW-Madison. These appointments are NOT reserved for UW-Madison graduate students; they have received a degree and are coming to UW-Madison for further training and/or research in the field of their degree. Commonly, the people in these appointments have Ph.D.’s and can often be referred to as “postdocs”, but having a Ph.D. is not a requirement for all post degree training appointments. Most of these individuals are not enrolled at a college or university and are continuing training to gain experience in their field of specialization. Prior approval for all post degree training appointments is required.
Payroll Adjustments
Effective Fall 2022, payroll adjustments to Postdoctoral Fellow/Trainee appointments may be necessary to pay out the exact stipend amount over the course of the appointment.
Use the Fellow/Trainee Adjustments Calculator to evaluate the adjustment amount, if any. If an adjustment needs to be made, please send a completed Fellow/Trainee Adjustments Calculator to your HR contact.
**Special Note:
Research Associates cannot receive lump sum payments for performance or lump sum awards.
Research Associates are NOT eligible for base rate increases if they are on the NIH scale.
If they are on the NIH scale, then they should receive increases according to the NIH amounts on their anniversary date.
Research Associates ARE eligible for base rate increases if they are not on the NIH scale.
Best practice is to provide increases on the anniversary date. If this employee is NOT on NIH, then the department should provide a justification for the increase and run it by the division for approval.**
Required Documents
For each post degree training appointment, the following documents need to be sent to your HR contact for review and approval.
- CV – if new appointments
- Draft Appointment/Extension Letter
- Completed Job Aid for all Non-Service appointments (Postdoc Fellow//Trainee, Graduate Intern/Trainee)
- Completed Fellow/Trainee Adjustments Calculator if a payroll adjustment is required
- Funds on 101, 104, 131, 402 require the submission of an Essential Hire Form.
The Appointment Letter
Each post degree training appointment type has its own template letter and then a separate template for appointment extensions. Please use these templates to draft appointment letters, every new appointment or extension needs their own personalized letter. Departments may add additional information specific to the appointment or their department, these additions cannot promise anything, such as potential for extensions. The template letter outlines what should be included in the appointment letter depending on certain factors (if the position is exempt/non-exempt; info for A-basis vs C-basis positions; if the appointee is a foreign national or not; if the appointee will receive benefits; etc.).
Please include with all Postdoctoral Appointment Letters the Offer Letter Attachment.
Appointment Types
Non-service. This is not considered “work” to the university. It is competitive and awarded. The money received is not considered wages by the IRS. The appointee’s activities should primarily benefit their own learning and research. The “work” should be independent or self-directed, subject only to such supervision as might be given by a teacher to a student.
Service. This is considered a service to the university. It is work performed in service to the UW. Monies earned in this appointment are considered wages under the IRS.
A job aid is available to assist departments in making an accurate determination about whether a payment made to an individual qualifies as service related or non-service related income, also known as employment or fellowship payments. There are five main titles for post degree training appointments at the College of Letters & Science:
- Graduate Intern/Trainee PD001
- Research Associate PD012
- Research Intern PD013
- Postdoctoral Fellow PD003
- Postdoctoral Trainee PD004
Graduate Intern/Trainee PD001
This title should be used for graduate students (enrolled at UW-Madison or at another university) who are serving a field work or clinical internship which fulfills specifically stated requirements for the Ph.D. or Master's degree. This position pays a stipend. Taxes will not be withheld from these stipends. Except in rare cases, appointees will be required to pay taxes on the amount of stipend that exceeds the cost of tuition, fees, books, supplies and equipment. Appointees may be required to pay estimated taxes on a quarterly basis.
The appointment type is Non-Service
Zero-Dollar Graduate Intern/Trainee appointments (non-salaried) are used when the individual is serving a field work or clinical internship, per the requirements of the Ph.D. or Master's degree, and not receiving financial support from the University of Wisconsin. The individual will have official University status and can use the libraries and other University facilities.
Refer to this L&S KB for further information on zero-dollar appointments
Appointment Letter Templates
Research Associate PD012
Research Associate is an individual who is continuing training after receipt of the doctorate. The department must verify that all requirements for the doctorate (possibly M.D., D.V.M., or J.D.) have been satisfactorily completed before the first day of any appointment using this title. For example, the successful completion of an oral defense of a Ph.D. is not sufficient. The actual filing of the final thesis is required prior to the beginning date of the appointment.
A research associate is usually funded from a principal investigator's grant funds and other sources rather than from fellowship funds awarded an individual in national competition. A research associate appointment is normally for a two- or three-year term, up to a maximum of five years, and is normally given to an individual who is within five years of having received the doctorate. Department level approval is required up to three years. Over three years, up to a maximum of five years, requires annual approval by the Dean's office prior to each year extension and must include a statement by the department to the Dean indicating that training is continuing. Payments made to research associates are fully taxable as wages, and taxes will be withheld from monthly paychecks.
This appointment type is Service
Zero-Dollar Research Associate appointments (non-salaried) are used when the individual is training to further support their studies, for their own benefit. The individual will have official University status and can use the libraries and other University facilities. Appointments are for one year and may be renewed yearly - possibly two or three years.
Refer to this L&S KB for further information on zero-dollar appointments
Appointment Letter Templates
Research Intern PD013
A research intern is an individual who typically is continuing training after receipt of a bachelors, masters, or equivalent. A research intern appointment is normally for a two- or three-year term. These individuals have been engaged in an area of research, service, or the like, and are pursuing additional training in their areas of expertise or a related field. Payments made to research interns are fully taxable as wages, and taxes will be withheld from monthly paychecks.
The appointment type is Service
Zero-Dollar Research Intern appointments (non-salaried) are used when the individual is training to further support their studies, for their own benefit. The individual will have official University status and can use the libraries and other University facilities. Appointments are for one year and may be renewed yearly - possibly two or three years.
Refer to this L&S KB for further information on zero-dollar appointments
Appointment Letter Templates
Postdoctoral Fellow PD003 or Trainee PD004
Postdoctoral Fellow or Traineeship is an award, usually funded extramurally, to an individual for the purpose of continued training after receipt of the doctorate. The appointing unit must verify that all requirements for the doctorate (possibly M.D., D.V.M., or J.D. for special fellowships) have been satisfactorily completed before the first day of any appointment using these titles. For example, the successful completion of an oral defense of a Ph.D. is not sufficient. The actual filing of the final thesis is required prior to the beginning date of the appointment. A person eligible for a postdoctoral fellowship or traineeship is usually within five years of having received the doctorate. Most of these awards are for two-year terms.
The appointment type is Non-Service
Appointments as postdoctoral fellows and postdoctoral trainees should be made only if it can be demonstrated that the appointee's activities are primarily for the benefit of the appointee's own learning and research. Otherwise, it is more appropriate to use an employment title such as researcher or scientist. Employment titles apply whenever the duties assigned are under the direct supervision and control of the employer and are primarily for the benefit of the University or granting agency. The work of individuals appointed as postdoctoral fellows or postdoctoral trainees should be independent or self-directed, subject only to such supervision as might be given by a teacher to a student.
Zero-Dollar Postdoctoral Fellow/Trainee appointments (non-salaried) are used when the individual is training to further support their studies, for their own benefit. The individual will have official University status and can use the libraries and other University facilities. Appointments are for one year and may be renewed yearly - possibly two or three years.
Refer to this L&S KB for further information on zero-dollar appointments
Appointment Letter Templates
Salary/Stipend:
UW–Madison requires that all full-time Postdoctoral Fellows, Postdoctoral Trainees, and Research Associates have a minimum base salary/stipend of $47,476. This may occur through two appointments allowed under university policy UW-6101 Supplementation And Concurrent Appointments For Postdoctoral Fellowships Or Traineeships.
An individual, for example, may receive a fellowship stipend of $40,000 as a Postdoctoral Fellow, in addition to a salary of $7,476 as a Research Associate. In total, this individual would have a base salary/stipend of $47,476.
Taxes:
The distinction between the different types of postdocs is very important in terms of taxes and compensation. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) considers Research Associates to be employees and thus payments made to Research Associates are fully taxable as wages and the University must withhold taxes from monthly paychecks in most cases. The IRS, however, does not consider Postdoctoral Fellows and Postdoctoral Trainees to be employees. As a result, the University will not withhold taxes from monthly stipend checks. Stipends, however, may be taxable as income: Postdoctoral Fellows and Postdoctoral Trainees may be required to pay taxes quarterly on an estimated basis.
Absence with Pay:
University policy UW-5088 Postdoc Absence with Pay & Legal Holidays provides two types of absence with pay:
- Absence with pay (personal): Hours when a postdoc may be absent from their training for personal purposes, and still receive their stipend or salary.
- Absence with pay (medical): Hours when a postdoc may be absent from their training due to personal and immediate family medical reasons, or for the birth or adoption of their child, and still receive their stipend or salary.
For absence with pay (personal), annual-basis postdocs are eligible, but academic-basis postdocs are not eligible. For absence with pay (medical), all postdocs are eligible. The amount of leave granted for full-time postdocs is below. Postdocs in appointments less than full-time are granted amounts based on their percentage of appointment.
- Absence with pay (personal): 176 hours per fiscal year (July 1–June 30)
- Absence with pay (medical): 96 hours per fiscal year (July 1–June 30)
Any absence with pay remaining at the end of the fiscal year will be lost and not carry over into the next fiscal year. Postdocs are ineligible to receive cash payouts for any unused absence with pay.
Legal Holidays:
University policy UW-5088 Postdoc Absence with Pay & Legal Holidays provides the same nine legal holidays to all postdocs as are provided to employees. Under the policy, full-time postdocs are granted eight hours of pay for each legal holiday. Part-time postdocs are granted a prorated amount based on their hours in pay status during the pay period that includes the legal holiday. Postdocs are not eligible for floating legal holidays.
Related Documents & Policy Resources:
- Job Aid for non-service appointments: https://www.ohr.wisc.edu/docs/nonservice-job-aid.pdf
- Post degree training titles: https://hr.wisc.edu/standard-job-descriptions/?job_group=Post Degree Training
- Postdoc Absence with Pay & Legal Holiday policy: https://policy.wisc.edu/library/UW-5088
- For non-exempt appointments, please use the Salary Conversion Table.
- UW-6101 Supplementation And Concurrent Appointments For Postdoctoral Fellowships or Traineeships
- UW-5088 Postdoc Absence with Pay & Legal Holidays
- Principal Investigator Status