Unpaid Appointment – Overview
This KB guides SMPH departments and supervisors in making unpaid appointment requests. It outlines general information on appointments, how to make an appointment request to SMPH HR, and unpaid appointment titles. Contact your SMPH HR Operations Coordinator with any questions.
General Information
SMPH (School of Medicine and Public Health) allows the use of unpaid appointments to enhance our mission of advancing health and health equity through remarkable service to patients and communities, outstanding education, and innovative research. Unpaid appointments are not anticipated to lead to paid employment and are not an appropriate substitute for an evaluation period. More detailed information can be found in the Unpaid Appointment Guidelines and Procedures.
Immigration Sponsorship
- Individuals from foreign countries seeking an unpaid appointment must be authorized to be present in the United States. If sponsorship is required, it must be secured prior to the appointment start date. Departments are responsible for coordinating with their International Employee and Immigration Specialist to initiate the appropriate process. Processing timelines can vary and take several months; departments should plan accordingly to avoid delays.
- To initiate sponsorship, please email immigration@med.wisc.edu in lieu of completing the survey.
Compliance Requirements
- Individuals in unpaid appointments are expected to meet all university compliance requirements, including completion of mandatory training at the start of the position and annually thereafter.
- Failure to maintain compliance may result in removal from the appointment.
Requesting an Unpaid Appointment
All SMPH unpaid appointment requests should be submitted to SMPH HR Operations. All requested will be reviewed to ensure they are appropriate and consistent within the guidelines. Processing times may vary depending on the appointment title, but a minimum of 10 business days is required.
SMPH Unpaid Appointment Request Form
Information Required to Submit Request
Appointee Information:
- First and Last Name
- Email Address
- Phone Number
- CV or Resume
Position Information:
- Detailed position description
- Supervisor's name, title, and email address
- Appointee's work location(s) and address(s)
- Position start and end date
- Supervision plan
Additional Information:
- Will this position require access to UW Health computer systems?
- Is the appointee under the age of 18 years?
- Will the appointee be enrolled at UW Madison or any other higher education institution?
- For these activities, will the appointee have contact with medical patients and/or human research subjects in this position?
Unpaid Appointment Titles
| Title | Definition | Appointment Length |
|---|---|---|
| Honorary Associate/Fellow | The primary purpose of the honorary appointment title is to assist the University and School of Medicine and Public Health to advance or enhance its core mission and vision through official collaboration. Appointees must have employment at an entity with reasonable association with the collaboration. Appointments may not be written for more than a one-year term and may be considered for extension. | 12 months |
| Unpaid Student Intern | This appointment is for undergraduate and graduate students enrolled at UW-Madison or another university. The position is designed to familiarize the unpaid intern with research and the university. In some cases, this position will align with a research experience required for a dissertation, thesis, or seminal project. Learners will be under direct or indirect supervision of a faculty mentor matched to the student's academic interest. Learners may attend weekly seminars, lectures, and tours and/or participate in tasks related to their learning experience. No academic credit will be associated with these appointments. These are short-term, semester-by-semester, or academic-year learning opportunities. | Short-term, semester-by-semester, or academic-year |
| Pre-College Intern | Title used for current high school students (17 years old or under) participating in a program designed to familiarize them with research and the University in general. The students are under the direct or indirect supervision of a faculty mentor who is matched to the student's academic interest. | Short-term, semester-by-semester, or academic-year |
| Unpaid Administrative Specialist (Limited Use) | Title used primarily for UW Health or UWMF employees (or other exceptional circumstances determined by SMPH HR) associated with SMPH who require an unpaid appointment to access UW-Madison systems, such as WISDM and e-Reimbursement, to perform duties specific to their current role (i.e., department financial specialists). Annual compliance trainings are required for this appointment title. Appointments may not be written for more than a 2-year term. | 12-24 months |