Personnel assigned to sponsored projects, like all other personnel, must be appointed and compensated in keeping with federal, state and university personnel rules. Classified staff matters are covered by the Florida Department of Education and UWF Rules, Policies and Procedures. Additional faculty policies are covered in the Faculty Handbook or questions may be addressed to the Office of the Provost for Academic Affairs.
RSP Grants Specialists serve as liaisons to UWF Human Resources (HR) to help researchers with questions about the employment of individuals working on sponsored projects. For assistance in these matters, contact your RSP Grants Specialist.
Salaried employees must be classified in accordance with the appropriate university pay plan (Faculty or University Work Force) and are entitled to fringe benefits (insurance, retirement, annual and sick leave benefits) that are funded by the contract or grant through the appropriate fringe benefit percentage rate applicable to the base salary. Employees entirely compensated by grant or contract funded projects should be encouraged to take annual leave during the performance period.
Faculty titles and their use are regulated by the Provost and the respective dean's office and are shown in the Information Navigator Position Classes (OHR000004) report. Generally, a master's degree is a minimum requirement. The faculty plan has no set pay ranges, but all appointments are subject to the approval of the dean or director and the Provost.
Faculty and UWF staff who are covered by an employment contract (issued at initial employment or upon initial appointment to a grant project) are notified in this document and all subsequent contracts of the time-limited nature of their employment and that no further notice of cessation of employment is required. PIs are provided notice at 90-60-30 day intervals prior to a scheduled end of a grant project and are encouraged to provide notice to all employees on the project as soon as the notices have been received if continued funding has not been assured.
Other Personal Services (OPS) appointments are temporary by nature and are expected to exist no longer than the specific period of appointment. Although no formal notice to these employees is required, Principal Investigators (PIs) are encouraged to provide as much notice prior to a termination of the appointment to the employee as possible.
OPS appointments provide temporary or short-term staffing needs, including faculty, administrative and professional, support staff, and student employment. OPS employees are not eligible for insurance or leave/holiday pay. A small portion of the fringe benefit percentage is assessed to OPS salaries paid to cover the costs for FICA payroll taxes and Workman’s Compensation benefits. This rate is also shown on the Fringe Benefit Analysis Chart (PDF).
OPS appointments may be made for “contract” appointments in which the individual is paid a salary rate to accomplish duties assigned without regard to actual hours worked. This type of appointment is usually made for a professional or faculty level appointment, and the employees will be paid based on the prorated rate for the period of appointment. No time sheets are required, but the PI (or other designated party) must certify each pay period that the work for the FTE appointment has been completed. Unless Payroll is notified, OPS employees in this category and appointed at a biweekly rate remain in full pay status at the assigned FTE during pay periods containing holidays. When change to the biweekly rate for work performed is necessary due to illness, vacation or contracted work not performed during a period when the university is closed, the PI/supervisor is expected to notify Payroll (e-mail is acceptable) on or before time certifications are due for payroll processing.
Fully matriculated graduate students may be appointed as Graduate Assistants or Graduate Research Assistants under grant-funded projects and paid on an hourly basis (see New Minimum Pay Rates for Graduate Assistants) (PDF). The student’s approved biweekly time sheet serves as the appropriate support documentation of direct costs for grants. Graduate students employed at least 10 hours per week are eligible for matriculation fee waiver (usually partial in-state fees) processed through the appropriate college office. The student must be appointed for the entire length of the term for which the tuition payment is awarded. Whenever possible, investigators are encouraged to include graduate student tuition at the in-state level or the matriculation fee waiver equivalent in their proposed project budgets (see Preparing a Budget).
Student Employment Classification and Pay Plan documents are available at Human Resources Student Employment including information on requisition to fill and requirements for appointment. For assistance, contact your RSP Grants Specialist.
With the permission of the sponsor, students may be paid a “stipend” for work and education during a specific period of time such as an academic term. Stipends are considered compensation in lieu of salary for students and are usually awarded to graduate research assistants who are working directly under a faculty member’s supervision as part of an educational experience. Stipends require a written agreement between the faculty member and the student to outline the expectations of performance and a formal assessment (such as a grade on a directed individual study, thesis credit or approved internship enrollment) completed at the end of the appointment period. The faculty member’s assessment of the student’s performance is expected to include documentation of hours worked toward the completion of the objectives. Stipends must be reported to Student Financial Aid and are calculated as part of the student’s total financial aid package.
Undergraduate students may be employed in any Student Employment Classification other than those specifically designated at the graduate student level. The policies and procedures for these appointments are similar to those for graduate students and details may be found at the HR Student Employment web site.