Summary of Benefits
Health Insurance
Postdoc may choose insurance type/vendor when completing insurance enrollment paperwork. Postdoc insurance premium is paid monthly and will be automatically deducted from the monthly payroll check.
J-1 visa holders should enroll in Repatriation Insurance. Repatriation coverage is not included in UT employee health insurance premium. A separate policy is required for all J1 visa holders.
University Health Services
University Health Services (UHS) welcomes UTHSC postdoctoral scholars. Details of services can be found on the UHS website. Health insurance will be filed for office visits and services at UHS. Postdoctoral scholars are responsible for deductibles required by insurance policies.
Outpatient Psychiatry Clinic
UTHSC Outpatient Psychiatry Clinic is available to postdoctoral scholars to discuss issues with a licensed mental health provider (scroll down to find Psychiatry). Call 901.448.2400 to schedule an appointment. Any and all information shared by a Postdoctoral Scholar is privileged and confidential.
Leave
A postdoctoral scholar is recognized as a trainee committed to maximizing his/her research productivity and is expected to work extended hours as needed to achieve this goal. Postdoctoral scholars are not eligible for overtime pay. A set of workplace expectations regarding work hours, annual leave and sick leave will be formulated between the postdoctoral scholar and mentor at the onset of the postdoctoral training period.
Vacation Time
Postdocs accumulate 2 days annual leave monthly up to 24 days yearly beginning employment start date. Unused days may be carried forward to the next calendar year. A maximum of 336 hours (42 days) may be carried forward from one calendar year to the next; any remaining days at year-end will become sick days. At Postdoc position end date, postdoc will receive cash payment for accrued annual leave days (up to 336 hours); unless postdoc remains at UT in a different position.
Religious Holidays
Specific requests by the postdoctoral scholar for religious holidays should be discussed with the mentor. Such requests should be honored unless they cause undue hardship to the laboratory. Postdoctoral scholars must take annual leave.
Sick Leave
Postdoctoral scholars accumulate 1day sick leave monthly up to 12 days yearly beginning employment start date. The mentor, on a case-by-case basis, will approve requests for sick leave. Sick leave is in addition to expected vacation time and administrative holidays and closings.
Sick leave may be requested for the postdoctoral scholar him/herself or to care for a child, spouse or parent. Approval for sick leave will be equally applied to all postdoctoral scholars in the mentor’s laboratory.
Unused sick leave may be carried forward to the next calendar year. At Postdoc employment end, any unused sick leave is held in an inactive status and can be used as retirement service credit; unless postdoc remains at UT in a different position.
Sick Leave Bank
The Sick Leave Bank is an opportunity for eligible postdocs to protect their income. The Sick Leave Bank may provide paid leave to bank members who have exhausted all of their own paid leave due to a personal illness or injury. Additional information may be found on the HR Sick Leave Bank webpage.
Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
Postdoctoral scholars can be eligible for the FMLA. To be eligible, a postdoctoral scholar must have worked at UTHSC for the previous 12 calendar months (worked at least 1250 hours in the 12 month period prior to the first day of leave). If eligible, a postdoctoral scholar will be guaranteed up to 16 weeks of leave for a pregnancy and 12 weeks of leave for non-pregnancy-related illness. Sick and vacation time must be used during FMLA leave. After sick and vacation times have been used up, the postdoctoral scholar will be placed on unpaid leave for the duration of the FMLA leave.
If a postdoctoral scholar is out on sick leave in excess of three work days, he/she must apply for FMLA, if he/she is eligible.
All FMLA paperwork must be processed through Human Resources. Details of FMLA and other medical/personal leave programs can be found at: http://policy.tennessee.edu/hr_policy/hr0338/.
Leave of Absence
Postdoctoral scholars are eligible for Leave of Absence which includes: Family Medical Leave; Workers Comp; Personal; Educational; etc. Mentor must approve leave request prior to the Postdoc taking the leave.
Insurance Coverage during Leave of Absence
Payment for insurance coverage during leave of absence depends on the nature of the leave. Postdoctoral Scholars must check with Office of Human resources regarding the specific details.