COVID-19: Hiring Freeze Exemptions for Externally Funded Resources

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Hiring Freeze: 04/15/2020 Message

Quick Reference: FAQ Town Hall Slides

Externally Funded Graduate Students, Post Docs, Staff, and Undergraduates for Summer AND Fall 2020:

Updates to Hiring Freeze Exemption - Updated 06/25/2020

The Office of Research and Sponsored Programs (ORSP) will review all requests for exemption from the hiring freeze for undergraduate or graduate students, postdoctoral trainees, or project staff with external funding for summer or fall.  To submit a request for exemption, please follow the guidelines below.

NEW HIRE

To request an exemption to hire a Research Scientist, Postdoc or Staff position (including students paid hourly):

  • Requests should be sent to your Contract & Grant Specialist
  • External funds must be on existing award and the position budgeted
  • Exemption request should include:
    • the name of the person(s)
    • Position Description(s)
    • approximate duration of the appointment
    • total amount of the funded (budgeted) amount
    • funding source (research index)
  • Exemption request must include certification from the Principal Investigator that:
    • funding is available and designated for the purpose of the hire, i.e., justification for exception under the freeze;
    • the role can be carried out under present conditions, i.e., that we don't create a commitment of grant funds for something that can't be done. This requires certification/confirmation from the PI:
      • that the role can be carried out 100% remotely; or
      • confirming that the lab is ready and approved to reopen by the Dean's office, and they are set to start covid-19 training online before re-entering the lab ensuring lab work will be done according to covid-19 guidelines; or
      • a combination of remote and approved lab work following the above guidelines

Requests can be combined for all individuals paid off a single external grant.

ORSP will review requests and will let Human Resources know if they are approved so that the paperwork can be processed for the new hire. Once the new hire has been approved and Human Resources notified, you can follow the normal payroll process for submission to ORSP. Please include all supporting documentation provided for the exemption review with the payroll form to ORSP to minimize the need for further review.

REAPPOINTMENT OR EXTENSION

To reappoint or extend a resource, apply the same criteria when submitting payroll forms to ORSP:

  • Follow the normal process of submitting payroll forms and supporting documentation to ORSP
  • Supporting documentation must include certification from the Principal Investigator that the role can be carried out under present conditions, i.e., that we don't create a commitment of grant funds for something that can't be done. This requires certification/confirmation from the PI:
    • that the role can be carried out 100% remotely; or
    • confirming that the lab is ready and approved to reopen by the Dean's office, and they are set to start covid-19 training online before re-entering the lab ensuring lab work will be done according to covid-19 guidelines; or
    • a combination of remote and approved lab work following the above guidelines

Requests can be combined for all individuals paid off a single external grant.

Processing of reappointments, moving individuals from project to project, and Principal Investigators putting themselves on research projects for summer will follow the usual process, with payroll forms and supporting documentation submitted to ORSP as always. Certification by the Principal Investigator that the individual can conduct their research activities 100% remotely, or in accordance with reopening of labs as defined above, must be included as supporting documentation to the forms sent to ORSP. ORSP will review the documentation and will submit the approved forms to Payroll.

Please note that Principal Investigators are not required to certify themselves and the normal process for adding them to their research projects for summer should be followed.

 

Hiring Freeze Exemption FAQs

Is the Principal Investigator subject to the same certification?

No. The Principal Investigator is responsible for the project, is already budgeted and has committed effort on the award. It is expected that the Principal Investigator understands the need to manage the project remotely and can only return to campus when authorized.

Can the Co-PI provide the certification that the role can be completed remotely or is approved to be on campus under university guidelines, or must it come from the PI?

Yes. The certification can come from the Co-PI. However, the Principal Investigator for the award will need to confirm they are aware of the request as they control the budget. The easiest way to accomplish this is to have the Co-PI certification forwarded to the Principal Invetigator, copying the appropriate CGS. The Principal Investigator can then "reply-all" with confirmation. The CGS will receive the request and continue with the review and approval.