Overview
Information pertaining to employment and benefits for postdocs varies depending upon one's classification. At UVa postdocs are grouped into the following two categories depending on the nature of their affiliation with the university.
Postdoctoral Fellow
Postdoctoral Research Associate
Salary/Stipend and Taxes
Research Associates
As employees of the university, Postdoctoral Research Associates are supported through salary. Compensation for Research Associates is governed by the University’s Wage Authorization document, which is updated annually. The salary range established by the Wage Authorization for 2017-2018 is $47,476 to $77,600.
Postdoctoral Fellows
Compensation for Postdoctoral Fellows is governed by the agency providing funding, and therefore varies based on the source of funds. FY2018 stipend levels for the National Research Service Award (NRSA) are:
Years of Post-Graduate Experience |
Stipend |
0 |
$48,434 |
1 |
$48,804 |
2 |
$49,188 |
3 |
$51,324 |
4 |
$53,184 |
5 |
$55,308 |
6 |
$57,528 |
7+ |
$59,736 |
There are federal and state tax differences between salaried postdoctoral Research Associates and postdoctoral Fellows receiving a stipend. The National Postdoctoral Association has created an “Overview of Tax Issues for Postdocs,” which provides information on tax withholding, reporting fellowship income, filing estimated taxes, FICA, self-employment tax and taxes for the international postdoc.
http://www.nationalpostdoc.org/?page=TaxIssues
Health Insurance
All postdocs are eligible for enrollment in the UVa Health Plan. Please note that sponsoring offices or departments are responsible for initiating the enrollment of full-time postdoctoral fellows into this plan, and for notifying Phil Trellal at postdoc@virginia.edu when a fellow is no longer eligible for coverage.
Postdoctoral Fellows 2019 Health Plan Premiums
Premium rates for the Choice Health: |
|
Single |
$430.00/month |
Postdoc + Child(ren) |
$652.75/month |
Postdoc + Spouse |
$894.50/month |
Family |
$1,290.75/month |
Premium rates for Value Health: |
|
Single |
$385.75/month |
Postdoc + Child(ren) |
$572.00/month |
Postdoc + Spouse |
$791.00/month |
Family |
$1,139.75/month |
Premium rates for the Basic Dental: |
|
Single |
$22.75/month |
Postdoc + Child(ren) |
$41.50/month |
Postdoc + Spouse |
$43.50/month |
Family |
$65.50/month |
Leave
Specific leave benefits for Research Associates may be found in the policy governing members of the Professional Research Staff (PRS). A summary of leave benefits is provided below.
Leave Type |
Benefit |
Annual |
22 days per year |
Sick |
64 hours per year (plus an additional 8 hours for each 5 years |
Maternity |
Use of sick leave, then Short Term Disability leave |
Family & Personal |
32 hours/4 days per year |
Other Benefits
The following benefits are provided to postdocs, depending on their classification as salaried Research Associates or Fellows receiving a stipend. UVA Human Resources maintains complete information on the benefits provided to Postdoctoral Research Associates (employees) and Postdoctoral Fellows (receiving stipends). Benefits counselors are available to answer all questions about benefits. For Research Associates, please call 434-982-0123 for assistance. Postdoctoral Fellows should consult their department’s Research Administrator or the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs prior to contacting the UHR Benefits Office.
Benefit | Postdoctoral Research Associates | Postdoctoral Fellows |
---|---|---|
Health & dental (individual) | Yes (with cost to postdoc) | Yes (with cost to postdoc) |
Health & dental insurance (dependents) | Yes (with cost to postdoc) | Yes (with cost to postdoc) or dependent upon funding source & availability |
Disability | Yes | Yes |
Life insurance | Yes | Yes |
Retirement | Yes | No |
Student Loan Deferral
Some student loans from U.S. lending institutions may be eligible for payment deferral during your postdoctoral training. Research Associates and Postdoctoral Fellows should contact Phil Trella, 434-243-2018, to request status verification and institutional signature on the required deferment form.
Education related deferment forms can be obtained at the National Student Loan Program web site. http://www.nslp.org/
Lending agencies may differ in their deferral requirements. The lender, not the University of Virginia, will make the final determination regarding whether your loan is eligible for payment deferral.
Education Benefit Pilot - Extended Into 2018
Interested in getting a degree or academic certificate? Have a conference you’d like to attend related to your work? The University of Virginia’s Education Benefit enables you to do these things with UVA financial support. In 2017, an updated Education Benefit was piloted. The program's two components, Tuition Benefit and Professional Development Benefit, provide you flexibility when choosing to use this benefit for formal education or professional development. A maximum of $4,360 is available for use between the two benefits in 2018. UVA’s Cornerstone Plan guides us to invest in employees to foster a culture of excellence and achievement. The Education Benefit puts that belief into practice to help you reach your educational and professional goals.
Tuition Benefit:
- Available for use on for-credit coursework toward a degree or academic certificate program
- Coursework must be completed at an accredited educational provider
- Up to $4,360 may be used for tuition in 2018
Professional Development Benefit:
- Available for use for job- or career-growth related offerings, relevant to your current role
- Offerings must be provided or sponsored by a recognized provider of professional development experiences
- Up to $2,000 may be used for professional development
Eligibility Requirements: to use the Education Benefit, an employee must meet the following criteria:
- Be an actively working full- or part-time employee (including classified staff, University staff, faculty, and professional research staff)
- Have had one year of continuous, benefits-eligible employment at UVA
Potential Taxation of Education Benefit:
- For tax reporting purposes, Education Benefit funds are reviewed from Oct. 1-Sept. 30 to allow time for payroll to appropriately document them on W-2s
- If you receive over the IRS limit of $5,250 within that time frame, the excess is considered taxable income to you and appropriate taxes will be withheld
Education Benefits Detailed Information: for more information about the process, benefit approval, eligibility, appeals, and other specific information related to the Education Benefit and its components, use the following links.
- To apply for the benefit, go to employee self service (button above, right).
- To learn more about policy, access the UVA Education Benefit Policy
- To check if an educational institution is accredited, visit the U.S. Department of Education’s list of accredited schools
- For information about Student Financial Services for employees, go to Financial Services Fee Waiver for Employees