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RE:
Allowability of Salaries for Idle or Partially Idle University Employees, Graduate Assistants, and Post-Docs on Federally-Funded Grants for the Period April 13, 2020 to May 31, 2020
During the transition to remote work in light of the Governor’s “Stay Home, Stay Safe” order, the University has encouraged supervisors and managers
to be as flexible as possible in assigning remote work. In the context of employees, graduate assistants, and post-docs who usually perform research on campus, this has meant identifying home-based research activities, review of relevant research papers and
materials, participating in training and professional development opportunities, etc. Some individuals who perform essential research work (as determined and approved by their Dean) may have continued to come to campus as needed to perform research activities.
There have been a number of questions about compensation for employees, graduate assistants, and post-docs during this period of remote work, and
in particular, about whether their compensation can continue to be charged to a grant if the individuals are currently idle or partially idle due to COVID-19 related circumstances.
If an individual employee, graduate assistant, or post doc is on a
federally-funded grant and you are unable to identify appropriate grant-related work (remote or essential on-campus) for them due to COVID-19 related circumstances, effective April 13, 2020 through May 31, 2020, they can still be paid through the grant
in accordance with temporary OMB guidance related to COVID-19. Consistent with the University’s policy from April 13 through May 31, 2020, M-20-17, as adopted by federal grant awarding agencies, permits individuals working under federal grants whose responsibilities
do not enable them to telework, or whose workload has been reduced as a result of telework, to continue to receive their full salaries and benefits.
Idle or partially idle employees whose salaries will be charged to grants during this period should track and report idle time using the code “excused
absence with pay – COVID-19.” Individuals who are partially idle should maintain documentation of effort expended in support of the grant remotely vs. idle time, in the event that sponsors/agencies do not allow for the charging of salaries when effort in
support of the grant is not possible.
Idle employees, graduate assistants, or post docs should not be moved to a grant award that they were not posted to as of April 12, 2020, when this
policy was put in place. If an individual can contribute to another sponsored project or institutional activity, their salary must be moved to that funding source.
While some non-federal sponsors are also following the temporary OMB guidance related to COVID-19, not all are doing so. If an individual employee,
graduate assistant, or post doc is not on a federally-funded grant and you are unable to identify appropriate grant-related work (remote or essential on-campus) for them, please contact Brian Prindle,
Executive Director for Research Administration and Integrity, to help you to determine whether or not a particular grant is following the temporary guidance issued by OMB, and how impacted employees should
report their time.
As of June 1, 2020, employees who are idle or partially idle due to COVID-19 related inability to work will need to use exception time in order to
be paid, or will need to use unpaid leave.
If an individual employee, graduate assistant, or post doc is still performing work related to the grant (either remotely or essential work on campus),
they should continue to report time normally if applicable, and their compensation should continue to be charged to the grant. As noted above, it is reasonable to have some flexibility in identifying new bodies of work/ opportunities related to the grant
that can be performed remotely.
For further questions about this policy, please contact
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