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Steps for Annual Renewal
Steps for Annual Renewal
Besides regular meetings, postdocs & mentors should meet annually to review accomplishments, discuss future goals, and determine if the appointment should be extended for another year. We recommend the renewal conversation be initiated 2-3 months before appointment end date.
Should the postdoc & mentor be in agreement, an updated appointment letter should be provided to the postdoc, outlining salary and specific appointment renewal dates (template included below)
Update the postdoc's new end date in the HR system.
REMINDER: Postdocs in the Medical School must meet the minimum salary policy - the current NIH Year 0 Experience scale - thus their salary will increase at least to the new minimum each year. Although not required, we encourage mentors to increase salary according to the NIH guidelines for subsequent years of experience.
FAQ: When does a faculty mentor need to initiate renewal of an appointment?
FAQ: What steps are required to renew an appointment?
To find the answers, click HERE to visit the FAQ page. The answer is under the RENEWAL section.
Template for Postdoc Appointment Renewal or Non-Renewal
Template for Postdoc Appointment Renewal or Non-Renewal
Length of Appointment
Length of Appointment
Per the Standard Practice Guide, postdoctoral Research Fellowships are limited to five years in duration. If a department would like to extend a postdoctoral research fellow appointment beyond five years, the department must apply for an exception from the Medical School Office of Postdoctoral Studies at least six months in advance of the 5-year deadline. Exceptions to the standard limit will only be granted in extraordinary circumstances.
FAQ: How many years can an individual be employed as Postdoctoral Research Fellow?
To find the answer, click HERE to visit the FAQ page. The answer is under the RENEWAL section.
Postdoc Performance Issues
Postdoc Performance Issues
In the cases of postdoc performance or misconduct issues, a Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) should be provided to determine steps to address issues & markers to meet improvement.
Academic HR and the Postdoc Office are available to answer questions about Performance Improvement Plans, or sit in on conversations to support the process.
Details about the timing and process of a PIP are included below:
PostDocPIPGuidance 1-2022.pdfPostdoc Improvement Plan (PIP) Templates
Postdoc Improvement Plan (PIP) Templates
Postdoc PIP Example 3.pdfPostdoc PIP Example 2.pdfPostdoc PIP Example 1.pdfNon-Renewal
Non-Renewal
Notification of appointment non-renewal should happen at least 3 months before appointment end. This provides time for the postdoc to make alternate plans. We also encourage postdocs to initiate renewal conversations and be forthcoming with their mentors about their plans.
Should mentor decide not to renewal a postdoc appointment, a non-renewal letter should be issued. A template is included above.
Resources to support the postdoc's next steps & job search are included in the non-renewal template.
Besides the letter for non-renewal:
Complete usual termination processes & paperwork
If the postdoc is international, connect with Immigration Compliance. Should the termination result in a change in visa status, they will be able to process that change.
FAQ: Are there policies for termination of Postdoctoral Research Fellows?
FAQ: Can a Postdoc initiate an early termination? What needs to happen?
FAQ: Does the Postdoctoral Research Fellow receive any type of payout for unused vacation/sick time at the end of their appointment?
To find the answer, click HERE to visit the FAQ page. The answer is under the PERFORMANCE ISSUES, NON-RENEWAL & TERMINATION section.
Final Appointment Year Notification (Reaching the 5 Year Limit)
Final Appointment Year Notification (Reaching the 5 Year Limit)
To support policy compliance, we recommend sending a Final Appointment Year Reminder to 4th year postdocs. Please communicate this information with impacted postdocs so they can prepare for next steps.
Feel free to use the template below:
Termination of Appointment
Termination of Appointment
Early Termination, initiated by Department
Early Termination, initiated by Department
If circumstances arise that require the hiring unit to terminate a Research Fellow appointment before the specified appointment end date, before notifying the Fellow, the hiring unit should first consult with the appropriate Dean or Director and the Office of Academic Human Resources. The department may be responsible for paying out the remaining salary to the postdoc.
Early Termination, initiated by Postdoc
Early Termination, initiated by Postdoc
A Postdoc can choose to leave a lab before fulfilling the extent of an appointment. Many departments request a resignation letter that includes a final date of employment, contact information including a physical address, and other standard information that are required upon termination (return of keys and lab/university hardware, going over lab notebooks with P.I., cataloguing reagents and samples, etc.).
Regular Termination (non-renewal or at 5th year)
Regular Termination (non-renewal or at 5th year)
Complete usual termination processes & paperwork
If the postdoc is international, connect with Immigration Compliance. Should the termination result in a change in visa status, they will be able to process that change.
Appointment End Reminders (Email Access & Certificate of Completion)
Appointment End Reminders (Email Access & Certificate of Completion)
Upon successful completion of a postdoctoral research fellow position, postdocs will be issued a certificate of completion.
When the department updates the postdoc end date in the HR system, it triggers a process with Rackham to create the certificate.
HRRIS (Human Resource Records and Information Services) is notified by the postdoc's department of their end date. Each week, HRRIS sends Rackham a spreadsheet with the names of postdoc's termination/end date. Based on information from the spreadsheet, an email is sent to the department asking that they submit a verification response form stating that the postdoc has successfully completed their appointment and confirming the necessary information required on the certificate. Once the form has been received by Rackham, it triggers the certificate creation process. As of May 2022, electronic certificates are being sent out on a weekly basis to the postdoc. Upon receipt of the electronic certificate, all postdocs will have an opportunity to request a hard copy of their certificate, should they require some. Physical copies can take up to 16 weeks to arrive, which is the main reason for switching to electronic certificates.
Please contact rackpostdoccertificates@umich.edu with any questions regarding postdoc certificates.
Postdocs will lose U-M email access at the end of their appointment.
If a postdoc would like to extend their umich.edu email beyond the end date: Prior to leaving the University, a departmental HR administrator can extend e-mail privileges beyond the termination date. This will allow a postdoc, for example, to forward e-mails sent to their umich.edu address and create an automatic reply, listing the new position and new email address.
The Dept Administrator can use the Account Request Tool, ART, through HITS to extend the level two email account. Type in the postdoc's last name in the ART search; the end date on the right hand side can be updated to a later date. The admin has to have access through ART to do this. If they do not, they need to contact HITS.
FAQ: Does the Postdoctoral Research Fellow receive any type of payout for unused vacation/sick time at the end of their appointment?
To find the answer, click HERE to visit the FAQ page. The answer is under the BENEFITS section.
FAQ: Is there a certificate of completion at the end of a postdoc position?
To find the answer, click HERE to visit the FAQ page. The answer is under the PERFORMANCE ISSUES, NON-RENEWAL & TERMINATION section.
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