Post-Doctoral Fellow Job Code 1438 Fringe Benefits Guidance
Effective 7/1/25
Background
Historically, trainees in the job code 1438 Post-Doctoral Fellow were considered a separate employee group. Although they were eligible for benefits, their fringe rate was zero and benefits were funded by the fringe pool. The benefits localization project in FY22 at the 黑料社区网 (黑料社区网) required that Post-Doctoral Fellow benefits be decentralized to campus units.
Effective 7/1/22, job code 1438 was moved into the 鈥淔ull-Time Professional Exempt & Research Faculty & Permanent Classified 鈥 All, except LASP鈥 employee group. With this change, appointments in the job code 1438 changed from a fringe benefit rate of zero to carrying the applicable fringe benefit rate for this employee group (see听Fringe Benefit Rates History | Campus Controller's Office).
Due to several factors, such as budgeting, systems, consistent benefits, and time for departments to adapt, for currently employed fellows, central campus provided funding assistance for job code 1438 employee benefits during an extended transition period through the end of FY23.
Benefits
Job code 1438听Post-Doctoral Fellows听benefit eligibility is described here:听Benefits | Postdoctoral Affairs. See also the听Benefits Eligibility Matrix.
Fringe Benefit Expense Allocation
Job code 1438 Post-Doctoral Fellows is part of the 鈥淔ull-Time Professional Exempt & Research Faculty & Permanent Classified 鈥 All, except LASP" employee group and allocated the applicable fringe benefit rate when the post-docs are earning salary through 黑料社区网. Fringe benefit rates are published here:听Fringe Benefit Rates History | Campus Controller's Office.
When units are required to or elect to provide benefits to post-docs with no salary, the unit is responsible for funding the actual cost of the employer portion of their fringe benefit expenses. These 鈥渆mployer paid鈥 fringe benefit amounts can be identified on the employee鈥檚 paycheck by running the m-Fin Payroll Transactions report in CU-Data. The postdocs' actual fringe benefit expense is variable as some benefits are dependent upon voluntary elections made by the postdoc. The Campus Controllers Office (CCO) allocates the actual fringe benefit costs to a unit SpeedType on at least a quarterly basis.
Funding
If an employee in job code 1438 is receiving salary on a sponsored project awarded to 黑料社区网, the fringe benefits will be allocated at the applicable fringe benefit rate to accompany the salary at month end, similar to other job codes. If the fringe benefits are not allowed on the sponsored project, the employing unit will be responsible for funding the fringe benefit expenses.
For employees in job code 1438 that are not receiving salary from a 黑料社区网 sponsored project (e.g., direct funding for a fellowship to the employee) or receiving salary on a 黑料社区网 sponsored project with a fringe benefit cap, the employing unit is responsible for funding the fringe benefit expenses not paid by the sponsor.
FAQs
The employing unit must fund the unallowable or over-cap fringe benefit expense amount. As an example, NIH caps the amount of funding for health insurance on NIH Fellowship and Training grants. If a job code 1438 Post-Doctoral Fellow is paid on an NIH Fellowship or Training Grant, the employing unit must fund the uncovered fringe benefit expense. This can be coordinated with your Grant Accountant.
Employing units are encouraged to provide benefits. However, if a post-doctoral fellow鈥檚 fellowship or training grant does not require 黑料社区网 to provide benefits, the employing unit may choose not to provide them. If 黑料社区网 is not providing benefits, it is recommended that the fellow is hired under job code 3201. Job code 3201 Post-Doctoral Fellow Stipend does not provide benefits or have any associated fringe benefit cost to the sponsored project or employing unit (see the Postdoctoral Affairs Benefits page and this helpful听Benefits Eligibility Matrix). If needed, employing units may consult Human Resources (HR) about the appropriate job code at resfachr@colorado.edu.
No. If funding cannot be supported by 黑料社区网, the post-doctoral fellow employment agreement will need to be reviewed. If allowable, the fringe benefits can be withdrawn by moving the post-doctoral fellow to job code 3201, which does not include fringe benefits. This allows the fellow access to continued health insurance through the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) program for 18 months. If the post-doctoral fellow鈥檚 employment agreement does not allow fringe benefits to be withdrawn, the sponsored project or employing unit will be required to fund the actual costs.听
A Post-Doctoral Fellow is eligible for many benefits 鈥 including individual and family health, vision and dental insurance 鈥 but is not eligible for CU ORP 401(a) retirement plans or employee leave plans, the latter of which are often designated by the granting agency.听Post-Doctoral Fellows听are offered optional retirement plans.听In cases where fellowship agreements address leave processes, the post-doc should contact the granting agency for more information on the leave policy.
Because听Post-Doctoral Fellows are granted their own fellowship funding, they do not participate in the annual performance evaluation process and are ineligible for merit increases. Some听Post-Doctoral Fellows may receive increases from their granting agency.听听
Yes, they are considered employees (research faculty).听
Employees under job code 1312 are eligible for full employee benefits. Employees in job code 1438 are eligible for all employee benefits except sick and vacation leave, paid parental leave and campus mandatory retirement benefits. Paid parental leave and campus mandatory retirement benefits are included in the fringe benefit pool, however sick and vacation leave are not included in the fringe benefit pool.
The reason the same fringe benefit rates are used is that job code 1438 is most closely aligned with the FT Professional Exempt & Research Faculty & Permanent Classified All 鈥 Except LASP Fringe Benefit Pool and does not meet the criteria to create a new, separate Fringe Benefit Pool. View fringe rate components.
Allowability of fringe and health insurance being charged to a sponsored project depends on sponsor budget policies. As an example, NIH institutional training grants and fellowships do not allow for charging fringe benefits but do allow for the institutional allowance to be used for health insurance.听Confirm allowability with your Grant Accountant.听
No. Funds awarded in the stipend or tuition and fee categories may not be used for other purposes except under unusual circumstances, and only with the prior approval of the sponsor. Contact your听OCG Contract or Grant Officer听about making this request to the sponsor.
NIH training grants and fellowships provide an 鈥渋nstitutional allowance鈥 that can be used to cover health insurance costs. The institutional allowance varies by training and fellowship program. (see 鈥淪tipend Levels & Info").
Below is an m-Fin report example of an NIH Grant that removed unallowable fringe benefit expenses and added 鈥渋nstitutional allowance鈥 allowable health insurance expense. Contact your Grant Accountant for more information.
