A postdoctoral associate is an employee of the Institute, most often paid from a sponsored research grant. A postdoctoral fellow is not an employee of MIT and is the recipient of an external fellowship.
When the appointment type changes, it affects:
- eligibility for benefits
- possible deduction of taxes
- eligibility for certain visa statuses
Resources
Your key administrative contact for postdocs is an important source of information and guidance for postdocs considering, or going through, a change in appointment type. An in-person discussion is recommended.
In addition to discussing the change with your key administrative contact, review the following:
- Defining Postdoctoral Fellows and Associates
- Benefits Comparison for Fellows and Associates
- Checklists:
For Administrators
Late (retroactive) appointment changes have additional ramifications. For assistance on a late appointment change, email VPF’s HR/Payroll team or call 617-253-4255. For questions on how this impacts benefits, contact Mandy Chan, Senior Benefits Analyst in Human Resources; tel. 617-258-6215, or by email: mchann@mit.edu.)
Administrators should also communicate to postdocs the impact of PDA/PDF change on taxes and benefits.