INFORMATION FOR KITP POSTDOCS
[Medical Insurance] [KITP Preprints] [Visas]
Travel
1. Removal Travel --- The KITP will pay for one one-way lowest cost coach air fare from your previous institution to Santa Barbara, or up to that amount, depending upon actual costs, if you choose to drive. If you drive to the KITP you must obtain a price quote for a one-way coach air fare from an authorized source before you arrive in Santa Barbara. These are easily obtained online. You will need to save all your tickets for reimbursement purposes. The KITP does not pay for any shipping costs related to your moving to Santa Barbara.
2. Travel to Meetings --- Each postdoc is allowed $1500 per year for travel to scientific meetings. In each case, you must return to the KITP following your trip---these travel funds cannot be used toward your removal upon the completion of your appointment at the KITP. You may, however, under certain circumstances, carry over any unspent funds to a second year at the KITP. Please be aware that the University is wary of reimbursing travel packages where both hotel and airfare are included in one sum. If you are considering such a package, please read the policy. If you are not a U.S. citizen, please check with Timber Kelley before you make arrangements to give a seminar at another institution. For foreign travel, see below.
3. Foreign Travel --- ALL foreign travel requires prior approval. Please obtain permission from the Director as soon as you begin to plan your trip. In addition, you must make your reservations on a U.S. flag carrier in order to be reimbursed by the KITP.
4. Charging of Travel Tickets --- Travel tickets may not be charged to the KITP except in special circumstances and then only with prior approval. If you are short of funds, we can arrange an advance for you. See Julia Niessen for more information.
Vacation, Sick Leave, Absences
1. Vacation --- You accrue two days of vacation time per month, and you may begin taking your vacation time after six months. Each month you will receive a time reporting card. Please record any vacation and/or sick time you have taken and return the card to Deborah. You must take what vacation time you have accrued prior to the completion of your appointment at the KITP. The Institute will not pay terminal vacation.
2. Sick Leave --- You accrue one day of sick leave per month, and you may begin taking your sick leave after one month. Sick leave also must be reported on your time card.
3. Absences --- If you are planning to be away from the Institute, please let us know where you will be and how you can be reached. Paid absences for appropriate scientific purposes normally should not exceed four weeks (20 working days) per year. Both paid and unpaid absences of five or more working days should be arranged with the Director prior to travel. Also please notify Deborah of your absence so that you can be placed on official leave.
1. Health Insurance --- Health insurance is available through the University of California at competitive rates for employees paid 100% for three months or longer and employees paid at least 50% for one year or longer. The benefits representative, Timber Kelley, can provide you with more information. However, please be aware that the responsibility of enrolling in health insurance is yours. You have 30 days from the day you begin working to select a health insurance plan. If you do not enroll in a plan by that time, or if you wish to change your plan, you must wait until the next 'open enrollemnt period' which usually is each November. For foreign postdocs who bring their own fellowships, special insurance plans are available. Please see Timber about these.
2. Automobile Insurance ---Automobile insurance through payroll deduction is available from California Casualty. Its rates are competitive.
3. Other Benefits --- See Timber for information about other benefits such as tax deferred savings plans, etc. You also may make an appointment with a representative from the Benefits Office by calling x2489.
Visitors
1. Colleagues--- Because the KITP has very limited space and funding, all visitors to the Institute must be officially invited by the Director. If you have a colleague who you wish to invite to the KITP for a short visit, you must obtain written approval from the Director well in advance of the visit. If possible, the visitor will be given a desk at which to work.
2. Seminar/Colloquium Speakers --- Invitations to seminar speakers should be channeled through the chair of the Seminar Committee. Any financial commitment must have the chair's written approval. Questions should be directed to Deborah.
Cost of Living Increases/Merits
Pay raises of any sort are contingent upon budgetary increases provided to the Institute. When available, raises are made on October 1st.
Annual Report
Every year in May you will be asked to provide the Institute with a written report of your research activities during the preceding year. In addition, you will be asked for an updated publication list.
Use of KITP Facilities
The KITP is a research facility and its space is to be used accordingly. It is not appropriate to hold press conferences here which relate to your private interests, or to create the impression, even unintentionally, that the Institute is taking a position on a given matter. All requests for use of the facilities, other than for research, must be directed to Deborah.
Office Space
Office space sometimes is a sensitive issue. The KITP generally is very crowded, and it is not always possible for postdocs or visitors to have private offices. Please note that the furniture in each office is intended to stay there, and should not be removed. If you require any changes, please see Deborah.
Technical Manuscripts
All technical manuscripts generated while you are at the KITP must
be assigned an official KITP pre-print number
(see Willie Dawson) and must include the KITP¹s National
Science
Foundation grant acknowledgment. Please make sure this information
is accurately included in your manuscripts.
Visa policies are complex and changes occur frequently, so please contact Timber as soon as possible if you need a visa or a transfer from another institution in order to work here. You also should be aware that visits to other institutions (and transferring from the KITP at the end of your appointment) may require advance planning. Please see Timber as soon as you begin negotiating a trip!
Shipping Expenses
Upon the completion of your appointment at the KITP, the Institute will
provide up to $75 toward the cost of mailing and/or shipping your
scientific
books and files.
last modified 3/19/08 ds
