Evaluations
Your mentor and department are responsible for, at a minimum, completing the required annual evaluation rating sheet and submitting it to the PDO. It is always encouraged that more frequent feedback is provided either formally or informally. The fellow should feel confident in asking for an assessment at any time.
Evaluation Resources
Use this link for the departmental evaluation process: Handling Evaluations
Here’s the "public record" form required to be completed and filed with the PDO:
2013 POSTDOC Annual Performance Rating Sheet - Copy.doc
Use your completed and updated UCD Postdoc IDP/ARP form to discuss progress made and to make plans for the upcoming year. (For the document/nonPDF version easier to copy and fill out: UCD Postdoc IDP/ARP form )
Items to use with your mentor:
General Evaluation Information
Additional information you need to know as far as your reaction to the evaluation:
- You must be given a copy of all written evaluation items AND the rating sheet, which is the public record that is sent to the PDO.
- Signing the sheet means only that you have been informed of the rating, not that you agree with it.
- Your supervisor/mentor has the responsibility and the right to give the rating he/she believes is fitting for your performance. Hopefully there is a free exchange of thoughts about your evaluation with your mentor, so that full understanding of the situation and reason for the rating is achieved. If you are dissatisfied with the evaluation outcomes, you have several options:
- Be sure to learn from your supervisor/mentor what you can do to improve your performance so as to obtain a better evaluation rating in the next cycle. Best practice: Either get it in writing or send an email to your mentor outlining what you understood in conversation, allowing for a response that either agrees or corrects your understanding.
- You can go to the Ombuds office to seek confidential assistance in approaching the matter with your mentor. (Bldg 500 Rm C7005 4-2950)
- As an outlet, you can respond in writing to the supervisor, and copy the division head or department Chair. It is up to that administrative head whether anything will be followed up on. At the least, your response should be filed by the dept administrator along with the other evaluation documents.
- Seek advice from another faculty member, get some peer counseling from other Postdocs, call the PDO to talk it over if you like.
- If you are convinced that the evaluation rating given is arbitrary or capricious, or that some department or University policy is not being/has not been followed, you can make a formal written grievance to the department Chair and send a copy to the PDO.
- Be specific about the actions that are the subject of complaint.
- Offer the remedy you would like to see.
- Do not let more than a few days go by before responding! Typically grievances are filed within a week to 10 calendar days. See details on timing and procedure here:
Postdoc Grievance Process - FINAL 7-8-10.pdf Salary Increases
- Your mentor and department are the determiners of your salary. You are free to negotiate for whatever you can get.
- Keep in mind that the State of Colorado may dictate salary parameters to the University due to budget constraints. As an example, for fiscal year 2010 (beginning in July 2009), the State has determined that no salary increases will be awarded for any employee class unless it involves promotion or equity due to the salary being below the classification minimum. The source of your funding does not matter.
- Only if the fund sponsor has mandated a specified salary increase that must be followed, and it is part of the official agreement or contract, will that requirement override the State’s ruling on salary increases.
To see the departmental process: Salary Increase Process
To find current campus salary levels click here: PDOsalary.pdf Additional Pay
What should happen is a two-step process:
PRIOR to the work being done, the proposed work and additional pay needs to receive approval from the PDO. The clearest and cleanest arrangement is written into an addendum letter and routed for signatures. This enables a review to make certain the agreement conforms to the policies regarding additional pay for research positions, and that it is okay for the postdoc to go ahead with the work, expecting additional remuneration. There’s almost nothing worse than an expectation unfulfilled because the department made a promise it couldn’t’ keep due to not following policy or procedure properly.
AFTER the work is completed, the APF form is submitted by the department to show it is time to pay the person for the completed work.
What circumstances are acceptable for additional pay for a Postdoc?
It is possible for a Postdoc to earn additional pay, but certain criteria must be present in the circumstance. Many of these are the same as for other employee classes.
It is reimbursement for moving expense – and follow this policy: It is part of an official University-sanctioned, employee award program. See this University policy for criteria:
It is for truly additional work, not just added assignments within the regular job’s scope. (As exempt employees, all work assigned to the postdoc by the primary job supervisor is considered part of the base position’s work to be completed no matter how long it takes.) The work must be completed outside of and in addition to the work hours required for the base position. The postdoc’s supervisor must agree to the arrangement to see that it does not impact the expectations of the grant sponsor paying the salary of the base position. (Ex: 100% effort required by federal grants.) In all but exceptional cases, the work would be done in a different realm than the usual lab research that is performed in the base position and included in the job description, or at least must be performed for a different lab and type of project altogether. Potentially, short-term teaching assignments, or performing information technology work that is totally different than the normal research, may be considered. The work must be short-term for a specified period of time and covered in one lump sum or flat fee paid out at the end of the work project. Other PDO-approved items on a case-by-case basis. (Ex.: The Postdoc is part of a project where the funder’s agreement/contract calls for attendance at a special workshop that results in a product for the funder and there is a line in the grant budget outlining pay for this very scenario, showing this additional pay is part of the project plan.)
Reference: UCD’s Administrative Policy “Research Assistant/Associate (PRA) - AMC” See especially applicable guidelines at Section G.7, G9-13, and K Grievances
Talk about the problem
First, you should always try talking to your mentor about the problem.
If you need help with how to approach that, or help to sort out what you want to do, go to the campus Ombuds office, where your conversation is totally confidential.
Determine the type of grievance
Second, you must decide what kind of grievance you have, and whether you want to start a formal process of investigation.
- Does it deal with discrimination of gender, race, religious affiliation, or other such reasons that are protected under law?
If so, Human Resources is the governing entity. Complaint should be filed with the Employment Rights Compliance and Investigation Officer at 303-315-2724 or sent to "Attn: Compliance Officer" through campus mail to mail stop 130. - Also see these University policies:
- Does it deal with research integrity or publication issues?
If so, the Committee for Research Ethics is the authority with jurisdiction. Contact the Office of Regulatory Compliance for referral.
- Does it deal with your appointment parameters, evaluation, or salary?
If so, this policy document issued by the Postdoctoral Office is your guide for the grievance process.
Postdoc Grievance Process - FINAL 7-8-10.pdf |
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