Post-Onboarding: Postdoctoral Scholars

Thank you for attending your in-person onboarding session! Your ARC analyst will be entering your provided information into the payroll system and setting up your access over the next few days. In the meantime, there are several other steps you can take to make sure you have your ducks in a row before beginning work.

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POSTDOC ORIENTATION

Register for the New Postdoc Orientation through the UC Learning Center via Single Sign-On (SSO) (Click Here) or, if you do not have single sign-on yet, you can send an email to opsa@ucsd.edu indicating which month you would like to attend.

The New Postdoc Orientation schedule is as follows:

When: The second Thursday of every month.
Where: General Campus, Career Services Center, Horizon Room (Click here for a map)
Time: 9:00 am - 11:00 am

If you have questions regarding the New Postdoc Orientation, please send an email to opsa@ucsd.edu.

BENEFITS

Signing Up

Your period of initial eligibility (PIE) starts on the day your eligible employment begins and it ends 31 days later at midnight. It is your responsibility to enroll or opt out of benefits during this period.

For more information on how to enroll or benefits in general, visit the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs Benefits page.

Please also read the Federal Affordable Care Act (ACA) Exchange Notice for more information on healthcare requirements in the United States.

If you have a Social Security Number, please enroll online through Gallagher Benefits Services (formerly Garnett-Powers and Associates). Upon opening the page, click "Enrolling in the Plans." If you don't answer "yes" to any of the preliminary questions, you may enroll via At Your Service Online (AYSO).

If you do not have a Social Security Number you will need to use an enrollment form throughGallagher Benefits Services (formerly Garnett-Powers and Associates). Complete the following steps to enroll:

Follow the instructions on the Garnett-Powers website and complete, print, and sign both the Insurance Enrollment Form and the Life Insurance Beneficiary Designation Form.
Scan and return the completed forms toarcrequest@ucsd.edu. ARC will forward your forms to the appropriate office. You will be copied; please keep both this email as confirmation of receipt and keep a copy of your forms for your records.

Retirement Information

Retirement plans are managed by Fidelity Retirement Services. To access information about retirement plans or contributions, visit Fidelity NetBenefits.

Anyone who is not eligible for the UC , such as a Safe Harbor participant, will automatically contribute to the University’s Defined Contribution Plan (DCP) at a rate of 7.5% of pre-tax wages. More information about the Defined Contribution Plan can be found in the associated Program Information Pamphlet.

You have the option to enroll in the University’s additional voluntary retirement programs, which are as follows:

Please note that employees may contribute up to $18,500 annually ($24,000 if age 50 or older at any time in the calendar year) in pretax dollars to both the 403(b) and the 457(b) plans.

If you have any questions about retirement benefits, please contact Net Fidelity via telephone at (866) 682-7787.

INFORMATION FOR INTERNATIONAL POSTDOCTORAL SCHOLARS

Check into the International Center

All individuals on international status must check in at the International Center. Please refer to the International Center Website for more information.

Apply for your Social Security Card

For directions on how to apply, refer to Identification Documents - Applying for a Social Security Card on the International Center website.

Upon receipt of your Social Security Card, please remember to contact ARC to provide your new Social Security Number for entry into our payroll system.

SYSTEMS AND FACILITY ACCESS

Obtain an ID Card

At the in-person orientation, you should have received a request form for an ID badge. Take your Employee ID Request form to the appropriate office listed on your form:

Campus Card ID – Student Services Center
Medical Center ID – Hillcrest Hospital or Thornton Hospital

You may have one or both applications. The form(s) applicable to you will have been provided to you during your orientation.

At Your Service Online (AYSO)

At Your Service Online (AYSO) is an account that UCSD Staff, Faculty, and Academics can use to view information pertaining to their benefits, retirement, payroll status, and more. You may access At Your Service Online and click the "New User and don't have a password?" option to begin the registration process. Note that you will need a Social Security Number to complete registration.

If you're experiencing difficulties registering for your At Your Service Online account, please contact RASC at (800) 888-8267.

Single Sign On for UCSD Business Systems

Your Single Sign On account will be used to log you into most UCSD-specific systems. You may register by accessing the Single Sign On Registration Page. To complete registration, you will need to provide the following information:

Employee ID Number
UC San Diego Email Address
Last four digits of your Social Security Number
Date of Birth

To resolve difficulties with your Single Sign On account or your UC San Diego email address, please call the ITS Help Desk at (858) 534-1853.

Register for Two-Step Authentication

UC San Diego utilizes the Duo app to provide two-step authentication for added security when logging into Business Systems applications. Enrollment in two-step authentication is automatic and a two-step authentication method must be configured in order to access Business Systems. For information about Duo and how to register for two-step authentication, please see the link below:

BLINK - Getting Started with Two-Step Authentication

Update Your Contact Info on MyDirectory

Update your UC San Diego directory information by accessing the MyDirectory Help Desk.

PAYROLL AND TIMEKEEPING

Direct Deposit

Some postdoctoral scholars have the option to either receive a physical paycheck or to enroll in direct deposit. To complete enrollment, please follow the instructions on the BLINK Direct Deposit Page. You will need your Social Security Number to complete enrollment.

If you are a Postdoc Fellow (Title Code: 3253) you will not but able to enroll in Direct Deposit via AYSO. Please use the paper form provided to you during your onboarding session.

If you have any questions related to your pay or direct deposit, contact the Payroll office either via email at payrollquestions@ucsd.edu or visit Payroll Contacts to determine the name, telephone number, and email of your payroll contact.

Pay Periods

Normal monthly paydays are typically the 1st of the month following the month worked. For example, time worked in the month of December is paid to you in January. If the 1st of the month falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or holiday you will be paid on the preceding Friday (the only exception being time worked in December, which will always be paid on the first business day in January).

Your W-2 will reflect earnings for time worked from December through November of the previous year. Electronic W-2s can be obtained through At Your Service Online (AYSO).

You Employee ID number is located on your paycheck stub.

Please click the following link to download a payroll calendar: Payroll Calendars.

Personal Time Off (PTO)

Postdoctoral Scholars with a 100%, 12-month appointment are eligible for twenty-four (24) work days of personal time off. These days do not carry over from year to year - they must be used in the same year in which they're given or they will be lost.

PTO days are recorded in one-day increments and require prior approval from your supervisor. When scheduling PTO days, please attempt to request time to minimize the effects on research progress. Please speak with your PI about how they would like you to record used leave. You can send general questions toARCrequest@ucsd.edu.

Sick Leave

Postdoctoral Scholars are eligible for sick leave without loss of compensation for up to twelve (12) days per twelve-month appointment period. These hours can roll over if re-appointed. These sick days are eligible to be used from the first day of the appointment and can be used to cover personal illness, medical appointments, childbearing, disability or bereavement. They must be taken in one-day increments and approved absences of less than one full day do not require the use of sick leave.

Union Representation: Dues and Fair Share Fees

Postdoctoral Scholars at UC San Diego are represented by the PX union. As such, you are required to pay either union dues or fair share fees to cover costs for negotiations, contract administration, and related activities. These fees and dues are automatically deducted from your monthly paycheck.

You may access the current bargaining agreement at the Bargaining Agreement BLINK page.

Tax Information

To view tax information pertaining to Postdoctoral Scholars, please visit thePostdoctoral Scholar Benefits and Services page and refer to the "Tax Information" section.

REQUIRED TRAINING

Non-laboratory personnel are required to sign up forInjury and Illness Prevention Training within 30 days of their start date.
Laboratory personnel must enroll and complete the following modules of General Laboratory Safety Training.
- UC Laboratory Safety Fundamentals
- Annual Laboratory Hazards Training
Sexual Harassment Prevention Training
Cyber Security Training
Introduction to the Ethical Challenges of Research
Postdoc Individual Development Plan
Additional Workshops