Grant-funded employee FAQ

The Research Accounting team often gets questions related to hiring grant-funded employees. We’ve documented these questions below and compiled a list of resources to assist you through the grant-funded employee hiring process.

Question
Answers & Resources
Are payments to students considered employment income or student awards? See the resource Payments to Students - Employment or Student Award on the Financial Services website.
Where is it best to advertise jobs? Can you advertise these jobs on UVic Careers?

We suggest you use electronic posting resources like Indeed. You might also consider posting within your faculty, Co-Op, or within your department. You department Administrative Officer/Director will be a good resource to assist in posting. You cannot advertise grant-funded jobs on UVic Careers as grant-funded employees are not university employees.
How long can you hire an employee for (i.e. if you have a 4-year grant, can you hire/advertise for a 4-year position)? You can offer multiple years but can only appoint for one year at a time; submit a position status change form to extend the job every year through Payroll.
What are the suggested hourly rates for Research Assistants/students?

Refer to the information in Research Application Budgets Rates and Other Resources on the Research Services website.

Is the salary scale up to the discretion of the grant-holder?

 Yes, salary scale is discretionary; however, we recommend paying at least equivalent to CUPE 4163 rates.
Is there a standard “letter of offer” template available?

Yes, you can find letter of offer templates on the Research Services website.
Is there a probationary time for a grant-funded employee?

Best practice is to include probationary time in the offer letter. Refer to the letter of offer template with options the Research Services website.
Are extended health, dental and pension eligible expenses for grant-funded employees?

It depends on the funding agency; extended benefits are specifically not eligible for Tri-Agency funding. Contact Research Accounting to verify if funding is allowed for your grant.
How do grant-funded employees enroll in extended benefits if they are eligible? Email benefits@uvic.ca and provide the V# of the person who would like to enroll in the extended benefits plans.
Are there UVic policies around grant- funded employees?

Refer to Policy HR6305: Employment under externally funded grants & contracts.
Is there any HR support for grant- funded employees and their supervisors?

Because UVic is not the employer, the PI is the employer, no UVic HR services are available. You can contact Research Services for consultation on grant-funded employees. BC employment standards and UVic policy HR6305 do apply and can also be consulted.
How do I estimate the mandatory employer costs and extended benefit costs when paying salary to a grant-funded employee?

There is an external grant funded benefit cost estimator available on the Research Accounting website to estimate the employer costs and extended benefit cost based on the salary or hourly rate.
Which form to I use to get my grant- funded Research Assistant set up and paid through Payroll?

To hire a grant-funded Research Assistant, use the Research assistants – grant-funded only appointment form

To record time worked, use the Timesheet: grant-funded and other non-union timesheet form.

Both of these forms are on the Payroll forms page under ‘Other groups and special forms’ section.
How do I pay a student a one-time payment?

You can pay a student a scholarship or bursary through the expense management system Chrome River. Refer to the instructions on how to pay a student through Chrome River.
Which form do I use to pay monthly scholarship payments?

The Scholarships – monthly scheduled payments form should be used for monthly scholarships.
What form do I use to pay a stipend?

For an employee, use the Special Payments form on the Payroll forms by group webpage under ‘Other groups & special forms’. For a non- employee, you can pay a student a scholarship through the expense management system Chrome River. Refer to the instructions on how to pay a student through Chrome River.

Consult with your department Administrative Director or contact Payroll for employees, Accounts Payable for non-employees if you need further assistance.
Should I be paying for a service as a grant-funded employee or an independent contractor?

Refer to the decision diagram - employee or independent contractor for guidance.