[Insert Date]
[Insert Name]
[Insert Address]
[Insert City], [Insert State] [Insert Zip]
Dear [Insert Name]:
I am pleased to offer you a Postdoctoral Scholar-Research position with the [Insert Department Name], department number [Insert Department Number], job code 9180, salary plan 08, working 40 hours per week. Your salary will be $[Insert Bi-weekly Salary] on a bi-weekly basis which is equivalent to $[Insert Annual Salary] annualized. Please note that this offer is contingent upon verification of your doctoral degree. You will report to [Insert Supervisor/Mentor Name], employee ID number #[Insert Supervisor/Mentor Empl ID]. Your initial appointment is from [Insert Start Date] to [Insert End Date] and may be continued for a maximum of 3 years contingent on satisfactory performance and availability of funding.
During this appointment, you will be involved in [Insert Brief Description of Research/Studies].
This appointment is considered temporary (time-limited) and either party may discontinue the employment relationship at any time for any reason not prohibited by law. Furthermore, there is no guarantee of continuous employment and the terms and/or conditions of employment may be modified at any time.
It is anticipated that your appointment will commence on {Insert Start Date}, however this offer is contingent upon the successful completion of a criminal history background check. Upon signing this letter, you will receive an e-mail with instructions on how to initiate your background screen. If you do not initiate the background screen in a timely manner or if the results have not been received by the above listed start date, then your start date will be revised. Please note, if the results of the background screen do not meet the university's standards, this letter of offer may be revoked. You may review the University's Criminal History Background Check Policy at http://generalcounsel.usf.edu/
You are eligible to participate in the Postdoctoral benefits program offered by USF. You will be eligible for health and dental insurance, along with Paid Time Off (PTO). Please refer to the Postdoctoral Guide, located online at http://usfweb2.usf.edu/hr/benefits/Post_Docs.html for more details on plan design and associated costs. The guide also provides useful information on employment at USF and valuable information about the surrounding Tampa Bay area that you might find helpful. Please note that employees funded solely from contracts or grants shall receive benefits equivalent to similar employees on state funding, provided that such benefits are permitted by the terms of the contract or grant, the rules of the funding agency and adequate funds are available for this purpose in the contract or grant.
As key parts of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) go into effect as of January 1, 2014, federal law requires employers to provide notices to all active employees regarding new health insurance marketplace coverage options. The coverage offered through the Marketplace may not impact the benefits you may be eligible for through the University of South Florida. However, the notice should be carefully read, as it provides some basic information about the new Marketplace and employment-based health coverage offered by USF. We have attached the Marketplace Notice to this offer letter for your convenience.
Your employment with the University of South Florida qualifies you to participate in the Temporary Employment Retirement Plan (TERP).This plan is mandatory for eligible employees such as postdoctoral scholars and you will be automatically enrolled by the University and will remain enrolled as long as you are classified in a temporary position (i.e. postdoctoral scholar) here at USF. Once enrolled, BENCOR, the plan administrator, will be providing you with additional information via mail that will be sent to your mailing address on file with USF.In addition, you will have the opportunity to enroll in tax-sheltered annuities and deferred compensation plans. Additional information is available in the Postdoctoral Guide.
Salaried temporary employees are also eligible to be paid for university designated holidays that fall within the period of the appointment proportionate to your time in pay status.
On your first day, you may stop by the Campus Information Center (CIC) with your offer letter to pick up a temporary courtesy parking permit. It is located on Leroy Collins Boulevard north of Fowler Avenue. The CIC will give you directions to a facility where you may park, and will provide you with information on obtaining a regular University parking permit. Please be prepared to present a valid driver’s license and registration. Once parked, you should report to the Human Resources (HR) Office at [Insert Time], located in the Student Services Building (SVC) room 2172, to complete the necessary paperwork to put you on the payroll. In order to help you through this process, please be prepared to:
Ø Provide an official, sealed transcript of your highest degree completed to your department administrator on or before your first day of employment. The department administrator is responsible for providing a copy of this transcript to Human Resources.
Ø Provide documentation that establishes your employment eligibility to work in the U.S. (in accordance with the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986). A list of acceptable documents for the I-9 form is attached.
Ø Provide your passport, I-94, visa and appropriate immigration support documents based on visa class, if you are a foreign national.
Ø Enroll in USF’s Direct Deposit program which is a condition of employment at the University. A voided check is needed in order to complete the enrollment forms.You may also submit a letter from your financial institution with account and routing information if you use a savings account as deposit slips are not acceptable.If you do not currently have a bank account established, HR can provide you with information on available options.
When you have completed all of your paperwork in HR, which should take no more than one hour, you should report to, [Insert Location to Report to and Any Special Instructions].
If you have any questions about the terms of our offer outlined above, please contact [Insert Contact Name] at [Insert Contact Phone Number]. We are very excited about the prospect of your joining our team and the staff at USF! To assist you in learning more about the USF postdoctoral experience, please visit the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs’ website at http://www.grad.usf.edu/opa_index.php
Sincerely,
[Insert Name]
[Insert Title]
************************
My signature below indicates my acceptance of the offer as outlined above. Please return a signed copy via US Mail or fax (Insert Fax Phone Number) by [INSERT DATE NO LATER THAN 10 BUSINESS DAYS FROM THE DATE OF THE LETTER].
Applicant Signature Date
cc: Human Resources
[Insert College Dean Name]
[Insert Department Chair Name]
Attachments:
Mail point: [Enter Bldg. and Room #],
Location: [Enter Bldg. and Room# of physical location of office]
Phone: [Enter Work Phone Number],
Pay Distribution: [Enter GEMS account Code and %],
Principal Place of Employment: [Enter Location]
Pay Envelope # [Enter Number, if applicable]
PART A: General Information
When key parts of the health care law take effect in 2014, there will be a new way to buy health insurance:
the Health Insurance Marketplace. To assist you as you evaluate options for you and your family, this notice provides some basic information about the new Marketplace and employment-based health coverage offered by your employer.
What is the Health Insurance Marketplace?
The Marketplace is designed to help you find health insurance that meets your needs and fits your budget.
The Marketplace offers "one-stop shopping" to find and compare private health insurance options. You may also be eligible for a new kind of tax credit that lowers your monthly premium right away. Open enrollment for health insurance coverage through the Marketplace begins in Oct. 2013 for coverage starting as early as Jan. 1, 2014.
Can I Save Money on my Health Insurance Premiums in the Marketplace?
You may qualify to save money and lower your monthly premium, but only if your employer does not offer coverage, or offers coverage that doesn't meet certain standards. The savings on your premium that you're eligible for depends on your household income.
Does Employer Health Coverage Affect Eligibility for Premium Savings through the Marketplace?
Yes. If you have an offer of health coverage from your employer that meets certain standards, you will not
be eligible for a tax credit through the Marketplace and may wish to enroll in your employer's health plan. However, you may be eligible for a tax credit that lowers your monthly premium or a reduction in certain cost-sharing if your employer does not offer coverage to you at all or does not offer coverage that meets certain standards. If the cost of a plan from your employer that would cover you (and not any other members of your family) is more than 9.5% of your household income for the year, or if the coverage your employer provides does not meet the "minimum value" standard set by the Affordable Care Act, you may be eligible for a tax credit.1
Note: If you purchase a health plan through the Marketplace instead of accepting health coverage offered by your employer, then you may lose the employer contribution (if any) to the employer-offered coverage. Also, this employer contribution -as well as your employee contribution to employer-offered coverage- is often excluded from income for Federal and State income tax purposes. Your payments for coverage through the Marketplace are made on an after-tax basis.
How Can I Get More Information?
For more information about coverage offered by your employer, please visit myFlorida.com/myBenefits or
call People First at 1-866-663-4735, Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern time.
The Marketplace can help you evaluate your coverage options, including your eligibility for coverage through the Marketplace and its cost. Please visit HealthCare.gov for more information, including an online application for health insurance coverage and contact information for a Health Insurance Marketplace in your area.
1 An employer-sponsored health plan meets the "minimum value standard" if the plan's share of the total allowed benefit costs covered by the plan is no less than 60 percent of such costs. (Section 36B(c)(2)(C)(ii) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986)
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PART B: Information About Health Coverage Offered by Your Employer
This section contains information about any health coverage offered by your employer. If you decide to
complete an application for coverage in the Marketplace, you will be asked to provide this information. This information is numbered to correspond to the Marketplace application.
3. Employer NameState of Florida / 4. Employer Identification Number (EIN)
59-3458983
5. Employer Address
PO Box 5450 / 6. Employer Phone Number
1-850-921-4600
7. City
Tallahassee / 8. State
Florida / 9. ZIP Code
32314
10. Who can we contact about employee health coverage at this job?
People First Service Center, Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern time.
11. Phone Number (if different from above)
1-866-663-4735 / 12. Email Address
N/A
Part-time and full-time employees as defined in Section 110.123(2)(c) and (f), Florida Statutes, are eligible for health coverage under the State Group Insurance Program. Pursuant to this statute, you may become eligible for health coverage if you work an average of 30 hours or more each week over the defined measurement period. If you become eligible following the measurement period, you will be notified.
For details regarding the Program’s terms of eligibility, including exceptions and dependent coverage, see the Benefits Guide for a summary program description at myFlorida.com/myBenefits.
Health plans offered under the Program meet the minimum value standard, and the cost of this coverage to you is intended to be affordable, based on employee wages. Even if your employer intends your coverage to be affordable, you may still be eligible for a premium discount through the Marketplace. The Marketplace will use your household income, along with other factors, to determine whether you may be eligible for a premium discount. If, for example, your wages vary from week to week (perhaps you are an hourly employee or you work on a commission basis), if you are newly employed mid-year, or if you have other income losses, you may still qualify for a premium discount.
If you decide to shop for coverage in the Marketplace, HealthCare.gov will guide you through the process.