NIH and NSF Information on Fair Labor Standards Act and Postdoctoral Researchers

Dear Faculty and Administrators:

The new Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) may affect the salaries of research faculty, postdocs, and research associates. Under this new federal regulation, the minimum salary for individuals in these categories will be $47,476, effective December 1, 2016. The federal agencies have begun providing guidance on how to address these changes in grant proposals and funded awards.

National Institutes of Health (NIH)

  • On August 10, 2016, NIH released in NOT-OD-16-134 the projected FY2017 Stipend Levels for Postdoctoral Trainees and Fellows on Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Awards. The plan is for these stipends to be effective on December 1, 2016. These stipend levels are subject to change.
  • On May 18, 2016, NIH Extramural Nexus Open Mike had a discussion of the FLSA in the context of Postdoctoral Researchers.

National Science Foundation (NSF)

  • On July 26, 2016, NSF released a set of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on implementation of the FLSA. Topics of these FAQs are
    • Definition of FLSA
    • Impact on Postdoctoral Researchers
    • Rebudgeting

The Office of Sponsored Programs will continue to distribute information as it becomes available to us.

Best regards,

Jennifer

Jennifer E. Woodward, PhD
Associate Vice Provost for Research Operations
Professor of Surgery and Immunology

University of Pittsburgh
Office of Sponsored Programs
300 MURDC
3420 Forbes Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
412-624-7405
jew7@pitt.edu