This tool has been developed to assist Areas who employ Research-only staff.
- What type of contract will be issued for research positions?
Usually research positions supported by grant funds are of a fixed-term nature,
determined by the term of the grant. Two types of fixed-term contracts may be
applicable, depending on the type of funding:
- Research Only – this type of employment is for staff appointed
from internal funds or from grant funds awarded to another staff member. This
is the more common type of contract used for research positions and can be offered
for a period of up to five years. If the funding is not secure, consider offering
a shorter contract leaving open the option of renewal, as fixed-term contracts
cannot be terminated early due to lack of funds.
- Specific Task or Project – this type of employment is for where
the individual has a postdoctoral fellowship or salary awarded competitively by
an external funding body in their own name. The contract will terminate on the
conclusion of the fellowship (rather than a stated date). This allows fellowship
holders to intermit/extend their fellowship, without the University necessarily
becoming obligated to provide a severance payment at the end of the original fellowship
period (see Question 6 below for more information about severance).
- What are the conditions of employment for grant funded research staff?
These professional research staff are normally employed on academic contracts
of employment. The conditions of employment for these types of contracts can be
obtained from the Human Resources website. Research Support Staff, such as technical
officers, research officers, or research assistants are normally employed on general
staff contracts of employment (eg. Higher Education Officer 5/6(P)).
- What about superannuation?
Grant funded staff will be eligible for membership to the Unisuper Award Plus
Plan Superannuation Scheme. Under this Scheme, the University contributes the
Superannuation Guarantee Charge of 9% of the staff member's salary. Provided that
the granting body in question agrees to pay the full employer contribution, staff
in grant funded positions may also have the option or be required to join the
Unisuper Defined Benefit Plan or Investment Choice Plan. The total employer contribution
in respect of staff who join either of these plans is 17% of the staff member's
salary and in addition the staff member will be required to contribute at the
rate of 7%.
- What classification/title should be used for appointment?
Standard job titles have been developed to ensure that there is consistency
when determining classification and position title for research-only academic
staff. Funding bodies have certain requirements and these must be adhered
to when making appointments. Refer to job
titles for academic appointments.
- What are the University's obligations when sponsoring employees from
overseas?
Overseas appointees must have an appropriate visa that allows them to work
in Australia. When the University sponsors overseas appointees, it undertakes
to meet certain sponsorship obligations including compliance with Australian industrial
relations laws, deduction of tax instalments, and informing the Department of
Immigration and Citizenship if the person
ceases to be employed by the University.
Of particular importance is the requirement that the University accepts "responsibility
for all financial obligations to the Commonwealth incurred by the nominee arising
out of the nominee's stay in Australia". This could include medical costs
related to the appointee or their dependants, or travel costs if repatriation
became necessary and the employee was unable or unwilling to pay for the costs
involved.
Holders of temporary residency visas are not covered by Medicare, unless there
is a reciprocal agreement with the country where citizenship is held, (eg. New
Zealand and the United Kingdom). Thus, the University's policy is that all appointees
who hold temporary residency visas must have private health insurance for themselves
and any sponsored family members before their appointment will take effect. The
University contributes approximately half the cost of this insurance, in the form
of a health insurance loading paid fortnightly as salary. This can be up to $2,539
per annum. It applies only while the appointee holds a temporary residency visa.
- Important points about the ending of a fixed-term contract
The University must give the staff member written notice (varies in accordance
with length of Service) of its intention to end or renew a fixed-term contract.
Contact Human Resources or refer to the University
of Adelaide Collective Agreement if you have any queries about the
amount of notice required.
If a staff member is not given the required period of notice of termination,
they are entitled to payment in lieu of notice, as per the Period of Written Notice
table below.
Period of Written Notice Table
| Period of continuous service |
Period of Notice |
| Less than 3 years |
2 weeks |
| 3 years or over |
4 weeks |
| Age 45 or over |
In addition to the above notice a staff member over the age of 45 years at
the time of the giving of notice and with not less than 2 year's continuous service
will be entitled to an additional week's notice. |
There may be an obligation for the School/Department to pay a severance payment
at the termination of a fixed-term contract. Holders of research-only contracts
or contracts for a specific task/project are entitled to a severance payment if
they are seeking further employment with the University but they are not being
offered further work because either:
- the work continues to be required by the University but another person has
been/will be employed to undertake the same or substantially similar duties; or
- the position is no longer required in its current form or the funding is no
longer available and the person is on a second or subsequent fixed-term contract
in the University.
Severance Payment Table
| Period of continuous service |
Severance pay |
| Up to the completion of 2 years |
4 weeks salary |
| More than 2 years and up to the completion of 3 years |
6 weeks salary |
| More than 3 years and up to the completion of 4 years |
7 weeks salary |
| More than the completion of 4 years |
8 weeks salary |
- Important information about terminating a contract ahead of the contract
end date
An initial fixed-term contract should be set up with a six-month probationary
period. It's important that you monitor the staff member's performance during
this period and counsel them on any unsatisfactory performance and the improvements
required. If you confirm the appointment at the end of the probation period, the
contract cannot be terminated early for unsatisfactory performance or lack of
funding. It can only be terminated for serious or wilful misconduct. If you have
concerns about performance, contact Human Resources.
