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Visitors Procedures(related to Policy 2-2-3) |
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Definition |
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Visitors |
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Individuals invited by divisions or programs for a limited period of time to collaborate with scientific, educational, or technical staff; conduct independent research; or participate in and/or oversee a professional project. |
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Salaried Visitors Visitors whose salaries are paid in full or in part by UCAR through UCAR's payroll system. Salaried visitors are UCAR employees. |
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Visitors with other UCAR Financial Support Visitors who are not on the UCAR payroll but who may receive a temporary living per diem, travel reimbursement, or health insurance benefits, or whose home institutions are reimbursed for their full or partial salaries. These visitors are not UCAR employees. |
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C. |
Nonsupport Visitors Visitors who receive no financial support from UCAR. These visitors are not UCAR employees. |
Provisions |
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1. |
Appointment Visitors are selected by a host division or program and are invited to visit for a specific period of time not to exceed three years, except for nonsupport visitors who may be hosted for longer periods. Divisions and programs are encouraged to conduct annual assessments of visitors’ progress at UCAR and/or their contributions to UCAR's programs. All visitors are subject to UCAR policies and procedures. Visitors are normally on leave from or maintain an affiliation with their home institution, which is typically a university, or in some cases a government agency. A home institution is not expected for visitors selected through a competitive program or appointed directly from UCAR Graduate Research Assistant or Postdoctoral Fellow classifications. Visitor classification is not a means of hiring individuals to fulfill long-term needs of the organization or of circumventing other UCAR policies (e.g., Equal Employment Opportunity, Employee Search and Selection, or Compensation and Performance Evaluation Systems). It should also not be used to fill a job more appropriately filled through a temporary employment agency. Reclassification may not be used to transfer a visitor to a different employment status. The “UCAR Term Appointment Authorization Form (for Visitors, Postdocs, GRAs, Affiliate Scientists)” should be sent to the Human Resources Department prior to arrival of the visitor. For salaried visitors and all those with appointments of six months or longer, a copy of a formal offer letter consistent with language provided by the Human Resources Department should be attached. The offer letter should also describe the nature of the visit. A copy of the authorization form should be sent to the Travel Office upon acceptance of an offer if reimbursement of travel or housing expenses is required. |
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2. |
Compensation and Benefits |
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A. |
Compensation of Salaried Visitors Compensation during the appointment normally is based on a policy of “no loss, no gain.” That is, visitors from U.S. institutions receive the same compensation they would have received from their home institutions. Visitors from foreign countries receive compensation comparable to equivalent positions in the U.S., or a salary that complies with applicable bilateral agreements. Compensation and other costs may be shared by UCAR and a visitor's home institution, or fully provided by either. Salaries of visitors are usually adjusted at the same time and in the same amount as their salaries are adjusted at their home institutions. |
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B. |
Benefits Visitors are ineligible for educational assistance benefits. All salaried Visitors receive all other benefits at the same level as other UCAR employees with comparable classifications and appointments. See UCAR policy 2-5-3, Eligibility for Benefits, for more information. Divisions and programs must offer the opportunity to participate in UCAR's health insurance program to foreign nonsalaried and nonsupport visitors if they have no other coverage in the United States. Foreign visitors and their family members on J visas must have adequate health insurance while in the United States. Division and program budgets are charged the full cost of UCAR-provided health insurance for foreign nonsalaried and nonsupport visitors who have no other coverage. |
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Travel Expenses, Temporary Living Per Diem, and Relocation |
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A. |
Visitor Appointments of less than 6 Months These visitors are eligible for reimbursement of travel costs; travel reimbursement is not normally provided for a visitor’s family members. A temporary living per diem may be established to cover the visitor's temporary living expenses. Temporary living per diem includes food, lodging, and incidental costs, and may not exceed the rate for a given locale as set by the U.S. Department of State or shown in applicable bilateral agreements. These short-term visitors are ineligible for shipping and relocation benefits. |
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Visitor Appointments of from 6 Months to less than 12 Months These visitors are eligible for reimbursement of travel costs and a temporary living per diem in accordance with paragraph 3A, above (Visitor Appointments of less than 6 Months). Travel reimbursement is not normally provided for a visitor’s family members. In addition, these visitors may be eligible for a shipping allowance based upon mutual agreement and the submission of valid receipts. |
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Visitor Appointments of 12 Months or Longer Travel costs to bring the visitor and family members to the UCAR work location and either a shipping allowance or relocation costs for household goods are reimbursed at the discretion of the host division or program. A temporary living per diem may be paid only if relocation costs are not paid. |
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Housing |
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The Human Resources Department may assist the visitor in locating housing. The responsible division or program may advance funds for a housing deposit, if needed. Unless other arrangements are approved by the Travel Office, that advance must be repaid within the first four months of the visit through either biweekly payroll deductions, reduction of per diem payments, or direct billing to the visitor. |
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5. |
Visas |
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Visitors to the United States may require a visa to enter and work in this country. Although it is the visitor's responsibility to secure the appropriate visa, the host division or program and the Human Resources Department provide assistance in securing visas for visitors and their family members. (See Foreign Visitor and Scholar Services.) |
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Intellectual Property |
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Visitors may be subject to UCAR Intellectual Property and Technology Transfer Policy 1-1-8, and may be required to sign a “Visitor Intellectual Property Agreement” if the Division or Program Director determines a signed agreement is necessary. This agreement clarifies any intellectual property rights and interests that may exist among UCAR, the visitor's home institution, or other entities. Visitors with questions about UCAR's Intellectual Property and Technology Transfer policy should contact UCAR's Intellectual Property Management Program. |
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Responsibilities |
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The Division or Program Director is responsible for ensuring that visitors are selected following appropriate consultative procedures, that necessary forms and documentation are prepared, that each visitor is apprised of the terms and conditions related to the appointment, and that annual assessments of visitors’ progress are conducted as appropriate. The Division or Program Director is also responsible for ensuring that the Human Resources Department is notified of the acceptance, starting date, and arrival of the visitor. They are also responsible for determining whether there are intellectual property rights and interests between UCAR and a visitor's pre-existing intellectual property obligations, for notifying the Legal Services Department of any such rights and interests, and for ensuring that the “Visitor Intellectual Property Agreement” is completed if required. |
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UCAR’s General Counsel is responsible for working with the visitor and his or her Division or Program Director to ensure that UCAR's intellectual property interests, as well as those of the visitor and his or her home institution, are protected. |
1-1-4 |
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1-1-8 |
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1-1-15 |
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2-1-3 |
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2-1-5 |
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2-5-1 |
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3-1-6 |
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