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Benefits for postdoctoral fellows (“postdocs”) at Harvard are centralized through University Human Resources and vary depending on the postdoc’s employment classification. To determine your classification, contact your department administrator.
Postdocs who are University employees and postdocs whose stipends are issued on University paychecks qualify for benefits as long as they work more than half time or earn at least $15,000. Postdocs who do not receive their income or stipend through a Harvard payroll, and postdocs doing their own research, are largely ineligible for benefits.
All benefits-eligible individuals must sign up for benefits within the first sixty days of employment. The Benefits Office in Cambridge will send the individual information regarding benefit plans. It is the responsibility of the individual to ensure that he/she is enrolled in any benefit plans before the 60-day enrollment period ends.
Below is an outline of the postdoc employee classifications (as defined by Human Resources) and the related benefits, followed by a more comprehensive explanation of the benefits available to employee and stipendee postdocs.
Quick Snapshot: Postdoc Classifications & Benefits
“Employee Postdocs” or “Internal Postdocs”
These appointments include postdocs who work under the direction of a Harvard principal investigator, receive payment in the form of employee wages, and are eligible for tax advantaged benefits.
HR employee classification “Y”
| Plan | Benefits eligibility |
| Pension | No |
| Medical | Yes |
| Dental | Yes |
| Basic life | Yes |
| Contrib. Life | Yes |
| Short-Term Disability (STD) | Yes |
| Long-Term Disability (LTD) | Yes |
| Flexible Spending Account (FSA) - Health | Yes |
| Flexible Spending Account (FSA) - Dep Care | Yes |
| Tax Deferred Account (TDA) | Yes |
| Worker’s Comp (statutory) | Yes |
| Unemployment (statutory) | Yes |
| Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) | Yes |
| T-Pass | Yes |
| Child Care Scholarship | Yes |
“Stipendee Postdocs” or “External Postdocs engaged in Harvard Research”
These appointments include postdocs who may work under the direction of a Harvard principal investigator, but to whom payment is in the form of a stipend. These fellows are not considered to be Harvard employees and therefore are both ineligible for certain benefits and required to pay imputed income tax on others.
HR employee classification “Z”
| Plan | Benefits Eligibility |
| Pension | No |
| Medical | Yes |
| Dental | Yes |
| Basic life | Yes |
| Contrib. Life | Yes |
| Short-Term Disability (STD) | Yes |
| Long-Term Disability (LTD) | Yes |
| Flexible Spending Account (FSA) - Health | No |
| Flexible Spending Account (FSA) - Dep Care | No |
| Tax Deferred Account (TDA) | No |
| Worker’s Comp (statutory) | Yes |
| Unemployment (statutory) | Yes |
| Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) | Yes |
| T-Pass | Yes |
| Child Care Scholarship | Yes |
“Direct Pay Postdocs” or “External Postdocs engaged in Non-Harvard Research”
These appointments include postdocs who are engaged in research for their own benefit or that of a third party agency. These postdocs receive payment in the form of a stipend, are not considered to be Harvard employees, and are generally not eligible for benefits.
HR employee classification “N”
| Plan | Benefits Eligibility |
| Pension | No |
| Medical | No |
| Dental | No |
| Basic life | No |
| Contrib. Life | No |
| Short-Term Disability (STD) | No |
| Long-Term Disability (LTD) | No |
| Flexible Spending Account (FSA) - Health | No |
| Flexible Spending Account (FSA) - Dep Care | No |
| Tax Deferred Account (TDA) | No |
| Worker's Comp (statutory) | Yes |
| Unemployment (statutory) | Yes |
| Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) | No |
| T-Pass | No |
| Child Care Scholarship | No |
Explanation of Postdoc Benefits
Explanation of Postdoc Benefits PDFFor further information on benefits, please contact
University Benefits Services Group:
1350 Massachusetts Avenue
Holyoke Center, Room 664
Cambridge, MA 02138
Email: benefits@harvard.edu
Phone: 617-496-4001
Fax: 617-496-3000
Details about benefits plans, rates and terms can be found at
http://employment.harvard.edu/benefits/perks/ or
http://harvie.harvard.edu/benefits/ (requires login)
HMS Office of Human Resources
HMS Office of Human ResourcesPostdocs with questions regarding benefits can visit the HMS Human Resources website, or email the Manager of the HMS/HSDM Postdoc Office, Wendy Zosh-McLean, at wendy_zosh-mclean@hms.harvard.edu.