Paid Time Off

All full-time postdocs on annual appointments (as opposed to appointments under one year) and whether paid by Harvard or not, and all Research Associates, are entitled to:
  • Tropical Beach
    20 days of paid vacation per appointment year. (Paid vacation for partial year postdoc appointments are prorated accordingly.) This provision is already included in the template postdoc offer letter.
  • All University holidays with the proviso that, should a postdoc be required to work on the holiday due to the research group/lab schedule, an alternative day off should be given at another time agreed with the faculty supervisor.
  • Sick days: Sick leave may be taken as needed, up to 12 business days of sick leave per year (equivalent to one day per month). Time off for illness or family matters may also be covered under the MA PFML or FMLA.
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  • Death in the Family: 3 days.
Please note, that:
  • These policies apply to postdocs, including Research Associates, who serve on a 12-month basis. If an appointment is less than full time, vacation and sick times are prorated.
  • Unused vacation days, bereavement days, or sick days do not carry over from year to year.
  • There is no payout of unused vacation, bereavement, or sick time when an appointment ends.
  • All vacation must be approved by your PI in advance. (It is highly recommended that you confirm the arrangement with your PI in writing to avoid any possibility of future misunderstanding).