Types of Non-Academic Appointments

I. SECTION A

MIT Employees

1. REGULAR MIT EMPLOYEES - Employees have "regular" status when their appointments have no set end date and are expected to exceed 1 year . Employees can be employed on a full- or part-time basis.

2. REGULAR MIT TERM EMPLOYEES - Employees whose appointments have specific "begin" and "end" dates; typically, the end date is due to funding limitations, specific project expectations and deadlines, or business needs. Appointments are generally for more than 3 months but less than 2 years . Employees can be employed on a full- or part-time basis.

3. ACTIVE MIT RETIREES - Employees who have retired and are receiving their pension from MIT. Departments should contact their Human Resources Officer prior to making any arrangements, since there are rules and guidelines for paying retirees who are retirement plan participants. Retirees can be paid as either regular or term employees.

   Questions regarding benefits and benefit eligibility should be referred to the Benefits Office.

4. (NON MIT) STUDENT PROGRAM WORKERS - High school or college students who are in a prescribed program of study {e.g., coop program, teen worker program, paid internship or visiting student (not international)}. This category of employment is typically not benefits eligible (with the exception of those students enrolled in a coop program that meets the benefit eligibility requirements). A separate job/position code has been created for International Visiting Students.

   Job/Position Codes:
   HR-01ST01  Non-MIT Student Program Worker
   HR-01ST02  International Visiting Student
   HR-01ST03  Non-MIT Student Program Worker -- Benefits Eligible

   An EB rate will be charged for employees and retirees in any of the 4 categories listed above.

MIT Students

1. REGISTERED MIT STUDENTS - A person who becomes an MIT student at the start of the term for which he or she is admitted or readmitted. Regular student status is retained until graduation, unless the student withdraws or is disqualified. Registered MIT Students (both undergraduate and graduate) who are currently registered, or who are eligible to register, must be paid on the student payroll. Undergraduate and graduate students registered in the spring term who do not graduate or withdraw from MIT retain their student status throughout the following summer. It is essential that MIT students be paid on the MIT student payroll to ensure proper taxation and application of overhead.

2. UNREGISTERED MIT STUDENTS - Students who take either a leave of absence, withdraw or graduate with their degree are not eligible to work on the student payroll . They are eligible to work as a Regular MIT Employee, or a Regular MIT Term Employee as outlined under Section A (1. or 2.) or Section C (1. or 2.).

II. SECTION B

1. INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS (includes CONSULTANTS) - Individuals who are not employees of the Institute and who are contracted to provide a service to the Institute. Independent Contractors are individuals who are in business for themselves, preferably on a full-time basis, actively offer their services to the general public, and can demonstrate a consistent work performance for other clients. Independent Contractors are not supervised by other MIT employees, nor are they allowed to supervise any MIT employees. Terms of the relationship are defined in the terms of a written agreement that all Independent Contractors are required to sign. Typically, there is a written contract describing expectations and pay arrangements. Departments wishing to engage the services of an Independent Contractor must follow the guidelines and procedures promulgated by the Procurement Department. These can be found at http://web.mit.edu/controller/procurement/forms/index.html.

   Faculty Members and Visiting Professionals from other Colleges, Universities, and organizations who are acting in a consulting capacity should be paid as consultants.

   Independent Contractors are not benefits eligible and are issued Form 1099s at the end of the year.

2. SUBCONTRACTORS - Individuals whose work is defined by the terms of a contract with a government agency ( e.g., DOE, NIH, NSF) for the provision of experimental, developmental or research work. Payment is generally issued on a cost reimbursement basis.

   Subcontractors are not benefits eligible and are issued Form 1099s at the end of the year.

III. SECTION C

1. TEMPORARY AGENCY WORKERS - Individuals who are interviewed, screened, selected and hired by a temporary staffing agency (see list below) for short-term assignments; i.e. those that typically have an end date. The agency maintains all necessary personnel and payroll records, computes wages, withholds applicable taxes, and pays net wages to the temporary agency worker. The agency is responsible for resolving the temporary agency workers' complaints and grievances and, at the request of MIT, for any reason, may remove the temporary agency worker assigned to MIT.

   Preferred Temporary staffing agencies include Hollister Associates and Professional Staffing Group; these partner agencies have negotiated certain conditions of service (including rates) with Procurement through an RFP process. Other Temporary staffing agencies may be used in addition to these preferred vendors.

2. MITemps - Individuals who are selected by MIT managers and referred to, screened, and hired by nextSource (our designated outside agency) for short-term assignments; i.e. those that typically have an end date, including summer employment. nextSource maintains all necessary personnel and payroll records. nextSource is responsible for responding to MITemps' complaints and grievances and, at the request of MIT, shall terminate any MITemp assignment at MIT. MIT employees may not be employed by both MIT and nextSource at the same time.
   MITemps will be charged to GL account 420261.

If you have questions regarding hiring categories, please contact Rita Geller (2-2937) for assistance.

Effective 1/3/2005
Updated 4/7/2006