Notice Number: NOT-OD-09-036
This notice restates current NIH policy for career development (K) awards with respect to leave and temporary adjustments to percent effort, and announces a new policy concerning part-time institutional appointments.
New Policy on Part-Time Institutional Appointments
At the time of initial award, all candidates must meet the full-time appointment requirement as well as the minimum 75% effort requirement. Under the new policy, K awardees may request (see below) to reduce their appointment to less than full-time (but not less than three-quarter time) for a period not to exceed 12 continuous months during the K award project period. However, awardees may not simultaneously request a reduction in appointment status from full-time to part-time AND a reduction in percent effort to less than 75% (see above for existing policy on temporary reduction in percent effort). Note that these two options are only available after a K award has been issued. At the time of application and initial award, all candidates must meet the full-time appointment requirement as well as the minimum of 75% effort requirement.
If requestion approval to change to a part-time appointment status, the K awardee must continue to commit at least 75% effort (of the part-time appointment) to research and career development activities. the K awardee is encouraged to consider increasing his/her percent effort on the K award to greater than 75% (e.g. 85%) to compensate for the anticipated effect of the part-time appointment on the K awardee’s career progress. (For examples of circumstances requiring a change in the appointment status or percent effort, see Background section).
The grantee institution must submit a request and documentation to the NIH awarding component supporting the need for a reduced faculty appointment or percent effort and assuring the institution’s continuing commitment to the scientific and research career development of the awardee. The K awardee should justify the request to reduce either his/her appointment to less than full-time status or to no less than 75% effort and must describe the anticipated impact of the requested change on his/her career progress during the remainder of the K award period. In addition, the awardee must submit assurance of his/her intention to return to a ful-time faculty appointment or to at least 75% effort as soon as possible. the mentor must provide a revised mentoring plan and specifically describe updated milestones for the awardee’s progression to independence. Lastly, a revised statement of institutional commitment to the awardee must ensure continued “protected time” and describe additional support that will assist the K awardee to continue to make progress toward his/her goals during the requested period of reduced time/effort devoted to the K award. During the period of reduced appointment or percent effort, the salary and other costs supported by the award will be reduced accordingly. Requests must be submitted by the grantee institution to the awarding institute or Center (IC) where they will be considered on a case-by-case basis. for the full text of this announcement, please see here
