Award Holder's Guide 2006

For Industrial R&D; Fellowship (IRDF) Holders

Table of Contents

Where Can I Get More Information?

Introduction

General Regulations

Forms

For Industrial R&D; Fellowship (IRDF) Holders

Where Can I Get More Information?

Table of Contents | Where Can I Get More Information?
Introduction | General Regulations

For Industrial R&D; Fellowship (IRDF) Holders

Introduction

Please read this Guide carefully on receipt of your Notice of Award. This Guide contains important information regarding the payment and administration of your award.

This Guide supersedes previous statements by NSERC on Fellowships and Scholarships regulations. NSERC may, without notice, change award regulations or the terms and conditions of the awards. Any major changes will be announced immediately to award holders and/or in the Program News section of NSERC's Web site. It is intended for use by:

• Industrial R&D Fellowship (IRDF) holders.

Note: All personal information collected by NSERC is subject to the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act, as described in the NSERC Program Guide for Students and Fellows.

In this Guide:

• "your organization" refers to the organization at which you are employed as an IRDF during tenure of your award; and
• the date of degree completion is considered to be the date on which all requirements for your degree have been met, including successful defence and submission of the corrected copy of your thesis (in accordance with your institution's regulations).

For Industrial R&D; Fellowship (IRDF) Holders

General Regulations

To hold an award, you must:

• have been a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada at the time of your nomination;
• have completed your doctoral degree in a discipline of science or engineering that NSERC supports, within the last five years (up to seven years in exceptional circumstances only, and a maximum of nine years for reasons of maternity leave or to raise a child);
• accept the terms and conditions of the award, as set out in this guide, in the Notice of Award, and in the program description found in the NSERC Program Guide for Students and Fellows;
• comply with the Tri-Council Policy Statement: Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans and the policies and guidelines regarding animal care and biohazards (see Requirements for Certain Types of Research);
• comply with NSERC's integrity policy (see the NSERC Program Guide for Students and Fellows for more information); and
• acknowledge, wherever possible, NSERC's funding assistance for the research.

For the duration of the award, you will be an employee of the organization where you hold the award. Your activities will be governed by the same terms and conditions of employment as other regular employees who are engaged in similar work.

Awards may be cancelled without notice if the conditions under which they are granted are violated. Any payment made for a period during which you were not eligible to hold the award must be reimbursed.

Change of Address  

• Please ensure that you immediately notify NSERC of any change of address you may have during your fellowship.

Acceptance or Refusal of Award (New IRDF Holders Only)

• You must notify NSERC within six weeks of the date on the Notice of Award of your decision to accept or refuse the award.
• To accept the award, send NSERC the following information: 1) your name and personal identification number (PIN); and 2) the expected start date of your award by e-mail to industrial.awards@nserc.ca or by fax to (613) 996-2589.
• To refuse the award, submit an e-mail or fax to NSERC, specifying the reason for refusal (e.g., employment at another organization).
• NSERC will cancel any award not accepted by the above deadline.
• Notification by telephone is not acceptable.

Start Date

• NSERC expects that you will take up your fellowship within three months after the results are announced. In exceptional cases, and with NSERC’s approval, the award may be taken up within six months of the announcement. If you do not take up the fellowship within the required time frame, NSERC may cancel it.
• With the approval of the organization and NSERC, deferment prior to the start of the award is permitted for reasons of illness, child-rearing or health-related family responsibilities.

Duration of Award

An Industrial R&D Fellowship provides support for two years. Support for the second year will be subject to:

• your continuing to meet the program's eligibility criteria and objectives;
• a progress report, acceptable to NSERC, that the organization submits at the end of the first year; and
• the availability of funds.

Value of Award

• The value of your award is $30,000 per year for two years, plus the organization’s contribution.
• You may not concurrently hold another award from NSERC or from another Canadian federal granting agency (CIHR or SSHRC).
• In any situation where an IRDF fellow is involved in contracts, no double billing is allowed. Only the portion of the fellow's salary over and above NSERC's contribution can be claimed under the contract.

• The total salary should be comparable to the ones offered to other employees of the organization with similar qualifications, experience, and responsibilities.
• Fringe benefits should be comparable to those of other employees of the organization.
• Fellows should receive the same salary increments and merit increases as other employees of the organization.

• NSERC may approve a travel allowance for the actual costs you incur to travel to your host organization work location. The maximum allowance is an amount equivalent to economy air fare between your place of residence at the time of nomination for the award and your host organization's location.
• NSERC will provide an allowance (as deemed reasonable by NSERC’s Finance and Awards Administration Division) for ground transportation costs to and from your residence and your point of departure (e.g., airport, train station, bus station). Original receipts must be provided.
• This allowance is not designed to offset your daily commuting costs to and from the organization.
• NSERC does not provide an allowance for the cost of transporting excess baggage or removing household effects.
• A further allowance may be paid for a fellow when accompanied by a spouse and/or children.
• The organization may also assist you in paying relocation expenses.
• Claims for travel reimbursement must be submitted to NSERC within four months following the termination of your fellowship.

Note: Frequent flyer points will not be reimbursed.

To apply for a travel allowance, complete the Application for a Travel Allowance – IRDF (Form A). You or your host organization should send it, along with your original receipts, to the Finance and Awards Administration Division at NSERC.

Part-time Industrial R&D Fellowships

• IRDF support is available to those who are restricted to part-time research employment for reasons of disability or family responsibilities. For fellows whose request for part-time status is approved by both the organization and NSERC, the stipend will be the equivalent of a full-time award spread over a longer period of time. All other IRDF regulations will apply.
• Disability
• For purposes of holding an award part-time, disability is defined as: "a functional limitation resulting from a physical, sensory, or mental impairment, which, for an indefinite period, affects the ability of the fellow to perform the activities necessary to participate fully in his or her research."
• If you intend to pursue part-time research in a field supported by NSERC because a disability prevents you from pursuing full-time research, you must write to NSERC explaining your need to hold your award part-time for reasons of disability. A letter supporting your request must also be sent by your supervisor at the organization.
• Supporting documentation may be requested by NSERC staff.
• Family Responsibilities
• For purposes of holding an award part-time, family responsibility is defined as "the primary responsibility for providing the personal care to a dependent family member (e.g., pre-school children, infirm spouse or parent) which affects the ability of the fellow to perform the activities necessary to participate fully in his or her research."
• As an award holder, you must write to NSERC justifying your need to hold your award part-time for family responsibilities. A letter supporting your request must also be sent by your supervisor at the organization.

Deferment of Award

• Before commencing your award, you may request permission to defer it for up to three years, but only for reasons of maternity, child rearing, illness, or health-related family responsibilities. You may not defer your award in order to take up another award, or to pursue studies.
• You must complete a Request for Deferment or Interruption of Award – IRDF (Form B) and send it to NSERC for approval as soon as possible, but no later than three months from the date of your Notice of Award. Supporting documentation (e.g., birth, adoption or medical certificate) confirming the reason for deferment must also be included with the request.
• Even though you intend to defer your award, you must submit confirmation to NSERC that you have completed all requirements of your doctoral degree (if not already submitted with your application), or your award will be cancelled.

Payment of Award

• To activate your award, the organization must complete a Request for First Instalment – IRDF (Form C) and submit it to NSERC's Scholarships and Fellowships Division at the end of the first four-month period of tenure, based on your actual starting date. For example, for an award taken up on July 15, the first form should cover the four months ending November 14. No payment will be made until NSERC has received the required documentation.
• NSERC may cancel your award without further notice if the request for first instalment is overdue by four months or more.
• Payment will not be approved for any period prior to the official notification of the fellowship.
• Proof of Ph.D. or a letter from the Dean of Graduate Studies confirming that all requirements for the doctoral degree have been successfully completed (regardless of whether it was previously sent) must accompany the request for the first instalment. (See Request for First Instalment – IRDF [Form C]).
• Payment will not be approved for any period prior to completion of all doctoral degree requirements, including thesis defence and submission of final corrected thesis.
• If you wish to transfer to a different organization, see Transferring Your Fellowship.

Note: NSERC’s fiscal year is April 1 to March 31.

Subsequent Instalments

• Fellows should be paid in accordance with the organization's normal practices.
• At the end of each four-month period of tenure, the organization will be reimbursed by NSERC for its contribution to your salary.
• NSERC reserves the right to adjust the value of your award to take account of a change in your period of tenure.
• To initiate subsequent instalments, the organization must submit a completed and signed Request for Subsequent Instalments (second, fourth or fifth) – IRDF (Form D) or an Annual Progress Report/Request for Third Instalment – IRDF (Form E) – whichever is appropriate – to NSERC at the appropriate intervals. These forms are used to request payment of NSERC’s contribution to the fellow’s salary, and must be signed by the supervisor.
• Payment requests are due immediately upon completion of, and no later than, one month after each four-month period.
• For instalment periods that end at any time during February or March, the appropriate form (Form D or E) will have to be submitted by February 16 for the entire payment period (e.g., December 1 to March 31) to ensure payment during the government’s current fiscal year.
• NSERC no longer has the flexibility to carry over payments into the following fiscal year.

Final Payment  

• Along with the final payment request, a final report must be included (see Final Report). No payment will be made until NSERC has received and reviewed the final report.

Mailing Address for Cheques

• Instalment cheques will be issued in the organization’s name and mailed to the address indicated on the Request for First Instalment – IRDF (Form C).
• If the organization changes its address during tenure of the award, they should indicate their revised address on a Request for Subsequent Instalments (second, fourth or fifth) – IRDF (Form D) or an Annual Progress Report/Request for Third Instalment – IRDF (Form E).

Holidays and Leave

• Industrial R&D fellows are entitled to holidays, sick leave, etc., in accordance with the organization’s policy. Periods of absence for which the organization is not prepared to authorize payment of salary at the regular rate must be reported to NSERC and will result in a prorated reduction in the NSERC contribution to the fellow's salary.
• You must notify NSERC once the organization has approved any interruption of your award by submitting a completed and signed Request for Deferment or Interruption of Award – IRDF (Form B). You must also submit a Request for Subsequent Instalments (second, fourth or fifth) – IRDF (Form D) covering the period from your last payment until your interruption of award.
  • Arrangements for maternity and/or parental leave will conform with the organization's policies. If maternity and/or parental leave with pay is granted by the organization, NSERC's contribution may be prorated in relation to the organization's actual contribution to the fellow's salary. The organization and fellow may elect to suspend the award for the duration of the maternity and/or parental leave. The maximum time NSERC will suspend contributions to the fellow's salary is 24 months.
• An award holder may take a period of up to two years of leave without pay for reasons of illness, child rearing or family responsibilities, if this is in accordance with the organization's policy. The award, and NSERC's contribution to the fellow's salary, will be suspended for the duration of the leave and will resume upon return to full-time duties.

Reinstatement of Award

• To reinstate a deferred or interrupted award, the organization must send NSERC a notification by e-mail stating that you have begun/resumed your research with the organization.
• Awards will be governed by the regulations applicable at the time of reinstatement.

Research and Development Activities

• During tenure, you are expected to engage in research and development activities, and/or research project management. You must be involved in one (or at most two) challenging projects in a work environment that will provide you with an opportunity to grow as a researcher.

Changes to the Fellowship Activities During Tenure

• If there is any departure from the original objectives of the research and development activities proposed in the nomination documentation, the organization must immediately notify NSERC in writing. The organization does not have to notify NSERC about modifications in its approach to achieving the original objectives.
• Any collaboration arranged after approval of an award that involves spending a period of more than one month in the facilities of other organizations must be authorized by NSERC.
• From time to time, it may be necessary for the organization to temporarily assign you to special projects. These assignments are acceptable to NSERC as long as they are short-term projects and do not take up more than 20 per cent of your time.
• If you complete the proposed research activities before the end of the two-year term, the organization may assign you to other research or development projects. NSERC does not expect the organization to terminate your employment.
• If the activities cease to be eligible under NSERC's mandate, or are not considered to be appropriate for an IRDF, the award will be terminated. However, you may be permitted to transfer the award to another eligible organization.

Transferring Your Fellowship

In some cases, NSERC may approve a request to transfer your fellowship from one eligible organization to another. However, NSERC must be satisfied with the reasons for transferring; strong justification must be provided. Transfers will only be allowed for fellows who have spent a minimum of six months at their original organization and have a minimum of six months left in their award. Before the transfer will be approved, NSERC must receive:

• a completed and signed Request to Transfer – IRDF (Form F) supported by the proposed supervisor at the new organization;
• a Nomination for an Industrial R&D Fellowship (Form 183C) completed by the new organization to which you are requesting a transfer; and
• the new organization's official letter or contract offering you employment, conditional upon NSERC's approval of the transfer.

Note: NSERC must approve your transfer before you move to a new organization.

Send all requests for transfers and all supporting documentation a minimum of one month before the proposed date of transfer to the new eligible organization. If the organization has not been previously approved for participation in this program, all requests and documentation, including an Application for Eligibility of Organizations to Participate in NSERC's IRDF and Industrial USRA Programs (Form 183B), must be submitted to NSERC approximately two months before the proposed date of transfer.

Progress Report

• The organization must submit an Annual Progress Report/Request for Third Instalment – IRDF (Form E) that outlines the work you carried out to date. This report must be prepared at the end of the first year of the award (at the beginning of the final month).
• Payment of NSERC's contribution for the second year of the award will not be released until receipt and review of the progress report.
• NSERC may cancel the award if your progress is judged unsatisfactory.

Final Report

To receive the final payment, an IRDF Final Report/Request for Final Instalment (Form G) must be submitted. The final payment will not be made until NSERC has received and reviewed the final report. This report includes:

• an outline of the project you undertook;
• a list of the major achievements resulting from the work;
• an outline of the potential for commercialization or for further development of the research results;
• a list of any tangible results (i.e., papers, publications, or patents resulting from your activities, employment, improved processes, financial benefits, etc.); and
• evaluations by both you and the organization on your experience with the IRDF program.

Do not submit a technical report.

Termination of Award

• An organization may, at any time, terminate your appointment for unsatisfactory performance.
• You may also, at any time, terminate your appointment by following normal organization resignation procedures and by notifying NSERC of your decision.
• NSERC will contact you and/or the organization to reclaim any overpayment of your award.
• Companies may offer their Industrial R&D fellows permanent positions at any time during the term of the award. NSERC will continue to contribute to the salary until the expiration of the fellow’s award.

Taxation and Other Issues

Taxation

• Most income you receive is taxable and you must include it on your income tax return. Taxable income includes scholarships and fellowships, as well as salaries and stipends.
• Your host organization will issue you a T4 or T4A.
• NSERC will issue a T4A income tax slip to you for any travel expenses NSERC paid directly to you.
• NSERC is unable to dispense advice on income tax matters to individual fellows, given the uniqueness of each award recipient's personal financial situation. Consequently, you are encouraged to seek advice from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA), or from a qualified income tax specialist.
• You are referred to two documents published by CRA:
  • Students and Income Tax, publication P105(E) Rev. 04, at the following address: http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/E/pub/tg/p105/README.html.
  • Scholarships, Fellowships, Bursaries, Prizes and Research Grants, Income Tax Interpretation Bulletin IT-75R4 at the following address: http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/E/pub/tp/it75r4/README.html.

Insurance

• NSERC is unable to assume liability for accidents, illness, or losses that may occur during the tenure of an award. You are responsible for ensuring that you have appropriate insurance.

The Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act

• We encourage you to read these acts as they pertain to application information.

Table of Contents | Where Can I Get More Information?
Introduction | General Regulations