RA/TA/IG terms of appointment

Students who wish to be considered for RA, TA, or IG appointments should contact their departments. The information below is intended as a summary of certain provisions of the MIT-GSU Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). In all cases, the CBA shall govern.

Duties

RA, TA, and IG duties are set out in Article 19 of the MIT-GSU Collective Bargaining Agreement and are further detailed in individual appointment letters.

Time commitment

RA, TA, and IG appointments are made during each appointment period (fall, spring, and summer). While most appointments are for an entire appointment period, some appointments cover only part of an appointment period. Only regular graduate students may be appointed as RAs, TAs, or IGs.

A 100% research assistantship (RA), teaching assistantship (TA), or Instructor-G appointment requires no more than an average of 20 hours of work per week over the course of a semester. Partial appointments have pro-rated time commitment expectations. MIT recognizes that graduate students may spend additional time conducting research in support of their academic studies. International students considering an RA, TA, or IG appointment should review information regarding on-campus work from the International Students Office (ISO).

Leaves

RAs, TAs, and IGs are entitled to certain leaves of absence from their appointment obligations, as set out in the MIT-GSU Collective Bargaining Agreement. The information below is intended to summarize types of leaves available to RAs, TAs, and IGs. Leaves may be academic, employment, or both. In all cases involving leaves under the MIT-GSU Collective Bargaining Agreement, the applicable CBA provisions shall govern.

Holidays

Bargaining unit employees observe official Institute holidays without loss of pay or benefits. During a designated holiday, employees may be required to conduct work only when determined to be necessary by their supervisor, and with advance notification. The supervisor shall discuss the necessity of such work with the employee in advance, unless such work is already specified in the appointment letter.

MIT’s policy regarding student absence for religious observances also applies to bargaining unit employees. If the employee cannot make up the missed time, it must be taken as vacation time or be unpaid.

Vacation

Bargaining unit employees are entitled to five (5) vacation days per full appointment period (September 1 – January 15, January 16 – May 13, June 1 – August 31), up to a maximum of 15 vacation days within a 12-month period, without loss of pay or benefits. Any unused vacation days may not be carried over to the next appointment period. Vacation schedules must be requested in advance and approved by the employee’s supervisor. TAs and IGs should normally not take vacation during times when they have duties to fulfill as specified in the appointment letter. Vacation time may be used by Union-designated bargaining unit employees attending union conferences.

Sick time

Bargaining unit employees are entitled to sick time, which can be used for illness, medical, and dental appointments, either for themselves or a qualifying family member. Employees with 100% appointments are eligible for up to 20 hours of sick time for each appointment period, with a 40-hour cap in any 12-month period. Employees with partial appointments are eligible for a prorated amount of sick time. Sick time amounts are available to employees at the start of their appointments and do not accrue. 

Family and Medical leave

Bargaining unit employees are eligible for a maximum of twelve (12) weeks of leave, in any twelve-month period, for the employee’s own serious health condition; for bonding with a new child within six months of the child’s birth, adoption, or foster placement; or to care for a family member of the employee who has a serious health condition. The leave may continue beyond the end date of the employee’s appointment, and runs concurrently with other leave types. Employees will not receive salary payments, unless provided by a concurrent leave type, but will continue to receive tuition remission and health insurance coverage at the same rate as their appointment would have provided.

Childbirth and Parental Accommodation

Birthing parents may take up to 17 weeks of leave from employment services as follows:

  • 2 months (8.67 weeks) of Childbirth Accommodation with full salary, tuition coverage, and benefits in place
  • 1 month (4.33 weeks) of Parental Accommodation with full salary, tuition coverage, and benefits in place
  • 4 weeks of Parental Accommodation with salary paid at state formula rate and tuition coverage and benefits in place

Any leave time bargaining unit employees may be entitled to take under Family and Medical Leave runs concurrently with Childbirth and Parental Accommodation.

These benefits also run concurrently with the academic accommodation policies that provide 3 months of relief from academic and thesis research responsibilities to all graduate student birthing parents within 6 months after a birth, adoption, or family placement.

Non-birthing parents may take up to 12 weeks of leave from employment services as follows, within 6 months after a birth, adoption, or family placement:

  • 1 month (4.33 weeks) of Parental Accommodation with full salary, tuition coverage, and benefits in place
  • 4 weeks of Parental Accommodation with salary paid at state formula rate and tuition coverage and benefits in place
  • 3.67 weeks (or balance of remaining 12 weeks of Family and Medical Leave) without salary, but with tuition coverage and benefits in place

Any leave time bargaining unit employees may be entitled to take under Family and Medical Leave runs concurrently with Childbirth and Parental Accommodation. 

These benefits also run concurrently with the academic accommodation policies that provide 1 month of relief from academic and thesis research responsibilities to all graduate student non-birthing parents within 6 months after a birth, adoption, or family placement.

Bereavement leave

Bargaining unit employees may be absent without loss of pay or benefits for up to five (5) business days when called for by a death in the family. In circumstances of logistical difficulty, severe emotional distress, or religious observance, a longer unpaid absence may be requested. However, if the employee has vacation available, they may use this time in order to be paid. Such requests for use of vacation will not be unreasonably denied.

Personal leave

Leaves of short duration for personal reasons and not otherwise covered by other leave types may be granted at the discretion of the bargaining unit employee’s supervisor and are to be negotiated in good faith on a case-by-case basis. The duration of a leave will typically be up to two (2) weeks and shall not exceed four (4) weeks. During such leaves of absence, the employee retains all salary and benefits.

Professional development leave

Bargaining unit employees may, upon approval by both their research supervisor and academic advisor, take unpaid leaves of absence for reasonable educational or professional development opportunities that advance their education goals. These may include, but are not limited to, full-time professional internships or short-term teaching or research appointments at another institution. Doctoral students may apply for nonresident thesis research status during this time, if appropriate, rather than take a temporary withdrawal.

Immigration leave

Bargaining unit employees may be absent for up to three (3) business days per twelve-month period, without loss of pay or employment benefits, in order to attend appointments and/or hearings scheduled with federal immigration officials or the US Department of State with respect to immigration or citizenship status of the employee or the employee’s family. A longer unpaid absence may be requested. However, if an employee has vacation time available, they may request to use this time in order to be paid. Such requests for use of vacation will not be unreasonably denied.

Jury duty

Bargaining unit employees summoned to serve on a jury, or required by subpoena to appear as a witness in court are paid by the Institute the difference between any fee received from the court and the employee’s normal base pay, up to the employee’s total regularly scheduled hours per week, for the time period involved. In order to receive this pay differential, the employee must have been hired prior to receiving notice to appear in court, must inform the supervisor of their intention to be absent from work, and must present a certified statement of earnings from the court for the period of service.

As court duty often does not require a full-time commitment, employees are expected to report to work on days or reasonable portions of days when attendance in court is not required. An employee is not paid for witness duty when they are a party to the action.

Military leave

Bargaining unit employees are entitled to request leaves of absence for U.S. National Service.

Renewal, cancellation, and termination of appointments

The MIT-GSU Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) contains rules about non-reappointment and situations where an RA/TA/IG appointment is canceled for reasons outside a student’s control. For more detail, please see Articles 6 (Discipline and Discharge) and 16 (Appointment Security) of the CBA.

Special cases

Military service members

Active service personnel who are admitted to MIT for graduate work continue to receive their full military pay. Thus, by law, they are ineligible to receive additional payment from any federally funded research contract or other federal funding resource administered by MIT. Additionally, the CBA prohibits RA, TA, or IG appointments that provide tuition remission only. Active service personnel are also restricted by the MIT-GSU collective bargaining agreement from holding RA appointments funded by industry sponsors or TA appointments that provide tuition remission only. However, these students may receive fellowships from MIT that cover tuition.

Supplemental payments

Students who hold fellowships, traineeships, or other awards from MIT or outside sources, may receive supplemental RA, TA, or IG appointments such that the total payments do not exceed maximum wage rates established by the MIT-GSU Collective Bargaining Agreement (see Appendix 1) and are consistent with MIT’s policies for graduate student appointments.