FAQ: Project Phase
Ad Personam

• How long can I be employed in FWF projects?
• What types of employment are possible as part of an FWF project? What aspects should I pay particular attention to?
• Can I earn additional income from paid (self-)employment while I am employed full-time as a grant-salaried principal investigator?
• Can I interrupt my project?
• What salary will I be paid as a project staff member?
• Am I permitted to use third-party funds to pay FWF project staff members a higher salary than that defined in the FWF standard personnel costs?
• Who is my employer as part of an FWF project? The FWF?
• What do I have to keep in mind if staff members from outside the EU/EEA are to be employed in an FWF project?
• What applies for principal investigators in the case of pregnancy and maternity leave?
• What applies if principal investigators take parental leave?
• What do I have to keep in mind if project staff members become pregnant or wish to take leave?
• What happens in the event of prolonged illness of project staff members?

As far as the FWF is concerned, there is no specific time limit on how long staff members can be employed in FWF projects. However, restrictions based on collective bargaining agreements or statutory provisions (e.g., § 109 UG 2002) may apply. If you are unsure about anything in this regard, the FWF recommends that you contact the human resources department of the research institution.

The following types of employment are possible:

Employment contract

A (fixed-term) employment contract (cost category: personnel costs) is the usual type of employment. In the case of projects being conducted at research institutions subject to the Universities Act 2002 (UG 2002) as well as research institutions who have concluded a relevant agreement with the FWF, the research institution is the employer and is responsible for payroll accounting. In all other cases, the principal investigator is the employer. In these cases, the FWF requires that the FWF’s tax consulting firms act in lieu of a payroll office to handle financial matters (i.e., payroll accounting), both to relieve the principal investigators of this task and to avoid any errors in calculating income taxes and social insurance contributions. The principal investigator is responsible for reporting any changes made during the ongoing project (interruptions or extensions) to the office responsible for payroll matters (payroll office, human resources department). It should be ensured that any vacation leave is consumed during the course of the project. In exceptional cases, compensation for unused vacation leave can be paid out, provided that the project has sufficient funds and plausible justification has been provided.

Marginal employment

Marginal employment is a low-level part-time employment relationship; the specific allowable threshold is set annually by the Austrian social insurance provider. The number of hours of marginal employment depends on the applicable salary rate. Non-wage labor costs are low for this type of employment.

Freelance service contract

Under the terms of a freelance service contract, a person agrees to perform recurring services for an employer, without becoming personally dependent or officially becoming a part of the organization (the employer is responsible for paying the employer’s share of the social insurance contributions to the regional health insurance fund, as with an employment contract, but the employee is responsible for paying their own income tax). FWF projects seldom meet the labor law and social insurance requirements needed to exercise this option. The conclusion of a freelance service contract must be legally justified, i.e. all legal requirements must be met. Financial matters are handled by the payroll accounting offices.

Grant-salaried principal investigators

Grant-salaried principal investigators are defined as principal investigators whose salary is financed in whole or in part by the project. Grant-salaried principal investigators may only be paid a salary higher than that defined in the FWF’s standard personnel costs if this is prescribed by a collective bargaining agreement or another collective standard. A research subsidy is available for grant-salaried principal investigators who are not affiliated with a research institution or are affiliated with a research institution that is not subject to the Universities Act 2002 and has not concluded a relevant agreement with the FWF. This is self-employment income that is paid out by a payroll office commissioned by the FWF and is equivalent to the salary rate of grant-salaried principal investigators. The researcher is insured by the insurance provider for the self-employed and the required contributions are paid by the FWF payroll office. The principal investigator is liable for paying income tax.

Full-time grant-salaried principal investigators can earn regular additional income if it is necessary for the advancement of their career, and if it does not exceed 5 hours per week or the marginal employment threshold defined by social insurance law.

In special cases, the project can be temporarily interrupted for up to one year for the duration of another employment (multiple interruptions will be counted together towards this total). However, no funding can be requested/dispersed, nor personnel be employed as part of the project during the temporary interruption.

The Executive Board of the FWF sets a salary scale on a yearly basis. The standard personnel costs of the FWF are reference rates which can be exceeded if certain conditions are given. (See also: Am I permitted to use third-party funds to pay FWF project staff members a higher salary than that defined in the FWF standard personnel costs?).A higher salary can be offered by reallocating project funds, for instance, by cutting other types of costs, or by shortening the duration of employment.

Paying a salary less than the FWF’s standard personnel costs is possible if a collective bargaining agreement applies to the specific employment relationship and permits a lower salary.

• Salary scale

Salaries in excess of the amount specified in the collective bargaining agreement are only eligible for funding if a plausible, project-specific justification for the overpayment can be provided. The higher salary can be financed either on a cost-neutral basis from the available project funds or through other third-party funds.

Project staff members are never employed by the FWF: the employer is either the research institution (for universities pursuant to the Universities Act 2002 and research institutions with a relevant agreement with the FWF) or the principal investigator.

Applicable residence permits must be applied for depending on the duration of the person’s stay, the employer, and the type of employment contract. More detailed information on the different types of visas and residence permits for students and researchers from non-EU/EEA member countries can be found here: Information about Entry and Residence for Students and Researchers (Agency for Education and Internationalisation, OeAD). We recommend contacting the research institution well in advance.

For principal investigators with an employment contract, an absolute ban on working (maternity protection period) applies for 8 weeks before the expected date of birth and for 8 to 12 weeks after giving birth. During this time, the principal investigator cannot work on the project, but the project itself can carry on as before. It is recommended to develop a plan for carrying out the project during this period well in advance. Afterwards, the principal investigator can return to work full or part-time.

If the principal investigator receives a child care benefit, their working hours can be reduced to 10 hours a week or to the marginal employment threshold (depending on the specific model of child care benefit chosen).

The following options are available if the principal investigator wishes to take parental leave:

• Request a temporary change of principal investigator for the duration of the leave
• Request a temporary interruption of the project for the duration of the parental leave (for a temporary interruption of up to 12 months, regardless of the maternity protection period, all that is required is due notice to the FWF; for a longer period of interruption due to parental leave, the request has to be approved by the FWF). Please keep in mind that no one can be employed in the project and no funds may be dispersed during the temporary interruption.

Pregnancy and maternity leave of project staff must be reported to the research institution’s human resources department as soon as they become known and all legal protection regulations must be observed. The legal entitlements (maternity protection period, parental leave) are to be granted. The project incurs minor expenses during the maternity protection period (payments for the employee pension fund) and no expenses during parental leave.

The continued remuneration by the employer and the resulting financial burden on the project depends on the length of time the staff member has been employed and is equal to at least 6 and no more than 12 weeks’ full pay and 4 weeks’ half pay. After that, staff members are entitled to a sickness benefit from the health insurance provider. The human resources department of the research institution must be notified. During the sick leave period, an additional application can be submitted to the FWF, if necessary.