Will they or won’t they be getting a salary increase? That’s the question on the minds of many American postdoctoral researchers who are paid less than the amount ascribed by the US Department of Labor under the Fair Labor Standards Act. Effective December 1, all employees working 40 hours or more per week were set to either earn at least $47,476 per year or be paid for overtime worked. But a November 22 court injunction help up raises for postdocs at several institutions.
Following the injunction, some institutions made good on their pledges to raise postdoc pay, while others drafted new plans. “It’s very easy for postdocs to fall through the cracks,” Gary McDowell, executive director of the advocacy group Future of Research, told The Scientist.
While institutions are directed to maintain confidentiality, a scientist accused of research misconduct frequently finds his or her name leaked among colleagues or to ...
