COVID: Hiring remote (out of US) postdocs

[born_a_prof]

Well these are unprecedented times and universities are apparently doing anything and everything to maintain some momentum.
Anywho, before the Rona destroyed the status quo, I interviewed and selected a postdoc, who is living in another country.
By the time the offer letter was drafted, the borders were closed and all US visa offices were shuttered. Now, most optimistic estimates put her arrival in US to be in January 21.

So I was wondering if it might be possible for her to begin the postdoc remotely and join when she can. I am an early career faculty at R1, and eager/nervous to keep chugging my research along..hence this thought.


Q1: Has anyone else tried this in the past ?
Q2: Is this legally possible (payment wise)?
Q3: Is anyone considering this due to COVID ?

[Katrina Gulliver]

No idea on the starting remotely option, but delaying a start til January is pretty common (for PhD students finishing off a diss, or postdocs finishing a job elsewhere).

[Vkw10]

You need to check with your institution on what they'll allow for remote work. Mine allowed post docs and grad students who were already working before lockdown to transition to remote work, using same forms used by other employees, but while the guidelines allow for new hires to work remotely, the process is much more complex and there's a warning that person who would require visa to work onsite is unlikely to be approved.

I wouldn't consider, but my research doesn't lend itself to remote work.

[nonsensical]

At my institution, new post-docs can be hired, and current post-docs can be re-appointed, if they can do all their work remotely for the time being. Your institution may have different rules, but this suggests to me that at least there's no legal issue with remote work.

There may be some messy legal issues with remote work being done across national borders, though. I am not sure whether your post-doc candidate would need a visa if they were hired by a US institution but not living in the US, and if so, what that visa process would look like. I am also not sure which set of labor laws would apply; for instance, if the post-doc is currently in a country where employers are required to provide X benefit, but US employers are not required to provide this benefit, would you be required to provide it? If so, would your university be able and willing to do so?

My department has a person in charge of hiring who would know the answers to these types of questions, and my university has an international scholars' office that would also be a helpful resource. I'd recommend checking with whoever is the appropriate person in your department or university about these issues.

I also agree with the poster above that delaying start dates until January is pretty common. Some candidates have time to start some work on their project before they officially show up. I'm not sure exactly what your work looks like, but could this person read relevant background literature or design experiments or do any other preparatory work before officially starting their position? That might be a way to avoid any kind of legal mess that might arise from working remotely across borders while also making at least some progress on the project.

[polly_mer]

Remote work for a new hire in another country is probably going to be a tough go.

It would be easier if your new hire could go under an existing contract with a group in that same country.

Otherwise, delay until January is probably the best option.

[Hibush]

Some countries, notably China, will not allow it. To hire a Chinese national to do work in China, you have to be a Chinese company and hire under Chinese labor rules. My school is not a Chinese company. Therefore we can't start new hires (postdocs or grad students) to work remotely if they are there now.