Onboarding
We have a own onboarding programme for new employees (Requires login).
In connection with admission to the PhD programme, you will be invited to an initial interview with the PhD coordinator (and/or supervisor) in your programme. Here you will get useful and practical information about the duration of the PhD course, deadlines you must meet, available courses/subjects, planned seminars etc. You also get tips and advice that will help you get off to a good start and a successful PhD journey.
Salary
As a hired PhD research fellow you will get paid on the 12th every month. If this is a weekend or bank holiday, you will get your salary the day before.
Pension and tax are deducted automatically from your monthly payment. As a USN employee you are a member of the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund
Your salary development will depend on your union affiliation (Requires login). You are not allowed to be discriminated against based on your union affiliation or if you are a member or not. Still different unions have different ways of agreeing on salary negotiations.
For any questions contact personalservice@usn.no.
Pension, loan and insurances
As a USN employee you are a member of the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund. A pension of 2% is automatically deducted from your salary. In addition to a pension, you also get access to insurances and mortgages with a good interest through the Government Pension Fund.
Tax and tax card
If you are new at USN and/or new to Norway you have to apply for a tax card with the Norwegian Tax Administration. For your first year in Norway you might be entitled to a pay as you go scheme, this will for most people be beneficial over a normal tax rate.
As a USN employee your tax will be deducted automatically from your salary depending on your tax card that is automatically read. The percentage is set by the Norwegian Tax Administration and depend on your salary level. You might be entitled to some tax deductions, depending on your personal situation.
Holiday and holiday pay
All employees have the right to five weeks holiday and holiday pay. You also have a duty to use your holiday in the correct year. The holiday pay (Requires login) is calculated based on last year’s salary and is paid out in June.
If you are newly hired, it depends on your start date and earlier employment how many days you are entitled to get and what pay you will have during those days for your first year. If you get sick during your holiday, (Requires login) you might have some rights to use the days at another time.
All employees shall apply for their holiday dates in DFØID/DFØ-app(the employee portal). If you have any questions, please contact your manager or personalservice@usn.no.
Work hours
As a PhD research fellow the system has already registered the number of hours you should work within a year. Therefore, you will not need to log your working hours, but all absence and holiday have to be registered in DFØ.
Duty work
When you are hired on a time specific contract, for example for four years with 25% duty work. It is important that you together with your main supervisor and your personnel leader make a plan for when the duty work should be done and what kind of work it includes.
Expense reimbursement
If you must order any equipment or have other work-related expenses approved by your manager, you have to hand in the receipts.
It is important that you order thru our purchase agreements and register it in the DFØID/DFØapp. More information and description on how to apply for a reimbursement, you find on our intranet (Requires login).
Travels
Travel reimbursement
All expenses outside of the travel agency portal needs to be registered in DFØ to get your money reimbursed.
Expense reimbursement
If you have to order any equipment or have other work-related expenses approved by your manager, you have to hand in the receipts.
DFØ course
Through our DFØ course, you will be given an introduction on how to submit travel and expense reimbursements, and the most important functions for registering time.
IThe calendar on min.usn.no shows upcomming courses (Requires login).
Operating funds
The operating fund connected to your PhD should cover any additional expenses that comes with your research project and the training component. New guidelines for the use of operational funds are being prepared.
Extra expenses can relate to:
- Books, data collection and processing
- Field work (housing and travel costs)
- Proofreading in connection to submitting your thesis
- Course and conference participation and stays at other institutions (course fees, housing, food and travel with less than two weeks duration).
- Licenses
- Laboratory costs
Do you have any questions connected to your operational funds? Contact your supervisor or head of department.
Purchases and orders
USN has framework agreements that must be used on all purchases. It is therefore important to follow our guidelines when ordering all goods and services. You have to place orders in our purchase portal (Requires login). This page is unfortunately only in Norwegian, but ask a colleague for assistance or contact the Purchasing Department to get guidance.
USN have an agreement with Berg Hansen (Requires login) for ordering transport, hotels and conference venues. Remember that all work travel needs to be approved by your manager.