Background

In addition to salary, fringe benefits are part of the compensation package provided to employees. Fringe benefits include the cost of unemployment and workers' compensation insurance, Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA), medical and dental insurance, group insurance, annuity, New York State disability insurance, disability income protection, tuition remission for employees, travel insurance and the operational costs of fringe benefit administration.

NYU Approach

New York University's (NYU's) Fringe Benefit Rate is negotiated with the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). The rate must be applied to budgeted salary amounts in proposals and to actual salary costs when directly charged to sponsored agreements.

Calculating Fringe Benefits

Calculation of Fringe Benefits charged to a Sponsored Project:

Fringe Benefits = (Monthly IBS) x (percent of Effort) x (number of months devoted to project) x (Fringe Benefit Rate)

Note: This formula will be also used to calculate the fringe benefit during the summer months.

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Calculation of Fringe Benefits charged to a Sponsored Project with a Salary Cap:

Fringe Benefits with Salary Cap = (Salary Cap ÷ 12) x (percent of Effort) x (number of months devoted to project) x (Fringe Benefit Rate)

Note: For graduate assistants (GRAs), tuition remission is charged as a percentage of their salary instead of fringe benefits.

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Paid and Unpaid Absences

Vacation, holiday, sick leave pay and other paid absences are included in salaries and wages and are claimed on grants, contracts and other projects as part of the normal cost for salaries and wages. Unpaid sabbatical and research leave of absences may not be charged to sponsored projects.

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Current Negotiated Fringe Benefit Rate

Negotiated with the Division of Cost Allocation, the Department of Health and Human Services.

See: Colleges and Universities Rate Agreement.

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