Life and work transitions

You may have known you would need workplace accommodations when you started your contract, or situations may have changed, requiring new or updated accommodations. The Employee Health and Accommodations (EHA) office is the centralized office responsible for managing workplace accommodations for all employees, including postdocs. EHA supports providing accommodations for a broad range and degree of conditions that can be permanent, temporary, episodic, and suspected, including temporary disabilities, chronic conditions, disabling illness, as well as the physical, emotional, and psychological effects of trauma (e.g., sexual violence, geographic violence).  

For further information on applying for workplace accommodations, please visit the EHA website. 

University of Waterloo employees, including postdocs, must normally work in Ontario, even if they are working remotely. However, as part of your work as a postdoc, you may be required to travel outside of Ontario to conduct field work or attend conferences. The University of Waterloo has a Safety Abroad team that supports all members of the university who are travelling on university-sanctioned activities and business. Postdocs travelling for work should follow the faculty and staff travel safety processes outlined by the Safety Abroad team. Please note that postdocs must register with Safety Abroad for university-sanctioned international travel. 

If you are seeking funding for work-related travel, it is recommended that you reach out to your supervisor and/or department to inquire about available support. There is no central funding available for postdoc travel. 

There are a variety of paid or unpaid leaves available to University of Waterloo employees. Human Resources maintains a list of types of leaves, which can help you determine which type of leave may be most appropriate for your situation. If you are planning to take a pregnancy or parental leave, you can also find information on the postdoc benefit page. 

If you are taking a leave for any reason, it is important that these leaves be appropriately documented in the University's Human Resources system, Workday. Access the Workday user guides for support requesting leaves and absences in Workday. 

For many life transitions, including obtaining a mortgage or applying for other positions, you may be required to provide proof of your employment as a postdoc. Employment letters are available via self-service in Workday; follow the instructions provided by Human Resources to access them. If you require more details in an employment letter, such as a description of your duties, please contact your supervisor and/or department chair. 

As postdoctoral positions are all definite-term appointments, we recognize that many postdocs are applying for other job opportunities and may land another position before the end date of their postdoctoral contract. If you have secured another position, congratulations! We are glad that the University of Waterloo could be part of your professional journey, and we wish you all the best in the next steps in your career!  

Once you have confirmed your new position, please follow these steps to formally resign from your postdoctoral position:  

• Provide written notice to your supervisor(s) and department chair 

• You may have an informal conversation with your supervisor to let them know you have secured another position, but it is important to follow up with a formal written (email) notice that includes your last day of employment. Ensure you also send this to the department chair, as they are your official manager within Workday. 

• Resign in Workday 

• Follow the steps provided by HR to resign within Workday. As your formal manager in Workday is the department chair, it is important to note that your supervisor will not automatically receive any Workday notice. Thus, it is recommended that you first email your supervisor and department chair outside Workday.