Question:  When does the "unrestricted" portion of a fellows appointment become "earned" (i.e., if they leave the program early, do you have to return that portion?).

Background:
A program that is already operating under the "new" rules which essentially create a benefits shortfall. A theoretical fellow leaves the program early (after only 1 month but unfortunately, 1 month before the end of the training grant year which meant the department wasn't able to award it to another fellow.) Traditionally, the fellows are awarded funds for travel and other expenses in the unrestricted part of the award. With the new rules, the training grant has used those funds for the administrative support required run the program.

There has been conflicting thought on this:
1. The department must prorate the "per trainee unrestricted amount" (example, the program might get 1200 in unrestricted funds per fellow per training grant year. Therefore, in this case, the department could keep 100 as unrestricted and the other 1100 becomes restricted and the program is no longer able to use it.)
2. The department loses it all because it is "use or lose" and if the department doesn't show travel or other expenses related to that trainee, it is lost especially since the fellow was only in the program a month.
3. The department doesn't have to use it for specific travel/other expenses for the fellow because it is unrestricted and therefore doesn't have to lose that portion of the fellows unrestricted award.

Any thoughts or different interpretations? Specific sites?

Erika Hargadine
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Division of Cardiology
University of Washington
Box 356422  AA121J
1959 NE Pacific Street
Seattle, Wa 98195
office : 206-221-6396
home: 206-713-4060
Fax: 206-543-9870
xxxxxx@cardiology.washington.edu
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