Human resources
Recruitment
Recruiting standards to fill positions with international programs depends on the unique needs of that program. Emory’s policy on recruiting for employment can provide preliminary information regarding your options, but consult with Peter Buch in Human Resources for additional guidance.
Types of employment
Working with an established organization within the host country
The easiest method to hire employees in a foreign country is through a third-party partner organization. This approach allows for the legal and financial oversight to rest with the third party rather than Emory. If possible, preference is given to hiring local staff through an established and registered third-party organization.
Outsourcing your staffing needs to a Professional Employer Organization (PEO) may also be an option. Emory University has a vendor relationship with Mauve Group, a professional employer organization used by several higher education institutions. Mauve Group’s Global Workforce Solutions, including its Employer of Record (EoR) service, help higher education institutions with faculty, staff, graduate assistants, researchers or students on international assignment operate legally and compliantly in foreign countries.
If you are interested in engaging Mauve to support staffing needs on your project, please Global Services at 404-727-9127 or christine.rapalje@emory.edu.
Emory faculty and staff working abroad
Expatriates working and living in a foreign country should be notified of the potential need to maintain personal bank accounts for payroll deposits, while obtaining and retaining documentation of any required work and resident permits, visas and personal tax ID numbers. There are some benefits offered in the United States that do not apply to U.S. citizens overseas. Please contact Peter Buch for more information on supporting Emory employees working abroad.
Emory employees working overseas should also be aware of U.S. regulations around income earned while working or living abroad and the relevant tax deductions and credits associated with such work. For more information, see the IRS page on US citizens and resident aliens abroad. Susan Clark in Emory’s tax office is also available to assist employees with questions.
Hiring independent contractors (local nationals or U.S. / third-country nationals)
Please complete the form and return to the Office of General Counsel and Global Services (mesimon@emory.edu, sarah.harlan@emory.edu). If you have any questions, please reach out to Global Services at 404-727-9127 or sarah.harlan@emory.edu.
International Independent Contractor Information form
International telecommuting and remote work
Requests to telecommute or work remotely are managed by individual departments and require supervisor or higher approval. For requests to work remotely outside the State of Georgia but within the United States, please follow the procedure on the Out-of-State Employment webpage on the Emory Finance website.
Requests to work remotely from outside the US require an additional level of review given the multiple compliance considerations involved, including, but not limited to, tax liability, research security, immigration and work authorization, cyber security, export controls, insurance, and sponsored funding requirements. These issues may require review by outside legal counsel. As such, international remote work requests must be considered on a case-by-case basis and may not be allowable. Legal and other fees may apply, and those fees are borne by the department requesting the arrangement.
To initiate review of an international remote work request, complete International Remote Work Request form (below) and return it to Global Services. Global Services will facilitate review of the request by the relevant units (including Office of General Counsel, Research Security, and Export Control), and Global Services will communicate with your department and Central HR regarding the allowability of the request.
International Remote Work Request Form
To better understand the considerations for international remote work, review the guidelines below, and contact Global Services (404-727-9127 or sarah.harlan@emory.edu) with any questions.
Telecommuting and remote work requests (domestic or international) involving international students and scholars must also be discussed with the department’s ISSS advisor.
See the HR website for additional guidance on flexible work options, including telecommuting and remote work.
If approved to work remotely outside the US, Emory employees continue to be subject to the terms of their existing Emory employment arrangement, and they are expected to continue to comply with all applicable Emory policies and procedures. This includes and is not limited to policies and procedures related to conduct, ethics, research compliance, intellectual property, information security, research security, and export controls.
- Export control compliance: U.S. export control regulations and trade and economic related sanctions can limit activities that are undertaken outside the United States. Please contact the Export Control Office, exportcontrol@emory.edu prior to undertaking any work from any of these countries/regions: Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Syria and the Crimea, Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine.
- Research Security compliance: During your time working remotely, if you will be doing sponsored research related work, you must check in with the Office of Research Security, researchsecurity@emory.edu to review the nature of collaborations, foreign affiliations, and data use and access. Refer to the Research Data Security Recommendations for best practices while traveling.
- Sponsored research compliance: Employees working remotely outside the US who work on sponsored research (regardless of funding source) must confirm with Office of Sponsored Programs that the work is permitted by the funder.
- Compensation: Your compensation will continue to be paid in U.S. Dollars into the bank account you have designated, and unless you notify us of an applicable election, Emory will continue to withhold Federal and Georgia income tax and FICA based on the Forms W-4 and G-4 that are currently on file. Coverage under university benefit plans may be affected or limited during remote working. Please note, Emory does not extend additional benefits to employees working remotely, such as technology supplements, home office furnishings or costs, or rent subsidies. It will be important that you communicate regularly with the relevant contacts in your department concerning your work and schedule to enable remote working to be as effective as possible.
- Remote work expectations: Unless otherwise authorized, you are not permitted to rent an office or use any Emory location outside the United States as your office. As part of your remote work arrangement, you are also not permitted to represent Emory or execute contracts for Emory outside the United States. Any work-related correspondence should be through your regular Emory e-mail address or letterhead and work should be conducted through the relevant Emory-provided software and applications. Please maintain access to a safe, secure, and confidential workspace with a computer and a high-speed internet connection, along with telephone and other telecommunication devices suitable to your work.
- Consent: You agree and consent that your personal information, such as your legal name, gender identity, date of birth, citizenship, education information, and contact information (collectively "Personal Information"), will continue to be collected, used, processed, and transferred as normal by Emory for purposes of your employment and administration. Please note that you may be required to sign an additional consent depending on your country of residency.
Payroll
Employees in a foreign country usually must be paid in local currency. Other federal requirements such as mandated withholdings and contributions should be withheld into local accounts in local currency. Please consult with Peter Buch in Human Resources or Joleen Mitchell in University Payroll Services for more information on payroll procedures in order to pay staff in a foreign country.
Performance management of local nationals
Refer to Emory’s policy on performance management for guidelines on how to manage international employees or contractors. Peter Buch in Human Resources can also assist in performance management questions regarding overseas staff.
Benefits
Many foreign-country employment contracts are subject to local regulations and have specific rules on duration, activities, and employment benefits. Often an employer is expected to cover certain withholding expenses for local employees, such as sickness, maternity, old age, disability, survivors, and work injury benefits. Fringe benefit rates can vary greatly depending on host country laws to cover these mandated withholding programs. There are also numerous paid local public and business holidays that monthly salaried employees (and sometimes contractors) typically receive, which should be taken into consideration when creating work and payroll schedules. Remember to factor these considerations into budgets, agreements with local counterparts, and contractor agreements as necessary.
If an Emory project in a host country has a combination of Emory employees and local contractors, keep local customs in mind when determining work schedules and benefits. Consult with Peter Buch in Human Resources for assistance in determining the best practice for a program in a particular country.
Reporting ethical violations
Faculty and staff should report ethical standards violations as indicated on the relevant university policies by contacting the Internal Audit Division or by utilizing the online Emory Trust Line.
Ensure that faculty, staff, and students working abroad know how to report problems confidentially. Be sure that overseas staff employed directly by Emory are aware of the following resources:
- Emory Trust Line, for reporting potential ethical, legal, or business conduct violations or concerns in a confidential manner.
- Faculty Staff Assistance Program (for employees only), which enhances employees’ emotional and physical health, performance, and wellbeing.
- HR representatives by department, for locating your HR representative based on the school or division that sponsors an overseas program.
Codes of conduct for discrimination and sexual harassment
Faculty, staff and contractors are expected to obey all U.S. and host country local laws, including those pertaining to equal opportunity and sexual harassment.
Relevant policies: