Transferring from Pathways to SMART

General Discussion for SMART Scholarship Recipients
HOrobOD

Transferring from Pathways to SMART

Post by HOrobOD »

Has anyone here transferred from a Pathways internship into SMART? What was the process like?

I am currently in a Pathways Internship with my SF, and have been told I have to fully out-process as a Gov't employee to stay in SMART.

This seem ridiculous considering immediately after graduation I will be right back where I started as a Gov't employee. In Pathways I was handled as a Gov't employee, then I have to fully withdraw, become essentially a contractor for one summer, then go back to being Gov't. It seems like there should be a special case for those transferring from a government position to SMART, especially if it is at the same SF.

I was originally awarded as a retention applicant because I checked that I was a current DoD employee, which what I was told I was by my SF, but just got converted to a recruitment awardee.

I'm just wanting to explore all possibilities because I really don't want to have to go through the hassle of fully out-processing and want to minimize paperwork if it is not really necessary. From my experiences, the more paperwork there is, the higher the chance of mistakes.

kbl2017
Posts: 339
Joined: Mon May 15, 2017 10:48 pm
Contact:

Re: Transferring from Pathways to SMART

Post by kbl2017 »

HOrobOD wrote:Has anyone here transferred from a Pathways internship into SMART? What was the process like?

I am currently in a Pathways Internship with my SF, and have been told I have to fully out-process as a Gov't employee to stay in SMART.

This seem ridiculous considering immediately after graduation I will be right back where I started as a Gov't employee. In Pathways I was handled as a Gov't employee, then I have to fully withdraw, become essentially a contractor for one summer, then go back to being Gov't. It seems like there should be a special case for those transferring from a government position to SMART, especially if it is at the same SF.

I was originally awarded as a retention applicant because I checked that I was a current DoD employee, which what I was told I was by my SF, but just got converted to a recruitment awardee.

I'm just wanting to explore all possibilities because I really don't want to have to go through the hassle of fully out-processing and want to minimize paperwork if it is not really necessary. From my experiences, the more paperwork there is, the higher the chance of mistakes.
I don't know the process itself here, hopefully someone does.

Even if you are not switching facilities after graduation you have to realize that for the next X years you're employed by ASEE, not your SF. So you'll have to out process from any current government branch in order to be placed into a new branches (ASEEs) system. You'll still be treated as a government employee in all aspects like you are for pathways, but that is why we are not paid by our SF during our internship other than our monthly stipends. So as much as paperwork stinks - I think it is very necessary if you want to receive support payments.

You don't have to do this as a retention candidate because if you were retention you would still be paid through your facility. However, pathways while considered a government position is not full time or salaried and there was still always the possibility you wouldn't get converted to a full-time position which is why you're recruitment.

DifferentGuest

Re: Transferring from Pathways to SMART

Post by DifferentGuest »

kbl2017 wrote:
HOrobOD wrote:Has anyone here transferred from a Pathways internship into SMART? What was the process like?

I am currently in a Pathways Internship with my SF, and have been told I have to fully out-process as a Gov't employee to stay in SMART.

This seem ridiculous considering immediately after graduation I will be right back where I started as a Gov't employee. In Pathways I was handled as a Gov't employee, then I have to fully withdraw, become essentially a contractor for one summer, then go back to being Gov't. It seems like there should be a special case for those transferring from a government position to SMART, especially if it is at the same SF.

I was originally awarded as a retention applicant because I checked that I was a current DoD employee, which what I was told I was by my SF, but just got converted to a recruitment awardee.

I'm just wanting to explore all possibilities because I really don't want to have to go through the hassle of fully out-processing and want to minimize paperwork if it is not really necessary. From my experiences, the more paperwork there is, the higher the chance of mistakes.
I don't know the process itself here, hopefully someone does.

Even if you are not switching facilities after graduation you have to realize that for the next X years you're employed by ASEE, not your SF. So you'll have to out process from any current government branch in order to be placed into a new branches (ASEEs) system. You'll still be treated as a government employee in all aspects like you are for pathways, but that is why we are not paid by our SF during our internship other than our monthly stipends. So as much as paperwork stinks - I think it is very necessary if you want to receive support payments.

You don't have to do this as a retention candidate because if you were retention you would still be paid through your facility. However, pathways while considered a government position is not full time or salaried and there was still always the possibility you wouldn't get converted to a full-time position which is why you're recruitment.
Two very important clarifications on what kbl2017 said:

First, SMART scholars ARE NOT employed by ASEE. During Phase 1 SMART Scholars are not employed by anyone: not the SF and not SMART/ASEE. We are not self-employed either. All of our funding during Phase 1 does come from the ASEE, but none of it (not even ISPs) is considered wages or payment for work/services. It's an important distinction to make because there are a lot of legal and tax limitations as a result of our situation. For example, you can't legally use your stipend as "earned income" when contributing to an IRA, even though it is "taxable income."

Secondly, SMART scholars ARE NOT "treated as a government employee in all aspects like you are for pathways." Pathways interns accrue vacation leave and sick time which carriers over once you graduate. Additionally, they get credit for being a government employee, which will add to your time in post after graduation. For example, a Pathways intern works a 3 month internship, and then becomes a full-time employee after graduation, at the end of their first day they have 3 months and 1 day worth of seniority which is used for sick time / vacation time / advancement opportunities. A SMART Scholar who works a 3 month internship, and then becomes a full-time employee after graduation, at the end of their first day they have 1 day worth of seniority because they were not a government employee during that internship.

Pathways students who leave the program for SMART don't lose any of that seniority. Once you become a government employee again in Phase 2, you will get whatever seniority you are owed, you just do not earn anything new during your time in Phase 1.

The benefit of SMART over Pathways, in addition to the financial gain, is that once you make the transition to full-time after graduation, SMART requires you be hired as a PERMANENT employee, not a TERM employee. The majority of new employees for the government (including Pathways), are term positions, which limits your ability to advance to certain positions and take advantage of certain benefits programs. Additionally, SMART is one of the few programs that is unaffected by even the most strict hiring freezes.

At my SF, all pathways students had to resign and out-process by August 1st, as well. I know it seems like a hassle to out-process now, only to in-process again in 2 years, but the benefits of the program are worth it. The paperwork to in-process/out-process for SMART internships is MUCH less of a burden than when you started as a Pathways intern. It is essentially 1 page on your way in, and one on your way out. Seemingly inefficient paperwork is one of the downsides of working for the government, but it is somewhat necessary in order to ensure that things happen fairly, and according to the rules.

Post Reply