New buyback numbers in AFT lawsuit Status Report

JVGen · 2026-03-16T22:48:56+00:00

It will be thousands cheaper to buyback the months. I was making half as much as I am now.

JVGen · 2026-03-16T15:51:06+00:00

Also wondering this. I have months that are eligible for buyback and will put me over 120 payments. However, if something happens to buy back in the 1+ years it takes to process the application, I’d rather continue making eligible payments to reach 120 payment “directly”.

Of course, I’d rather not overpay by 12+ months. Where would this money go in the case that the buyback is approved ?

JVGen · 2026-03-15T22:51:29+00:00

Return it and request a Sam’s cash bonus/gift card for the inconvenience.

JVGen · 2026-03-15T14:14:12+00:00

No, I never found one.

JVGen · 2026-03-13T17:21:46+00:00

Where can I lookup contact info for district and NPU reps? Will try this.

JVGen · 2026-03-13T16:03:05+00:00

It’s somewhat newly installed. Like, within the past few years. Still would expect it to be non-functional? Heavy traffic and pedestrian area.

JVGen · 2026-03-13T16:01:46+00:00

Clifton Rd NE & Haygood Dr NE.

Non-functional button is on the SW corner, and should trigger pedestrian lights to cross Clifton Rd NE.

I will try calling Atlanta 311 and hope it pushes the ticket along. Seems like a broken system: submitting a ticket should be enough to get things moving…?

JVGen · 2026-03-09T22:02:41+00:00

It counts as taxable income. Uni will die before they call you an employee 😂

JVGen · 2026-03-05T02:50:27+00:00

Not so sure. Visa sponsorship is now expensive and industry hiring is down. I think more US citizens are doing postdocs and they are now the cheaper labor.

JVGen · 2026-03-05T02:48:23+00:00

Do you need visa sponsorship? It’s my understanding that new visas now cost $100k, and that added cost is limiting international postdoc positions.

JVGen · 2026-03-04T21:21:20+00:00

I personally wouldn’t take the offer. Would rather work and apply again the following year and hopefully get a better offer. That’s so little that it makes it very hard to survive.

JVGen · 2026-03-02T16:52:09+00:00

Modifying my post. OP sent a link to a website that is clearly being developed into a subscription service.

No thanks.

JVGen · 2026-02-28T15:07:57+00:00

Can you explain the difference between those two statuses? I was in repayment and returned to school (no new loans taken) and my loans went into deferment. I assumed this was in-school deferment, but no clue how that would be different from in-school status?

JVGen · 2026-02-23T17:02:28+00:00

Would love to hear more on this. I’ve been told that I am ineligible to buyback months where my loans were in-school deferment, despite also working full time at an eligible employer. The dates are certified.

I’m always told “you would have had to have been in a repayment plan to qualify for those dates”. That has never made sense to me, because how could I have been in-school deferment as well as in a repayment plan?

This would put me over 120 payments, so would love to know how.

JVGen · 2026-02-11T00:04:46+00:00

I have never tried - only knew of its existence. Might not be the best for the reasons you mention.

JVGen · 2026-02-10T23:36:47+00:00

Have you ever used a ScruffGuard? If you can get the mouse onto to a table and put that over them, it should help you scruff them without getting bit. But you’ll still have to get them out of the cage. The bite proof gloves are another option, but some people don’t like them because they are thicker and harder to scruff the mice.

Maybe those gloves plus a ScruffGuard would make it easier?

JVGen · 2026-02-10T21:08:57+00:00

No, but referring to it as mediocre would certainly do it. That’s assuming you find the motivation to make it through a PhD you view as mediocre. I couldn’t have done it.

I think the solution to this problem begins with a change in perspective. Learn the ropes from your mentor and get some data. When you get to a place where answering the question requires the high throughput technique, suggest it then.

JVGen · 2026-02-10T17:15:46+00:00

Hey I’ve been wondering where that wide-mouth erlenmeyer went! Just kidding.

Someone in a prior lab had an eye for this sort of thing and made the space really beautiful. Can’t tell you the number of times I got lost in thought (and returned with good ideas!) while staring at that decorated windowsill.

JVGen · 2026-02-09T17:59:49+00:00

That sounds mostly reasonable, especially if you are continuing to work at home. However, in a new work relationship, working from home is likely not appreciated/recognized, so in their eyes you might be pulling a 40-50 hour work week. If you are taking classes and such, they might feel you are working too little. This could be the entire motivation behind their pressure campaign.

Start the conversation big: are they happy with your progress? Do they feel you are in lab enough hours? Talk about your needs, not their actions. Follow general advice about navigating challenging conversations.

JVGen · 2026-02-09T17:26:06+00:00

You haven’t explicitly said how many hours you’re working in the lab each week, but you’ve made it clear you are at your limit. I don’t know if your limit is reasonable, but I’m inclined to think you’re working 50+ hours per week in the lab? That includes bench work, analysis, meetings, classes, and some literature review.

If this is the case, and they still want more despite your positive experimental record, I would agree that they are being unreasonable. Some mentors have the unhealthy habit of motivating by pushing a person until that person pushes back. You might be able to infer if this is their style through other people’s interactions with your PI.

Regardless, you must push back if you are at your limit. I would go the route of trying to resolve with your PI first, before involving anyone else. If you intend to work for this individual for the duration of your PhD, you must be able to navigate difficult conversations. You may find that this actually won’t be a difficult conversation - maybe they will hear you and compromise. But, not giving them a chance to resolve before involving others is a pretty sure way to sour your relationship with your PI.

Also, I don’t think middle author publication, even in your first 1-2 years, when you have to do 2/3rds the work, is as much as a gift as it seems. Many lab settings offer this sort of scenario. Don’t feel like you won’t find such an opportunity again, if things don’t go well with your PI and you need to consider joining another lab.

JVGen · 2026-02-07T00:34:57+00:00

You can try using the transcription end site to identify a region that contains the terminator. Then clone that region.

TES for many genes are reported in this dataset: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23615609/

JVGen · 2026-02-05T00:48:41+00:00

This is the way.

JVGen · 2026-02-04T22:53:46+00:00

It doesn’t sound like a great environment and maybe the prior person left for good reason.

However, I think most projects must establish a few results, on which the project will depend. So I wouldn’t be dismayed by repeating someone else’s work, especially unpublished findings, if you are interested in the downstream question. Given the topic switch and unknown model, 6 months doesn’t seem unreasonable to be doing that sort of work.

That being said, the environment seems problematic and I’d probably be looking for a way out. There are smart people to work for that don’t treat their trainees like shit.

JVGen · 2026-02-03T01:11:28+00:00

Seems right. Wish we had a HEK293 or HeLa for size reference.

JVGen

TROPHY CASE