Harvard University is required to comply with certain federal regulations for certifying effort expended on sponsored awards. Many factors, including the length of any strike and the amount of work missed, will determine what, if any, adjustments the University must make in order to meet its obligations relating to sponsored research. Striking student workers must not be paid from sponsored funds for time that they are not working unless they make up the work.

To best determine which student workers chose to strike, student workers will be asked by the University whether they withheld labor during a strike. If they did so, they will lose compensation that they would have otherwise received for those days. The University may also seek reimbursement for any overpayments made to student workers as a result of the strike. If the labor withheld relates to any grant funding, the University will adjust any related charges to the grants accordingly.

Labs should communicate academic expectations for student workers in the event of a strike, including stating whether student workers are required to be in the lab at particular times to carry out experiments or have other essential responsibilities that they must perform in order to be in good academic standing.