Rutgers University utilizes a web-based Effort Certification and Reporting Technology (ECRT) System to certify effort for salaried employees. The University requirement is for the certification of effort, not salary dollars.
ECRT replaces the paper-based Personnel Activity Certification Reports (PACE) that were used in the past to certify effort.
Federal guidelines require that effort be certified by a responsible person with suitable means of verifying that the effort indicated on an effort card was, in fact, expended in the proportions shown. In ECRT, a role-based system, the PI named on a sponsored award is automatically assigned the role of a Certifier.
Rutgers University requires effort certification twice a year. The certification periods are Summer & Fall along with Winter & Spring. Failure to comply with the ECRT requirements puts the University at risk for audit deficiencies.
As an effort certifier, a PI is responsible for performing a review and certification of their own effort card in ECRT as well as the effort cards of the employees who work on their sponsored programs.
For more information about effort certification, please see the ECRT website at ECRT Website