Expectations of working past contract end date

[Redslate]

Think this is particularly problem in STEM postdocs, but maybe also in other fields?

my contract ended a year ago and I’m in a new (also temporary and precarious) research role. I thought I had been quite good in handing over tasks and being boundaried about what projects I want finish (ie do analysis, submit to journal, deal with reviewer comments).

old boss causing me huge amounts of stress in chasing me, asking about projects I did not agree to do, with others copied in. Latest stressful email involves queries about issues in project I had previously managed, for which he has all the handover notes. I can’t even bring myself to open the latest one he sent.

how do others deal with this? We are collaborators on existing projects and I will rely on him for references for next role so not as simple as saying ‘I don’t work for you/the institution’ anymore.

I should say I estimate I prob work around one day week, at least, on his work.

it’s contrasted to my current team where an old postdoc is paid 0.2FTE for continuing to finish projects, and I feel her time and contributions are respected a lot more.

This is often a problem in academia. If you want to build an academic career, then keeping up previous collaborations and projects is often expected. And if there are publications, that can be valuable to you.

things you can do include
. Reply after 1 week and tell him to look at the notes (or to give the notes to the relevant student who are now on the project)
. Blame your new job and new supervisor for keeping you busy
. If this is a completely new project that he wants your time on, ask for a formal collaboration agreement and authorship on papers.

sorry you are stuck with this - it is always tricky

You draw boundaries and accept the fallout, whatever he may be.
It s simply a " In my current role, i have not capacity to work on X"

he may think you want to work in it to retain authorship, maybe? when i ve really wanted to cut a link, i ve said things as extreme as "I loved working in X but have no spare time to do so anymore - i understand that this may mean that my position in the authorship line will be revised, which is fine" - only once have i asked for rhem to remove me from authorship and contact list altogether.