I am on a H-1B visa sponsored by Dept A in a University under an academic position P. The visa is valid till Dec 31 2010. My contract with Dept A ends on May 8th, 2010. I am supposed to move to a new position, P2, in Dept B under the same university on May 9th, 2010. I was told by the ISS department of university that this requires a VISA amendment which will take 3 months or 15 days with premium. I decided to proceed with premium. But ISS office at the university failed to see that P1 is different from P2, thus requiring Labor Certification, which can itself take 2 months. Dept B is still ready to file for my H-1. I have the offer letter and they have the money to pay me during this period. Are their mechanisms to keep me in status from the period May9th till my H-1 with DeptB arrives?