Berkeley Lab

Berkeley Lab employee handbook

The first step for many questions is the official Berkeley Lab online handbook. You will need to provide your imap user and password to access it.

Best practices in PBD

The Physical Biosciences Division is committed to performing world-class research with an efficiency driven by world-class business practices. We strive to provide leadership for outstanding science and execute the work in a manner consistent with the highest level of expectations from the University of California and the Department of Energy.

Procurement

Procard
- Official business only. No personal use allowed.
- Procard owners must keep accurate and detailed records of all purchases, including all packing slips.
- Procard owners must reconcile their monthly statements and have them signed by their supervisors or designee.
- If you are ordering through a divisional procard buyer, forward packing slips to your buyer immediately upon receipt of goods.
- Ensure that a responsible PI or designated approver authorizes procard requests before submitting to your divisional procard buyer.
- Procard requests may be submitted by fax or e-mail.
- Carol Gilbert is PBD’s divisional procard buyer.
eProcurement, B2B Procurement
- Used for any purchases other than Procard. This includes Systems contracts with Boise, VWR, Sigma-Aldrich, etc.
- You must obtain approval by the responsible PI or designee prior to purchase. Submit preauthorized requests to the divisional buyer via e-mail or fax.
- Carol Gilbert is PBD’s divisional buyer.
Request for issuance of check
- Use only when no other means of procurement is possible.
- Each request carries 45% combined burden and overhead.
- You must obtain appropriate approval prior to purchase.

Budget

All PIs are responsible for tracking their funding and spending for accuracy and appropriateness.
The division sends PIs a monthly recap of all projects and their funding/spending levels to date.
Review expenses and notify your Budget Analyst ASAP with concerns and questions.
Make sure only authorized people charge your accounts.
Never overspend your account.
Consult your Budget Analyst for advise about terms and conditions, allowability, and restrictions.
The Budget Analysts for PBD are Margie Dere and Kristi Shaw.

Travel

You are responsible for finding out who is able to authorize your travel prior to planning any trips to be paid for by the Lab.
Proper authorization including signatures and assigned trip numbers must be obtained prior to travel.
All expense vouchers must be signed by the appropriate individual when travel is complete.
Contact Regina McFarlane with questions about travel forms and procedures.

Telephone Use

Desktop phones
- Use of Lab phones for brief personal calls is permitted for emergencies and to coordinate work activities with family members or others who can only be reached during work hours. These calls are treated as official and paid for by the Lab. Any personal calls not falling into this category must be reimbursed to the UC Regents.
- Review bills monthly online.
- Wait until personal calls total $25.00 before reimbursing the UC Regents.
- Send your personal check to Kristi Shaw.
- Limit personal use.
Cell phones
- Invoices must be reviewed monthly, and all personal calls identified and reimbursed.
- Personal calls (as defined under desktop phones above) are reimbursed to the UC Regents.
- Review bills monthly, and wait until personal calls total $25.00 before reimbursing the UC Regents.
- Send your personal check to Kristi Shaw.
- Limit personal use.

Property

All property purchased with Lab funds remains the property of LBNL.
If you purchase anything with Lab funds, you are responsible for it.
You must be able to account for Lab property in your care at all times.
Before sending any DOE bar coded item to another location or to salvage, you must complete all required paperwork.
Lab property used at home or any off-site location must be properly signed out prior to leaving the Lab.
Send all completed property forms to Carol Gilbert.