As part of the Lab-wide effort, the Information Technology Division has updated the Requirements and Policies Manual (RPM) Confluence space. This update features a new, refreshed look, enhanced security, and a simplified process to edit RPM content.
2022 California State Auditor Whistleblower Brochure
Please join us in celebrating our stewardship successes
December 22, 2021
Dear colleagues,
A final note of congratulations before we all take some much needed and deserved rest during this 2021 holiday season. Today, the Department of Energy publicly announced a summary of the results of its annual evaluation of the performance of the national laboratories. For us, this is the best set of grades the Lab has ever received, with an ‘A-’ or above in all eight categories, including an ‘A’ in the Mission Accomplishment category. You can learn more about the assessment process and see all of the grades here.
This success, of course, is due to the hard work and commitment on the part of everyone at Berkeley Lab who cares for the people, research, and resources that make the Lab’s mission possible, a responsibility we call stewardship. In delivering its evaluation, the Office of Science leadership also expressed great confidence in our Laboratory and recognized the exceedingly difficult circumstances under which we have operated this year.
No matter what your role is in performing and enabling our mission, we want to thank you for all that you do to ensure that we are successful, and for your commitment to our stewardship values: service, team science, innovation, trust, and respect. It is a privilege to lead this Lab.
Michael Witherell
Laboratory Director
Carol Burns
Deputy Lab Director for Research
Chief Research Officer
Michael Brandt
Deputy Lab Director for Operations
Chief Operating Officer
Your Part in Whistleblower and Whistleblower Protection
In June, the Lab’s chief operating officer sent a copy of the annual California Whistleblower notification to Lab employees. This notification reminds employees of the avenues to bring forward concerns of potential employee misconduct that pertains to improper governmental activities, such as corruption, theft and misuse of government property, fraudulent reporting, coercion, willful omission to perform duty, and gross professional misconduct to name a few behaviors. In a Laboratory environment, this could be professional credential misrepresentation, falsifying/improper timekeeping, theft or vandalism of Laboratory property, travel/expense reimbursement fraud, abuse of authority, nepotism/favoritism, egregious policy violations, and harmful lack of integrity/dishonesty. This area may be confusing and appear to overlap with other reporting channels for safety, human resources, and research misconduct matters. Please take a minute to read more about whistleblower and whistleblower protection.
What is Whistleblower Reporting?
The Lab has expectations and processes in place to detect and deter individuals from engaging in improper governmental activities, but even these mechanisms are not absolute safeguards against intentional or unintentional improprieties. Whistleblower reporting is when an individual sees or suspects an impropriety and makes a “good faith” communication (a reporting) that discloses or demonstrates an intention to disclose information that may evidence an improper governmental activity for the purpose of remedying that condition.
Why is Whistleblower Reporting important?
As part of the University of California (UC) system and one of the DOE national laboratories, Laboratory employees and affiliates have a responsibility to conduct their work on behalf of the Laboratory in an ethical manner and in compliance with the federal and state laws. This is essential to enable the Laboratory to pursue and fulfill its scientific mission. Whistleblower reporting demonstrates the Laboratory’s commitment to provide a work environment that promotes ethical and professional practices, and ethical treatment for all members of the Laboratory community and those who interact with the Laboratory. This environment is communicated through the UC Statement of Ethical Values and Standards of Ethical Conduct, and the Laboratory’s stewardship values. Members of the Laboratory community are expected to embody these values. Whistleblowing reporting provides the check and balance to foster a healthy and safe work environment.
How do you report improper governmental activities?
If you see something, say something as there are many ways to bring this type of activity forward, such as:
1. Discussing the allegation/concern with:
- Your direct supervisor
- Your department head or division director
- The Laboratory’s Locally Designated Official (LDO); TATriplett@lbl.gov or 510-486-7401, or in person
- Other appropriate Laboratory offices or officials, such as human resources, legal, internal audit, FAIR (Fundamental Rights, Affirmative Action, Impartial Investigations and Respectful Environment) or Research Compliance Offices
2. Making a report through the UC systemwide whistleblower hotline: at http://universityofcalifornia.edu/hotline or by calling 1-800-403-4744. This hotline allows for anonymous reporting and is independently-operated to receive calls or web-based reporting, capable of receiving reports in a number of different languages and staffed seven days a week, 24 hours per day.
How can I be assured of no reprisal?
UC and the Lab have policies and processes in place to protect individuals from retaliation for reporting suspected allegations of improper governmental activities and other concerns. Individuals may contact Theresa Triplett at TATriplett@lbl.gov or 510-486-7401 or in person to discuss and/or report the situation.
Employees and affiliates have the right and the responsibility to report improper governmental activities without fear of reservation and reprisal as part of their UC and Lab stewardship responsibility of federal government and university resources. Whistleblower and Whistleblower Protection processes are essential to support an ethical, fair, healthy and safe work environment. Please visit the Whistleblower Allegations and other Employee Concerns webpage for more information.
Explore the New DOE OPEXShare Lessons Learned Database!
In December 2020, The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Environment, Health, Safety, and Security (EHSS) debuted the new DOE OPEXShare Lessons Learned Database. The new DOE OPEXShare replaces the DOE Corporate Lessons Learned Database as the central repository for Lessons Learned and Best Practice briefings across the DOE complex. Users may log in to view, like, comment, and share Lessons Learned or Best Practice briefings. The DOE OPEXShare Database is in compliance with DOE Order 210.2A, DOE Corporate Operating Experience Program.
LBNL staff can access the new DOE OPEXShare Lessons Learned Database directly from the LBNL Lessons Learned Database page. Users of the Hanford OPEXShare Database can login with the same user ID, but will need to update their password the first time they log in. New users may request access via the website at https://doeopexshare.doe.gov/. All new accounts must use their LBNL email account. All LBNL registrations to the DOE OPEXShare Database will be approved by the LBNL Lessons Learned and Best Practice Coordinator.
For guidance on how to use the DOE OPEXShare Database, how to create a LBNL lessons learned or best practice briefing, or share a briefing to the LBNL Database, please contact the Office of Institutional Assurance and Integrity’s (OIAI) Lessons Learned and Best Practice Coordinator, Gaby Caparimo (gcaparimo@lbl.gov). We are looking forward to helping you discover and share new lessons learned with your colleagues!
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