The Regulations and Procedures Manual (RPM) provides Laboratory staff with an online reference to UC and LBNL policies and regulations. It outlines standard practices, and answers most policy questions likely to come up in the daily operations of Laboratory departments.

Much of the RPM information was condensed from Laboratory procedure manuals, UC policies, DOE directives, and the Laboratory’s master contract with the DOE. Please note that personnel policies related to employees represented by unions are not covered in the RPM, as this information may be found in their labor agreements.

New employees should be aware of the following information and links to the RPM:

RPM Main Page

Table of Contents

Archives and Records Management
Scientific and operational records generated in the course of the Laboratory's work are institutional records and must be appropriately managed - they are not the property of the employee. Specific retention and archiving policies apply to different kinds of records. The Archives and Records program helps Lab employees fulfill their responsibilities. More information is available here.

Time Reporting
All employees are accountable for recording their time, which is done through the LETS timekeeping system, or through special procedures that apply to GSRAs. Please check with your supervisor for additional information.

Obtaining Goods and Services
As a Berkeley Lab employee, you can be reimbursed for purchases if you receive approval in advance. Please check with your supervisor about procurement procedures and to learn the identity of your purchasing representative.

Property Management
Property issued to you is considered government property and is for official Laboratory use. You must be able to locate all property assigned to you upon request. More information is available in the Property Management New Employee Briefing

Harassment Prevention Policy
The Laboratory is committed to a community free of harassment, including sexual harassment. The state of California has mandated that supervisors receive two hours of online training within the first six months of their employment. If you are a supervisor, within the first 60 days you will receive an automatic e-mail with a registration link and reminder to take the training from our online vendor.

Whistleblower Policy
Because we are a DOE contractor, we protect employees who report improper activities. If you do report such an activity, the law and Laboratory policy will protect you from retaliation. We provide a confidential ethics line managed by an outside vendor that is separate from both the Laboratory and the UC system.

Scientific and Technical Publications
All scientific and technical reports authored at LBNL or any LBNL located user-facility, or authored in collaboration with other facilities or laboratories, should be submitted to the Report Coordination Office (RCO). RCO assigns an LBNL publication number for tracking and disseminates documents to DOE's Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI) and the California Digital Library’s eScholarship collection. Submission of reports is a contractual requirement of DOE funders. To submit a report, view work in progress, and search the Reports Database, go here. For more information, see the Report System FAQs.

Integrity in Research
Integrity of research is crucial to the search for new knowledge. All individuals involved in scientific research at the Laboratory have an obligation to create an environment that encourages absolute intellectual honesty.

Intellectual Property
As a Berkeley Lab employee, you are required to assign any intellectual property (inventions or copyrights) to the Regents of the University of California. It is every researcher’s responsibility to report all inventions to Berkeley Lab Technology Transfer and Intellectual Property Management within six months of conception and before any public disclosure, such as a presentation or publication outside the Lab, so that the invention can be evaluated for possible patenting.

Telephone Services and Personal Calls
Please note that Laboratory telephones are to be used for official business only. However, if you have to make an emergency appointment with a doctor, that’s considered an official use and is acceptable. For personal calls, you should use your cell phone or a phone card.

Job Hazards Analysis (JHA)
All employees are required to determine the work and tasks that will be performed, consider the hazards, risks, and concerns associated with those tasks, and implement appropriate controls. The primary tool for work safety planning is the Job Hazards Analysis (JHA).