Dear Colleagues,
As Mike shared with you late Friday, Berkeley Lab is transitioning to curtailed operations at all Lab sites by close of business Thursday, March 19, and we are preparing to remain in a curtailed operational state for 30 days. These are the steps we’re taking now for the safety of our community both at the Lab and more broadly. We understand that this guidance will change as the situation develops.
The goal of curtailed operations is to reduce the number of people at the Lab’s sites so that staff who must be on site to perform critical research and site support functions can do so safely through social distancing and other biosafety practices.
It is our expectation that during curtailment, most staff will telework, and we encourage line management to think creatively about assignments that allow as many people as possible to be productive remotely. However some people may need to access their work site to check on critical research, for management response and project oversight, and other mission-critical functions to keep the lab safe, secure, and in operation. Please see the “modes of work” list below for more details. This will enable the Lab to continue to deliver on its scientific mission to the extent possible, while protecting the health, safety, and welfare of our people and our community.
Here are some details to help you plan for curtailment of Lab research and operations:
FAQ on pay and leave issues: Many of you have questions related to pay and leave during this period. This HR Frequently Asked Questions provides answers on topics ranging from caring for children during school closures, caring for sick relatives, use of accrued leave and administrative leave, time coding, and more.
More info coming soon on impact of curtailment on services and research: The Critical Incident Management Group (CIMG) is working with the ALDs and division directors to develop curtailed operations plans that are specific to each division. After these plans are finalized early this week, we will provide more information on how curtailment will impact Lab services. At this time, we expect the following Lab services to continue during curtailment:
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IT Services: All services available (desktop support primarily provided remotely)
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Shipping and Receiving: Full service. Note – desktop receiving (deliveries that go direct to the requesters) will be addressed in subsequent communications.
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Shuttle services: Normal schedule operating at reduced seating capacity
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Cafeteria services: Limited service and encouraging takeout orders only
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Custodial Services: Full services plus enhanced cleaning for frequently touched surfaces
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Guest House: TBD
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HR services: New hire onboarding, recruitment support, visa and immigration services, HR field team support, appointment extensions and exits will continue, with remote service when possible
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Badge Office: Operating at reduced hours
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EHS – Health Services will be fully staffed. Other EH&S functions supporting research and operations will be scaled based on activities during curtailment.
Modes of work during curtailment: The operational plans under development by the ALDs and division directors will be based on the following four modes of work. Note that individuals may engage in more than one mode of work during curtailment.
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Telework: The goal is for as many people as possible to spend as much of their time as possible in this mode. Note that there may be occasional need for some to access the site for various reasons to ensure business and research continuity.
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Mission-essential work: For those who need to work on site to continue to keep Lab infrastructure, operations, and critical research equipment functioning. This includes emergency response personnel, critical maintenance and facilities operations, security, occupational medicine clinic, critical research equipment repair and maintenance, and custodial services, among others.
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Lower-exposure work: For those who can perform some work on-site with appropriate and additional social distancing, risk management practices (personal and physical hygiene practices), and appropriate safety supervision.
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Administrative leave: Available for employees who cannot work remotely on any work-related activity or on site during curtailed operations. These employees will be identified on a case-by-case basis by management and human resources staff to ensure they qualify for paid administrative leave. Because the Lab’s administrative leave bank is limited, employees will be encouraged to perform a job-related function during the curtailment, if at all possible.
Thank you for your dedication to the Lab’s mission and for your help in overcoming these challenging circumstances. Most importantly, please keep yourself and your loved ones safe and healthy. We’ll continue to keep you updated by email, at status.lbl.gov, and on Twitter @LBNLstatus.
Michael