Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) makes cellular phones available for employees to use in carrying out official Laboratory business. Depending on the employee’s responsibilities, business need, and if authorized by a supervisor, Division Director, Deputy Division Director or Division Director’s Designate, staff may be issued cellular phones. In those cases, the employee must complete the authorization form for cellular phones.
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Incidental Personal Phone Calls
LBNL recognizes that occasionally there may be times when Lab-provided cell phones may be used for personal calls. Such calls must be held to a minimum and must not interfere with the employee’s work. Employees are encouraged to conduct such calls during their breaks or at lunchtime if during business hours. Modest personal use of your cellular phone (and all use of free mobile-to-mobile calling and free nights and weekends) is permissible. Personal additional charges (such as non-work related international calls) and extensive personal use must be self-reported to Telephone Services by reviewing and identifying those calls on a monthly basis on their cell phone bill.
Personal use may never involve illegal activities, violate LBNL policy or involve any activity that could potentially embarrass LBNL, DOE, UC, or result in a loss of public trust.
Allowed Non-Business Telephone Calls
In addition to official business calls, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory considers the following as examples of non-business telephone calls that are allowed and paid for by LBNL:
- Calls to notify the family of changes in work schedules or for emergencies.
- Calls to locations in the local commuting area to speak to your spouse/partner, children or family members regarding their safety or well-being.
- Brief calls within the local commuting area that can be made only during normal business hours, such as to a physician, local government agency or repairs for an automobile.
- Calls allowed by LBNL Travel Guidelines while on LBNL approved travel.
Monthly Review of Cellular Invoices
LBNL cell phones are issued for business use. If a Lab-provided cell phone is used for personal use other than for calls identified as allowable non-business calls, it is the employee’s responsibility to review the cell phone bill and identify those calls on a monthly basis using the Webbill online portal located at http://webbill.lbl.gov.
Reimbursements to LBNL for Personal Use of an LBNL Cell Phone
Users are expected to review their bills at http://webbill.lbl.gov and self-report “extensive personal use” to Telephone Services for further review. If applicable, reimbursement checks are to be made payable to UC Regents.
Mobile Purchases and Downloads
Mobile purchases and downloads are blocked from your cellular service, with the exception of mobile apps purchased by the employee using their own Apple ID account in iTunes or their own Google account in the Google Store. If you have a business need, contact Telephone Services to remove the block.
Cell Phone Use While on Travel
Personal calls made while on LBNL-approved travel shall be in accordance with the LBNL Travel Guidelines found at https://commons.lbl.gov/display/rpm2/Travel+Policy. This includes the use of Lab-provided cell phones, which may be used to make limited personal calls.
Annual Inventory of Smartphones
Telephone Services conducts an annual inventory of Lab-provided Smartphones. Smartphone users are required to complete their part of the inventory process by responding according to the instructions provided at that time. To avoid service interruption, Smartphone holders must complete their portion of the inventory process.
LabAlert – Emergency Broadcast Service
All Lab-provided cell phones are automatically enrolled in LabAlert. LabAlert provides timely emergency alerts to the LBNL community using email, telephone, and text message to Lab-issued or private cellular telephones. LabAlert supplements Level1 and the Public Address system to quickly alert you of emergency conditions. It is provided as part of the Berkeley Lab Technology Toolbox at no charge. For more information on LabAlert please visit https://commons.lbl.gov/display/itfaq/LabAlert+-+Emergency+Notification+Service+FAQ.
Returning a Lab-Provided Cell Phone
All Lab-provided cell phones must be returned to Berkeley Lab. Phones must be delivered to your Supervisor or other authorized person in your Division. Users are required to unlock their phones and remove password requirements, including logging out of Apple iCloud or the Google Store. Phones that are returned to Telephone Services by the Supervisor or other authorized person in your Division will be held for two business days before they are erased and salvaged. Phones which are not returned to Berkeley Lab will be permanently disabled and cannot be reactivated with any future service under any cellular provider.
For more information, contact Telephone Services at 510-486-7997 or tsc@lbl.gov.
I have read, understand, and will adhere to the above cellular procedures.
Name: _______________________________________
Signature: _______________________________________
Cell Number: _______________________________________
Date: _______________________________________
If not signing electronically, please return this form to: TSC Cellular MS 50E0101