Currently, Berkeley Lab benefits from providing about 800 staff members with Lab-issued cellular phones. The mobile units allow staff members to take care of business during commute hours, enable scientists to be reached when they are not in their offices, and help many staff members resolve those day-to-day emergencies that pop up unexpectedly.

While Laboratory telephones -- both cellular and office models -- are intended for Lab-related business use, Berkeley Lab policy allows staff to use the phones for personal matters on a limited basis. These include brief calls to tell others about changes in work plans, to handle emergencies, to coordinate activities with family members, and to call other people who can only be reached during business hours.

Under Lab policy, staff members must reimburse Berkeley Lab for all other personal calls. As part of a comprehensive review of business practices, the Laboratory is validating that staff members have reimbursed Berkeley Lab for the cost of these calls, consistent with Lab policy. To accomplish this validation, many cellular phone users are being sent copies of cellular phone bills covering the past 16 months. Staff members who received bills need to validate that they have previously reviewed these bills and, if applicable, reimbursed the Lab. Staff members who have not previously reviewed their bills need to do so and, if applicable, reimburse the Lab.

Some staff members with special calling plans, commonly referred to as "bucket plans," may not have received a bill during this phase of the validation process. Staff members in this category should expect to receive notification soon regarding the validation process for special calling plans.

Along with the bills, staff members received a reimbursement form to document that this validation process has been completed. The form is to be filled out and submitted to the appropriate business manager. Cell phone users who have less than $5.00 in unpaid personal calls on their cell phone bills for the validation period of 16 months do not need to reimburse the Lab.

Since the bills were sent out earlier this month, some staff members have contacted their administrative staff and the Networking and Telecommunications Department with questions. Many of these questions, along with answers, have been posted on the Web.

For more information about the use of Laboratory cell phones and reimbursement requirements, contact the Telephone Service Center at X7997.