Policy
1. Procedure Summary:
This document establishes LBNL procedures for the reimbursement of high speed lines to alternate work locations including homes and discontinues provision of LBNL managed high speed home lines.
2. Applicability:
This policy applies to all employees. In particular, it applies to those who currently have laboratory managed high speed data lines in their homes, and those who are receiving or wish to receive reimbursement for their home high speed lines. This policy is effective immediately.
3. Procedure Statement:
- LBNL will not provide Laboratory managed (arranged and paid) high speed lines to the homes of individual employees. Existing lines of this type will be discontinued.
- LBNL will only reimburse certain categories of employees for 50% of the costs of high speed access. These employees are identified in Section 5. Employees who previously had laboratory managed high speed access must meet the criteria in this procedure to be eligible for reimbursement.
- Requests for reimbursement must be processed by IT-Infrastructure (TSC), the responsible office for telecommunications.
4. Roles and Responsibilities
Role | Responsibility |
Employee | Identify eligibility for reimbursement. |
Division Director or Designee | Determine eligibility for reimbursement. |
IT-Infrastructure (TSC) | Process requests. Set maximum reimbursement rates. Manage aggregate data on remote access costs. |
Accounts Payable | Ensure IT-I signoff on all High Speed Access reimbursement requests. |
CIO | Set this policy. Approve exceptions |
5. Eligibility and Policy
5.1 Eligibility for Partial Reimbursement.
LBNL will reimburse 50% of the costs of high speed access to the home of employees designated by their Division Management as requiring home access. The following may be used as guidance for Divisions to determine eligibility:
- Employees who are expected, as part of their normal work, to respond to after-hours contingencies or to monitor critical LBNL systems by computer. This does not include occasional or regular telecommuters
- Employees who receive “on call” pay whose primary response duties on call would involve responding via computer.
- Employees whose primary worksite is their home or non-LBNL location where they are personally responsible for providing high speed access. This does not include occasional or regular telecommuters
5.2 Policy Governing Partial Reimbursement
- Partially reimbursed high speed lines may be used for personal and household use and LBNL business, however employees must maintain an LBNL acceptable security posture to connect to the Laboratory network.
- Partial reimbursement will be in the amount of 50% of approved charges, subject to this procedure. Employees should seek to minimize the cost of service where possible, including entering into service contracts which minimize the cost of service.
- LBNL will reimburse 50% of one time installation charges and equipment fees if applicable, but will not reimburse any additional charges including early contract termination, terms of service violations, or late charges, unless these charges are the result of laboratory action and are approved by the Division Director or designee.
6. Reimbursement Procedures
A letter, indicating either Division Director or designee approval of partial reimbursement, or Division Director or designee and CIO approval of an exception as in 7 below, must be on file with IT-I (TSC) before reimbursement may proceed. Requesters should submit a Request For Check along with receipts for service to their Division Business Manager. The Business Manager or delegate should sign the request for check and forward to IT-I (TSC) for processing. IT-I (TSC) will forward the request, with adjustments if necessary, to Accounts Payable for final processing. Requesters should seek to minimize the cost of reimbursement by filing not more than quarterly.
7. Exceptions, Variances, and Disclaimers:
Exceptions and variances from this policy must be approved by the requesting Division Director or designee and the CIO. This policy does not create an entitlement or benefit to LBNL employees. This policy may be changed at any time. LBNL will not be responsible for charges incurred by LBNL staff due to changes in this procedure.
Reimbursement of the full costs of high speed home access must be approved by Division Director or designee and concurred by CIO. A letter of justification must be submitted to the CIO and must be signed by the Division Director or Designee. In addition, more restrictive rules govern the use of a fully reimbursed high speed line:
- Fully reimbursed high speed lines must be used only for LBNL business and only by LBNL employees. Their use is subject to audit. To qualify for full reimbursement, it is expected that the employee can demonstrate a secondary provider of high speed home access in order to minimize the potential for unacceptable use.
- Employees receiving full reimbursement are responsible for complying with all LBNL policies including policies on cyber security and acceptable use.
8. Additional Information, Cancellations:
Telephone Services Website
Cancellations: See Policy Archive File for Removed Web Pages