Effective: June 1, 2015
Q. What is the amount of the award?
The amount of the award is $500 for regular jobs, $1,000 for moderately hard-to-fill jobs, and $2,000 for difficult-to-fill jobs. It will be grossed up for income tax purposes and will appear on the W2 statement as income earned. The award is paid as a lump sum. Although ERIP awards are part of gross income, they are not part of covered compensation. As such, ERIP awards are not included in the calculation of retirement, AD&D, life, or disability benefits. ERIP awards are also not included in the calculation of overtime pay for non-exempt employees.
Q. Who is eligible to make a referral under ERIP?
Full details of eligibility can be found in the plan document.
Q. Can I make referrals for any job openings?
Full details on how to make a referral can be found in the plan document.
Q: How do I make a referral?
Full details on how to make a referral can be found in the plan document.
Q: Do I need to re-submit the same referral for new openings?
If a referral was made via form, it will be attached to the applicant’s file. A new referral is not needed. If a referral was made electronically from the Careers site, the referral will be electronically attached and listed as “Active” for a period of one year. After a year, you may refer the applicant again electronically.
Q: Am I eligible for an award if I refer an existing LBNL employee?
No. The ERIP is designed to bring previously unidentified prospective applicants from outside LBNL to the attention of our hiring managers. Full details of eligibility can be found in the plan document.
Q: Will I be notified if my referral is hired?
Yes, if your referral is hired, you will receive an email on or after their start date detailing the referral award amount and when you can expect to receive the award payment. If your referral is hired and you have not received an email with details, please contact hrsc@lbl.gov.
Q: When will I receive my award?
You will receive the award payment within one month of the date the successful referral reports to work.
Q: What happens if my referral is hired but I am no longer employed by LBNL?
You must be an active LBNL employee (or on authorized leave) when the successful referral reports to work and must be on pay status (or on authorized leave) when the ERIP Award is paid.
Q. Can two employees receive awards for the same referral?
No. Only one employee will receive the award based on the earliest date the referral was received in the Laboratory’s resume database (http://jobs.lbl.gov).
Q. If more than one of my referrals is hired, will I be eligible for more than one award?
Yes, there is no limit on the number of awards you can receive.
Q: Does the hiring department have to pay for the award?
No. Berkeley Lab has provided funds for this program.
Q: Who can I contact if I have additional questions?
For additional questions, please call HR Shared Services Center at 510-486-4772 (HRSC) or email hrsc@lbl.gov.
