Community Resources


Public Information

Community Links

Alameda County Family Justice Center: http://www.acfjc.org/

Asian Women’s Shelter: http://www.sfaws.org/

Bay Area Women Against Rape: http://www.bawar.org/

California Government Domestic Violence Resources: http://www.sos.ca.gov/registries/safe-home/

California’s Department of Fair Employment and Housing: https://www.dfeh.ca.gov/Employment/

California’s Public Emotional Support Line: https://www.mentalhealthsf.org/peer-run-warmline/

Family Violence Law Center: http://www.fvlc.org/

La Casa de las Madres: http://www.lacasa.org/

National Resource Center on Domestic Violence : http://www.vawnet.org/

United States Department of Justice Office of Civil Rights: https://www.justice.gov/crt

United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission: https://www.eeoc.gov/ 

University of CA Police Department (UCPD): https://ucpd.berkeley.edu/home   tel: 510-642-6760 (non-emergency line)

Elements Updates

April is Sexual assault awareness month

04/04/2024


Sexual Assault Awareness Month calls attention to the fact that sexual violence is widespread and impacts every person in the community. This year’s theme is Building Connected Communities, as everyone has a role in preventing sexual violence to help build a community that is safer, inclusive, and equitable. 


At the Lab, we have protections for your fundamental rights through Lab policies that, amongst other protections, prohibit sexual violence, sexual harassment, and retaliation. We also have a number of resources available to support you in helping to maintain a respectful work environment. Please report any concerns or policy violations to FAIR@lbl.gov. 



New UC Anti-Discrimination Policy

02/20/2024


A new UC Systemwide anti-discrimination policy went into effect on February 20, 2024 to underscore the university’s commitment to promoting and maintaining an inclusive environment.


This policy outlines responsibilities and procedures related to Discrimination, Harassment, and Retaliation. We hope that you will take time to review and acquaint yourself with the new policy.


For any questions regarding the policy or to report discrimination, contact FAIR@lbl.gov.



Equity Advisors Training Show of Interest

10/16/2023


Lab Equity Advisors (EAs) are trained practitioners in best practices for equitable hiring and promotion processes. In partnership with members of the hiring panel, EAs can help ensure fair selection and promotion outcomes and avoid the pitfalls of implicit bias in the hiring process for senior leaders, managers, and scientists. 

 

Given the extensive training and skill required for this service role, EAs are assigned for three years. Once approved, EAs must complete approximately two hours of prerequisite e-learning (including completing the UC’s Managing Implicit Bias Certificate), and participate in three interactive training sessions via Zoom.


Equity Advisors must be exempt employees in established supervisory roles, who are confirmed to be in “good standing” by their division. Those interested must be approved by their supervisor and by Human Resources. If you meet the eligibility criteria and are interested in being trained to serve as an EA, please complete the Equity Advisor Interest Form. 

 

The next EA training session (Cohort IV) is scheduled for February 2, 2024. Those who have completed an interest form and are approved for training will be contacted with further details.


For questions about the Equity Advisors program and role, please contact fair@lbl.gov. 

Abusive Conduct in the workplace training

6/1/2023


A new UC Systemwide Abusive Conduct in the Workplace policy went into effect on January 1, 2023 to underscore the Lab’s commitment to promoting and maintaining a healthy work environment. All employees are required to complete the policy training by August 30, 2023.

Note: A notice will go out to Lab affiliates to take the training at a future date. 


This training takes approximately 20 minutes. For any questions regarding the policy or to report abusive conduct, contact FAIR@lbl.gov.

BERKELEY LAB WORKFORCE DEMOGRAPHICS

6/30/22


Berkeley Lab’s workforce demographic data over the past five years is being shared publicly to increase Lab community awareness in the administration of our Lab’s Affirmative Action Plan and our commitment to equal opportunity employment. 


In the spirit of transparency, this data offers a view of the Lab’s progress in recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce, and points to areas where more effort is needed. Our efforts include expanding the Equity Advisor Program to help better diversify our candidate pools, and Human Resources has shared with managers these guidelines for best practices equal opportunity hiring.


On July 1st of each year, the Lab captures information from the UCPath system of all the existing and active self-select demographic information, and compiles a workforce report for the DOE. This is the same information used to generate these charts. The total percentages of individual demographic groups may not add up to 100 percent due to a portion of employees having not updated their self-select demographic data. To help make this and the DOE workforce data more accurate, please access your self-select information and confirm its accuracy in UCPath. Refer to this guide on how to do this.


This data will be updated annually as the Lab continues to strive to have its workforce demographic representation be reflective of the communities our labor market is drawn from. 


If you have questions about this data, please contact the FAIR office at fair@lbl.gov. 

Roe v. Wade, Society of Human Resources Management  (SHRM Excerpt)<--Click Title for Additional Resource

The following is excerpted from a message from the membership association Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM).

June 24, 2022

On June 24, the Supreme Court, in a 6-3 decision, overturned the Roe v. Wade (1973) and Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania v. Casey (1992) decisions. These rulings had preempted certain state restrictions on pregnancy termination. Considering today’s majority opinion in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, states will have greater authority to implement laws affecting pregnancy termination. But what exactly does a post-Roe and Casey world look like and how will it affect employers across the country? [...] As this Supreme Court decision will likely impact workplace policy deliberations, the SHRM Government Affairs team has compiled employer considerations.

Federal Employment Protections

The Dobbs v. Jackson’s Women’s Health Organization decision does not affect workplace protections in Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA). Specifically, Title VII prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, and national origin. Sex-based discrimination includes sexual orientation, pregnancy, sexual harassment, and gender identity. In 1979, Congress amended Title VII to include the PDA, which “forbids discrimination based on pregnancy when it comes to any aspect of employment, including hiring, firing, pay, job assignments, promotions, layoff, training, fringe benefits, such as leave and health insurance, and any other term or condition of employment.” Further, the PDA makes clear that it is unlawful for an employer to pressure an employee to have or not have an abortion and to use an employee’s decision to have, not have, or contemplate having an abortion as a reason for an adverse employment decision. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission issued technical guidance in 2015, and it may issue further guidance following today’s Supreme Court decision. [...]

As champions of organizational culture, HR professionals are critical to workplace policy discussions and serve as the bridge between workers and management to ensure employees understand the benefits available to them. [...] Thank you for all that you do to elevate the HR profession.

Sincerely, Emily M. Dickens, Chief of Staff, Head of Government Affairs & Corporate Secretary

Confirm your Demographics

Accessing Self-ID in UCPath

06/08/22

Happy 50th Birthday Title IX!

Message from President Drake: Advocating for Gender Diversity 


06/02/22

EEOC on "Older Americans Month" a Reflection for May 2022

Each May, we observe Older Americans Month to honor older adults for their significant impact on our nation – often as loved ones, colleagues, mentors, and volunteers – and to recommit to addressing their unique needs as a vital population. This year’s theme for Older Americans Month is “Age My Way,” with an emphasis on ways to support older Americans to remain in and be involved in their residential and professional communities, especially given the challenges created by the COVID-19 pandemic.

[Fact1] Older Americans left the workplace in disproportionate numbers during the pandemic largely due to the ongoing health crisis, heavy job losses, and overall economic downturn. By October 2021, the percentage of long-term unemployed jobseekers ages 55 and older was 41.2% (compared to 32.2% for ages 16 to 54). When attempting to reenter the workforce, many of these workers face several barriers to hiring, including employers’ reluctance to hire workers who have gaps in their resumes.

At the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), we are committed to protecting the employment opportunities of older Americans and ensuring they can fully contribute to the workplace as our country recovers from the pandemic’s impacts. Through our joint initiative with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, the Hiring Initiative to Reimagine Equity, or HIRE, the EEOC is helping to expand access to good jobs for underrepresented workers, including older Americans. At our April 2022 HIRE event “Untapped Potential: Reimagining Equity for Workers with Gaps in Employment History,” experts highlighted viable skills that underrepresented workers can offer to prospective employers. For older workers, these typically include skills enhanced by years of experience, such as specialized industry knowledge, sound judgment, coaching or mentoring, and relationship-building. [...]

[Fact 2] Recently, the Commission issued a report on workers age 40 and over in the federal workplace. It details that the federal government generally outperforms the private sector regarding diversity for employees age 40 and older. Older workers had greater representation in the federal sector (72%) than in the non-federal civilian labor force (54%), and most race and national origin groups were represented for this cohort in the federal government at rates equal or greater than the civilian labor force. These report findings serve as reminders of the essential role that older workers play in the labor force and the timeless vision of the EEOC to build inclusive workplaces so that our country and economy will continue to benefit from their experience, talent, and skill. 

04/25/22

Harassment Prevention, Training Announcement


A limited number of spots are available for you to join our next harassment prevention workshops on: April 28, 2022 for Lab supervisors; and on April 29, 2022 for staff. These interactive workshops build upstander intervention skills and strengthen community for fostering civility in the workplace. Using case overviews, the skilled facilitator focuses on professional communication, and explains how our policies (including Ethics and Conduct, Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment, and anti-bullying guidelines) intersect to prevent unlawful harassment and discrimination in our workplace community. 


This interactive workshop fulfills the State of California requirement for supervisors who are required to complete harassment training every two years, and for staff who take this shorter training annually. Email FAIR@lbl.gov to claim a spot.


01/24/2022

Equity Advisor, Cohort III, Training Announcement

Lab Equity Advisors (EAs) advance diversity and promote an inclusive and equitable work environment through sharing fair hiring practices and educating committees on implicit bias pitfalls in business processes (i.e., recruitment and promotions). EAs can serve on hiring panels for senior leaders, managers, and scientific appointments. 

 

EAs are trained to protect fundamental rights through operationalizing best practices for equitable hiring and promotion processes and by collaboratively applying strategies in partnership with panel members to ensure fair selection and promotion outcomes.

 

If you are interested in being trained to serve as an EA, and are an exempt-level employee, please fill out the Equity Advisor Interest Form. Given the extensive training and skill required for this service role, Equity Advisors are assigned for three years. Those interested will need to be approved by their supervisor, complete two hours of prerequisite e-learnings ( including completing the UC’s Managing Implicit Bias Certificate), and participate in three interactive training sessions via Zoom.

 

The next EA training session (Cohort III) is scheduled for February 18, 2022. Those who have filled out an interest form and are approved for training will be contacted with further details.


For questions about the Equity Advisors program and role, please contact fair@lbl.gov. 

11/17/2021

Resources Related to Culture in Higher Education and the Workplace


National Academies staff have compiled a brief list of recently-published resources related to addressing and preventing sexual harassment in higher education. This includes original research articles, popular press and opinion articles, resources from the National Academies, and information shared by participants in the Action Collaborative. 

8/20/2021

Resources Related to Culture in Higher Education and the Workplace


National Academies staff have compiled a brief list of recently-published resources related to addressing and preventing sexual harassment in higher education. This includes original research articles, popular press and opinion articles, resources from the National Academies, and information shared by participants in the Action Collaborative. 

7/27/2021

Lived Names at the Lab


In 2020, UC announced its new Gender Recognition and Lived Name Policy as part of its ongoing commitment to being an inclusive community, and to ensure a safe, supportive, and welcoming environment. Under this policy, there are expanded gender identity options, and there are new rules about how to use and protect lived names at UC and the Lab. These rules apply to all information systems, ongoing data collection, and administrative document forms and files created whether electronic or hard-copy.  

 

There is a work group led by the FAIR Office with members from HR, Institutional Assurance and Integrity, Strategic Communications, and IT dedicated to begin implementing this policy. At this stage, the work group is identifying key points of contact (POCs) from each area and division who manage systems and documentation. IDEA stakeholders are also included as POCs. 

 

Collaborating with the POCs, the work group aims to disseminate the policy, record, and account for all internal systems housed at the area and division levels, identify the forms and documents currently produced, and track the conversion to formats in compliance to this new policy. 

 

As an employee, you can add your lived and/or preferred name in UCPath. Please note that it will take up to 24 hours for your preferred name to be reflected in Google and other Lab systems. If you have any technical difficulties, please contact help@lbl.gov. For more information about the work group and internal documentation processes, please contact Leticia Ericson, EEO/AA and Title IX Officer, at lericson@lbl.gov.

7/19/2021

Training for a Respectful Work Environment

Seats are limited: To confirm a seat please email lericson@lbl.gov


EEO Workshops Offered

Thursday, July 22, 2021

6/4/2021


A brief list of resources related to addressing and preventing sexual harassment has been added to community resources on the FAIR website. This resource sheet includes original research publications, popular press and opinion articles, publications by the National Academies, and information shared by Action Collaborative Members and Partner Network Organizations of which Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory is a member. 

5/10/2021


Prohibition on Sex Discrimination Includes Discrimination on the Basis of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity

Office for Civil Rights to Enforce Prohibitions on Sex Discrimination in Line with Supreme Court Decision

Announcememt from Washington D.C. – The Office for Civil Rights will interpret Title IX’s prohibitions on discrimination based on sex to include: (1) discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation; and (2) discrimination on the basis of gender identity. The update was made in light of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Bostock v. Clayton County and subsequent court decisions. On June 15, 2020, the U.S. Supreme Court held that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII)’s prohibition on employment discrimination based on sex encompasses discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Bostock v. Clayton County, GA, 140 S. Ct. 1731 (2020). The Bostock majority concluded that the plain meaning of “because of sex” in Title VII necessarily included discrimination because of sexual orientation and gender identity.  OCR applies the enforcement mechanisms provided for and available under Title IX. Title IX’s enforcement procedures can be found at 45 C.F.R. § 86.71 (adopting the procedures at 45 C.F.R. §§ 80.6 through 80.11 and 45 C.F.R. Part 81). If you believe that a covered entity violated your civil rights, you may file a complaint directly with FAIR or with the Office of Civil Rights and click here to read more about this Office Of Civil Rights Announcement. Contact FAIR@lbl.gov with questions.

02/24/21


The Lab to Join the National Academies’ Partner Network, with FAIR Office Representation!


Berkeley Lab is proud to join the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine’s new Partner Network to work toward targeted, collective action on addressing and preventing sexual harassment across all disciplines. 


The Lab will join 12 other organizations in the inaugural cohort of organizations in the Partner Network to participate actively in the Action Collaborative's work. As a Partner Network Organization, the Lab will use, adapt, implement, and share the resources and practices that are identified or published by the Action Collaborative. This work is dedicated to identifying, researching, developing, implementing, and sharing efforts that move beyond basic legal compliance to evidence-based policies and best practices for addressing and preventing all forms of sexual harassment. You can find the Lab’s commitment statement here.


The Action Collaborative brings together leaders from academic and research institutions and key stakeholders to work toward targeted, collective action on addressing and preventing sexual harassment across all disciplines and among all people in higher education. Representing the  Lab is EEO/TitleIX Officer Leticia Ericson. Please email FAIR@lbl.gov with questions or for more information.


9/28/20

LAUNCHING: BERKELEY LAB'S FAIR WEBSITE

As a Lab community, we are charged to serve as collective stewards of this enterprise, responsible for fostering a safe and inclusive working environment. That is why a new website has been created to outline and promote awareness of what FAIR means at the Lab: Fundamental Rights, Affirmative Action, Impartial Investigations and Respectful Environment. 

The FAIR office serves all Lab community members. Our mission is to help prevent and eliminate discriminatory and harassing behavior by continually engaging the Lab community in education, conflict resolution, and impartial investigations. All professional work environment concerns are taken seriously, and there are a variety of available options to take action, including but not limited to mediation, scholarly discussion, and filing a report.

There are four major areas on the FAIR website include: