Jan. 11, 2005

Response to 2005 Performance and salary management memo

Laboratory Director G. Peter Nanos has made it clear that he values outstanding effort and accomplishment in all aspects of Laboratory operations. Consequently, the Laboratory is developing a mechanism to provide monetary merit awards to employees who significantly contributed to the resumption effort, whether that effort occurred during the past or current performance periods. Once the process for selecting and rewarding meritorious employees is established, the Laboratory will inform employees of the process.

University of California Vice President for Laboratory Management Robert Foley and the director agreed to withhold salary increases until such time as significant progress had been made toward resumption of Laboratory operations. The approved effective date for merit increases was Dec. 6, 2004. Because merit increases were not retroactive to Oct. 1, a small portion of the amount budged for compensation remains available, and this is what is being proposed for use in the Director's Achievement Awards. The Laboratory will request NNSA approval for such use.

Rest assured, we are aware that significant contributions toward resumption occurred throughout all facets of Laboratory operations and are not necessarily limited to particular organizations or activities. As such, recognition for these contributions certainly cannot be based solely on the date of resumption for a particular activity or organization. Many Laboratory employees worked diligently and heroically outside of their particular organizations or functions to assist others in more complex and difficult resumption efforts.

Finally, a comment on the statement that employees who work in organizations or areas responsible for suspension of operations will be the most highly rewarded employees: The Laboratory director believes in the concept of "shared fate" and that as a Laboratory, each and all of us are responsible for both suspension and resumption of operations. Accordingly, the Director's Achievement Awards, if approved, will be distributed using that same philosophy.

--Richard Marquez, associate director for administration (ADA)