FAQ: Security Awareness / Education

Q.

Follow the procedures we have provided, and you can check your status directly through a Web interface, provided you have a Token Card. If you do not have a Token Card, your Group Office has the authority to do the check for you.

Q.

Once you hold a clearance and have received your DOE Standard badge, you are required to take security refresher training at least once every 12 months. To assure DOE that employees remain current in their Annual Security Refresher requirement in accordance with DOE M 470.1-1 (Safeguards & Security Awareness Program, Chapter IV), the Laboratory has taken aggressive steps to link security refresher training requirement with its security area access control system and the provision of badging services. If the individual is not in compliance on training, access into security areas is suspended and all badging services will be temporarily halted. Training is credited through the Laboratory's Employee Development System (EDS). Thus, crediting through EDS has become an important issue to each and every badgeholder.

Badgeholders are notified by e-mail 60 days prior to their security refresher training expiration date. If the annual training requirement has still not been met, a second notice is sent on the actual day the course and access will expire. The notification system is currently being modified to provide guidance on how to access the training.

GENERAL NOTE: Badgeholders are strongly encouraged to be pro-active and complete their training before it expires, to avoid inactivation of their badge and the inconvenience this may cause.

There are three methods by which an employee who completes the Annual Security Refresher Training receives credit. The amount of time it takes until your badge is re-activated depends on which method is followed. To learn more about the different methods and how long it may take to re-activate your badge, click here.

GENERAL NOTE: Badgeholders are strongly encouraged to be pro-active and complete their training before it expires, to avoid inactivation of their badge and the inconvenience this may cause.

There are a number of reasons why you may not have been properly credited for taking your security refresher. The most common problems are:

• You thought you were taking the security refresher but actually took a different online training course;
• You forgot to click on the SUBMIT button at the end of your online security refresher training, so you did not actually complete the training and cannot be credited;
• You are a new Laboratory worker without a record in the Employee Information System (EIS) database;
• Your EIS record is not active;
• You did not use a Token Card when taking the refresher online and though you expected "instant credit" you will only be credited within 2-3 days;
• You did not take and get credited for the Comprehensive Security Briefing, a one-time requirement when you first get a clearance on behalf of LANL;
• Your clearance was reinstated from another DOE site and your security training requirements were not properly set up in the Laboratory's Employee Development System (EDS).
• Your Z number was not recognized - there could be one of two problems:
  • You are new to the Laboratory and your Z number was just established - it takes approximately 48-72 hours for your Z number to be recognized within EDS;
  • The HR server, where EDS resides, is experiencing difficulties.

The above is not complete, but it does list the most common problems. To report or resolve problems, contact the S Division Training Office at 665-7844.