Richland Operations Office
Employee Concerns Program (ECP)

ECP OFFICIALS

Stan Branch, RL
ECP MANAGER

Bonnie Lazor, RL
ECP Coordinator/Investigator
 

Employee Concerns Manager/Coordinator/Investigator

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) employees and any contractor or subcontractor fulfilling DOE's mission have the right and responsibility to report concerns relating to the environment, safety, health, or management of Department operations. The ECP is designed to:

• Encourage open communication;
• Inform employees of the proper forum for consideration of their concerns;
• Ensure employees can raise issues without fearing reprisal;
• Address employee concerns in a timely manner; and
• Provide employees an avenue for consideration of concerns.

The ECP Manager/Coordinators/Investigator role is to objectively listen to both sides, gather information, and function as a neutral third party in seeking a resolution.  The Manager/Coordinator/Investigator may take the following actions regarding a concern:  Investigate, refer, transfer, or close in accordance with DOE O 442.1A.

Retaliation against an employee who raises a concern, which is protected by law, is a violation of the Hanford Site Zero Tolerance Policy.
 
EMPLOYEE CONCERNS PROGRAMS AT HANFORD

DOE (RL)	376-0000	FAX:	372-0998
HOTLINE:	376-1934
Advance Med	376-2020		376-3500
HOTLINE:	376-6479
CHPRC	376-7067		376-4888
HOTLINE:	376-9999
MSA	373-3661		376-3049
HOTLINE:	373-2273
WCH	372-9190		372-9220
HOTLINE:	372-9542

How to File an Employee Concern

An Employee Concern is a good faith expression by an employee that a policy or practice of DOE or one of its contractors or subcontractors should be improved, modified, or terminated. Concerns can address issues such as health, safety, the environment, management practices, fraud, waste, or reprisal for raising a concern.  

A concern may be filed using the following avenues:

• Contacting one of the Employee Concern Programs;
• Use Site Forms or download this copy of RL-F-5480.4, Employee Concerns Reporting-DOE;
• Check your company’s Employee Concern Program website;
• Use the DOE Program Web site at  http://www.rl.gov; (intranet site)
• In person;
• Other avenues, HQ; etc.; or
• Call your company Hotline or DOE Hotline.

An employee concern involving an imminent danger condition/concern or serious condition/concern will be immediately brought to the attention of the appropriate line manager and/or the ES&H program office for evaluation and action.

Imminent danger condition/concern. Any condition or practice in any workplace that creates a danger that could reasonably be expected to cause death or serious physical harm immediately or before the onset of the danger could be eliminated through the normal procedural mechanism.

Serious condition/concern. A hazard, violation, or condition that causes a substantial probability that death or serious physical harm, property loss, and/or environmental impact could result.

Other-than-serious condition/concern. Hazards, violations, or conditions that may not result in death or serious physical harm, property loss, and/or environmental impact but may have a direct and immediate relationship to worker safety and health or the environment.

For additional information, review the ECP procedures under the Human Resources Management System in RIMS.

   NEW ERA Poster (pdf)