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Criteria

Eligibility

Process & Form

Background

FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. How will the Spot Award program be monitored?
    The campus will evaluate and monitor the program over the coming year and will seek feedback from supervisors, staff, and administrators to make sure the program is achieving outcomes that benefit the campus, departmental operations and individual employees.  Control unit administrators will also review usage of Spot Awards to ensure departments, schools, colleges and divisions are encouraged to utilize the program funds. 

  2. Can Spot Awards be provided to teams?
    In the past team awards were not always well-received because contributions of team members may vary.  Employees who are part of a team may be considered for the Berkeley Campus Spot Award program, however they must be submitted individually.

  3. Why are represented employees not eligible for the Spot Award program?
    Employees represented by unions are not eligible since the funding for this program comes from monies generated from an assessment on payroll for non-represented employees. The assessment for represented employees was negotiated into employee salaries as part of the contract bargaining process.

  4. Are students eligible for this recognition program and, if so, what student populations are eligible to receive a Spot Award?
    Students are eligible to receive awards because they were part of the UC wide payroll assessment for this program.  Both Work-Study and non-Work Study student employees in non-academic positions are eligible to receive Spot Awards. 

  5. Can departments, divisions, or colleges supplement the $250 Spot Award amounts with additional funds if they are available?
    The UC Office of the President stipulated funding for recognition and development programs for all UC campuses under an umbrella program called the Staff Recognition and Development Program (SRDP).  This umbrella program is funded for all campuses by an assessment on payroll funds.  Therefore the $250 award amount may not be supplemented by department, division or college funds since additional dollars would result inaccurate reporting for this fund usage.

  6. Can staff who will soon be departing UC Berkeley be nominated (i.e. retirees)?
    Any employee who is eligible (based on the published criteria) may be nominated for a Spot Award.  However, the employee must be on pay status at the time of payout to receive an award.

  7. How is the Berkeley Campus Spot Award funded?
    The program is funded by a campuswide payroll assessment, with funds distributed to each Vice Chancellor’s area on the basis of the eligible population.  It is important to keep in mind that the funds are a portion of campus payroll and not a deduction from individual salaries.

  8. What other ways can managers use to recognize employees?
    The following links and resources provide additional ways to recognize UC Berkeley employees:

Check personnel policies and bargaining agreements for more information.