MLA FAQ's - LBNL Resource Analysts

Getting Started

• How do I start an MLA?

  • Complete the MLA form provided on the website, including all approvals, and prepare a budget sheet to be submitted to the ILA Office. 

  • Confirm that the Campus Contact/Host information is correct and current.

  • Submit the completed package (form and budget sheet) located on the website to the ILA Office. 

  • The ILA Office will confirm that the package has been received and in process.

• Who completes the MLA form?

  • The MLA form is completed by the LBL employee going on assignment and the Division Resource Analyst (RA).

• How do I complete the MLA form?

  • Instructions are provided on the form with helpful tips.

• Who is the MLA sponsor?

  • The MLA sponsor is always a UC campus. Please make sure to include this information on the MLA form.

• What approvals are needed to complete an MLA form?

  • Approvals / signatures are required from the employee, supervisor, and division director after completing the form which includes a budget sheet for the assignment.

• What does a “designee” signature mean in the approval form?

  • A designee is a person that has been given signature authority, usually for a Division Director. The MLA office requires an email from the Division Director stating that signature authority has been given to “name of employee” by the Division Director.

• Where do I submit the MLA form and budget?

  • Submit the completed MLA request form and budget to the link located on the MLA website.

Completing the MLA Process

• How do we know that the MLA process is complete?

  • The ILA Office will notify the employee going on assignment, the RA, the HRDP, and the employee’s supervisor via an email and memo containing all of the important information.

  • The ILA Office will issue a special “project ID” to use for LET’s time-keeping purposes and to invoice campus for time spent on the MLA.

  • The MLA work can begin after this notification from the ILA Office.

• How long does it take to implement an MLA from start to finish?

  • The process can take anywhere from 45 to 90 days from start to finish. Please factor this processing time in when considering the start date of an assignment.

The Resource Analyst (RA) Role

• What is the Resource Analyst’s role in the MLA process?

  • The RA prepares and provides a budget, which is included in the MLA package with the completed MLA form.

  • Budget consists of:

• Salary + payroll burden (PB based on employee classification)

• Percent effort

• Total amount

• Period of performance (date from - date to)

• Confirm that the Campus Contact/Host information is correct and current.

• The RA submits the completed MLA request form and budget to the ILA Office. The submission link is located on the MLA website.

• The RA is the POC for the division and the employee going on assignment.

• The RA is the POC for financial questions concerning the budget.

• The RA is responsible for ensuring that the employee does not exceed the budget allotted for the MLA

• Why is a budget needed?

  • A budget is required to request funds from campus to support the MLA effort. The budget should also include payroll burden based on the employee’s classification (e.g. career, postdoc, etc.)

MLA Status Updates

• Where can I get a status update on the MLA?

  • You can track MLA status updates from this link [status update link here]. 

Misc. MLA Questions

• Can a new hire employee start on an MLA on the day of hire?

  • It is not recommended to have an MLA start day on the date of hire since the process can take anywhere from 45 to 90 days from start to finish. The process cannot begin before the date of hire.

• Does the MLA Office handle GSRA MLA appointments?

  • No. The MLA Office does not process GSRA’s. They are processed in HR Shared Services (HRSS).

• Can an MLA be at 100% effort?

  • Yes. An MLA can be at 100% if a seperate business justification is included in the MLA package. The justification will require a separate approval from the Budget Office which may slow the process down. The ILA Office is responsible for submission of the approval request to the Budget Office and notifying the division.

• Can an MLA be extended or modified?

  • Yes. An MLA can be both extended and modified. Follow the instructions for starting an MLA. You can check the extended or modified box on the form to indicate your preference. Confirm that the Campus Contact/Host information is correct and current.

MLA FAQ's - UC Campus 

MLA’s Between Campus & LBNL - How do they work

• Is LBNL’s MLA process different from the campus process and why?

  • Yes. The lab process for MLA’s is different from the MLA process for UC campus to UC campus due to a couple of reasons;

    • 1st, the lab is funded by the Department of Energy which places restrictions on how funds are spent, and

    • 2nd, we have different payroll burdens rates and accounting systems than campus, and

    • Lastly due to factors 1 & 2 above, the lab is unable to process these transactions in UCPath.

  • The lab uses invoicing and purchase orders as a mechanism to conduct these financial transactions since the lab does not use UCPath for payments or financial transactions.

• How do we get a lab employee started on an MLA with campus?

  • An MLA is initiated from LBNL (home department). The PI needs to contact their division Resource Analyst to assist with getting the process started. See link [Getting Started]

• When campus has a financial question, who do we contact?

• Are MLA’s processed and tracked in UCPath?

• Do we hire the lab employee in UCPath?

• Why do we need a purchase order for an MLA and how do we get one?

• Who initiates the MLA process with the lab? The MLA process is initiated by the home location (LBL.)

• Is UCB the MLA sponsor?

• Can the MLA be extended?

• Who is the MLA sponsor?

• An NCE wouldn't require a UPAY560T form, would it?

• Who is the host faculty member at UC Berkeley?

• Adjunct Professor and Professor in Residence, who signs these campus UPAY forms?

• How does the PO / invoicing process work?

MLA FAQ’s - LBNL Employees and Managers

Getting Started

• How do I know if work on campus is an MLA?

  • First check if you fit the criteria. You cannot be in a faculty employee classification.

  • Check the MLA Decision Tree (link here) to ensure that you fit the additional criteria for either scientific or administrative MLA.

  • If you are still not sure, check with the ILA Office for confirmation. Supply the Office with the statement of work, sponsor name, % effort, and reason for MLA.

• How do I start an MLA?

  • Complete the MLA form provided on the website, including all approvals, and have the RA prepare a budget sheet to be submitted to the ILA Office.

  • Confirm that the Campus Contact/Host information is correct and current.

• Your RA will submit the completed package (form and budget sheet) located on the website to the ILA Office.

• The ILA Office will confirm that the package has been received and in process.

• Who completes the MLA form?

  • The MLA form is completed by the LBL employee going on assignment and the Division Resource Analyst (RA) - see link to the MLA form.

• What approvals do I need to go on an MLA?

  • Approvals / signatures are required from the employee, supervisor, and division director after completing the form which includes a budget sheet from the Resource Analyst for the assignment.

• What is the Resource Analyst’s role in the MLA process?

  • The RA prepares and provides a budget, which is included in the MLA package with the completed MLA form.

  • Budget consists of:

• Salary + payroll burden (PB based on employee classification)

• Percent effort

• Period of performance (date from - date to)

• Total Budget Amount 

• Confirm that the Campus Contact/Host information is correct and current.

• The RA submits the completed MLA request form and budget to the ILA Office. The submission link is located on the MLA website.

• The RA is the POC for the division and the employee going on assignment.

• The RA is the POC for financial questions concerning the budget.

• The RA is responsible for ensuring that the employee does not exceed the budget allotted for the MLA

• Who submits the MLA form?

  • The RA submits the completed MLA request form.

Completing the Process

• How do I know that the MLA process is complete?

  • The ILA Office will notify you, the RA, the HRDP, and your supervisor via an email and memo containing all of the important information.

  • The ILA Office will issue a special “project ID” to use for LET’s time-keeping purposes and for A/R to invoice campus for your time spent on the MLA.

  • The MLA work can begin after this notification from the ILA Office.

• How long does it take to implement an MLA from start to finish?

  • The process can take anywhere from 45 to 90 days from start to finish. Please factor this processing time in when considering the start date of an assignment.

• When can I begin working on the MLA appointment?

  • The MLA work can begin after notification from the ILA Office that the award has been issued with a new PID.

• Can an MLA be at 100% effort?

  • Yes. An MLA can be at 100% if a seperate business justification is included in the MLA package. The justification will require a separate approval from the Budget Office which may slow the process down. The ILA Office is responsible for submission of the approval request to the Budget Office and notifying the division.

• Can my MLA be extended or modified?

  • Yes. An MLA can be both extended and modified. Follow the instructions for starting an MLA. You can check the extended or modified box on the form to indicate your preference. Confirm that the Campus Contact/Host information is correct and current.

• Is it possible for my existing award to be used instead of creating new awards?

  • Yes. As long as we are able to update the PO on campus. We are referring to modifications and extensions. If the PO is updated we can keep the same PID and award number.