Entrepreneurial Leave and Conflict of Interest

Entrepreneurial Leave Policy

The Laboratory's Entrepreneurial Leave Policy (P730-8) provides incentives for current Laboratory employees who wish to start a business but want to reduce the risk of launching a new venture. The program is available to employees who are interested in commercializing a Laboratory technology. Laboratory technologies are defined as

• technology that was created through Laboratory research and development;
• technology that is subject to patent, copyright, or other intellectual property rights in which Los Alamos National Security, LLC, or the Department of Energy has an interest or obligation; or
• unpublished, commercially valuable technical information relating to Laboratory technological and scientific developments.

To qualify, you must be a regular, full- or part-time employee who has completed your Laboratory probationary period.

Conflict of Interest Issues

Conflict of interest can occur when you, as a Laboratory employee, are in a position to participate in or otherwise influence official decisions that may affect your personal financial interests. Such a situation could occur if, for example, you used insider information for personal gain or to give yourself an advantage over your competitors.

Conflict of interest is a complex issue: the Department of Energy and Los Alamos National Security, LLC, want to enable successful technology commercialization, but they must also protect their legitimate interests in the technology developed at the Laboratory.

In order to avoid any misuse of the public trust, LANS requires you to disclose any potential conflicts of interest in all technology commercialization activities. It has established institutional mechanisms to help you identify apparent, actual, or potential conflicts.

Measures that can manage potential conflicts include the following:

• You are required to disclose all business activities outside the scope of your Laboratory employment.
• You may be partitioned from participating in all or a portion of a Laboratory project.
• You may be removed from decision-making roles that could place you in a potential conflict-of-interest situation.
• You are required to divest yourself of related financial interests.

The Laboratory's Conflicts of Interest Office can help you avoid potential conflicts by guiding you through the DOE and LANS rules and policies (AM 721). This office can counsel you on your responsibilities in this area. Contact them at 665-3245. Also see Outside Activity Permission Request form 701 (pdf).

For additional information or to make an appointment to meet with a TT advisor, contact Belinda Padilla.

RELATED LINKS

• Business Counseling
• Entrepreneurial Leave and Conflict of Interest
• Entrepreneurial Resources
• MBA Internships
• NM Small Business Assistance
• Technology Commercialization - Appendix N
• Training
• Research Park
• Spinoff Sucesses