Return Your
Government-Issued
ID B
adge When Leaving NIH
From time to time
DPSAC News
runs an article reminding NIHers that if they plan to end their affiliation with NIH, whether as an employee, contractor or affiliate,
they must turn in their HHS ID Badge or RLA Badge to their Administrative Officer (AO).
The AO can then deactivate the badge in NED and turn in the deactivated badge to the badging office.
NOT returning your ID badge can have security and financial consequences
If a worker ends his or her affiliation with NIH and fails to return his/her ID badge, the AO may not know to deactivate the person in NED, leaving NIH and its workforce vulnerable.
An individual who leaves NIH with an active badge is free to enter the NIH campus and facilities (and perhaps retain use of the NIH IT network) unchecked.
While it is unlikely that a former employee or contractor would want to cause harm or mischief, collecting the person’s badge when they end their service with NIH is the best way to ensure the safety of the workforce and NIH facilities.
A former employee or contractor who loses his/her active ID badge also leaves the NIH vulnerable should someone find the badge and use it to enter an NIH campus.
NIH assesses each IC a certain dollar amount per outstanding badge, so if the person leaving NIH does not return his/her badge, the IC will be assessed approximately $5.00 every month until the badge is deactivated.