OWCP News Release: [04/07/2011]
Contact Name: Jesse Lawder Enrique Chaurand
Phone Number: (202) 693-4659 (202) 693-4679
Email Address: lawder.jesse@dol.gov chaurand.enrique@dol.gov
Release Number: 11-0486-NAT
US Department of Labor notifies former Massachusetts nuclear weapons employees of energy workers compensation program
WASHINGTON —The U.S. Department of Labor is notifying individuals employed by 15 Massachusetts facilities that they may be eligible for benefits under the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act, administered by the department’s Division of Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation. Survivors of qualified workers may also be entitled to benefits.
Individuals who have been employed at the following sites may be eligible if they worked at the facility during a period of covered employment: Franklin Institute, C.G. Sargent & Sons, Shpack Landfill, Fenwal Inc., Ventron Corp., Edgerton Germeshausen & Grier Inc., National Research Corp., the Hood Building, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Nuclear Metals Inc., La Pointe Machine and Tool Co., American Potash & Chemical, Winchester Engineering and Analytical Center, Reed Rolled Thread Co. and Heald Machine Co.
“The Labor Department believes that there are many individuals living in and around Massachusetts who may be eligible for benefits under the EEOICPA but who have not yet filed claims,” said DEEOIC Director Rachel P. Leiton. “We urge these individuals to contact the department’s New York Resource Center at 800-941-3943 or to visit our website at http://www.dol.gov/owcp/energy to inquire about their potential eligibility.”
On July 31, 2001, the Labor Department began administering Part B of the EEOICPA. Part B covers current and former workers who have been diagnosed with cancer, beryllium disease or silicosis, and whose illness was caused by exposure to radiation, beryllium or silica while working directly for the U.S. Department of Energy, that department’s contractors or subcontractors, a designated Atomic Weapons Employer or a beryllium vendor. Individuals or their survivors found eligible under Part B may receive a lump sum compensation payment of $150,000 and medical expenses for their covered condition.
Part E, created by an amendment to the EEOICPA on Oct. 28, 2004, provides federal compensation and medical benefits to contractors and subcontractors of the DOE who worked at covered facilities during a covered time period and sustained an illness as a result of exposure to toxic substances.
DOE provides worker and facility records and data to the Labor Department to support the department’s administration of the EEOICPA. In addition, DOE maintains a list of facilities covered under the EEOICPA, which is periodically updated and published in the Federal Register. DOE also maintains the searchable Covered Facility Database, which contains additional information pertaining to each of the facilities, including years of activity and an overview of the type of work performed there. The database is online at http://www.hss.energy.gov/healthsafety/fwsp/advocacy/faclist/findfacility.cfm.
It is the Labor Department’s goal to disseminate information concerning EEOICPA benefits to potentially eligible claimants across the country. To aid in this effort, the department maintains 11 resource centers nationwide to provide in-person and telephone-based assistance to service individuals regardless of where they live. To date, the department has delivered more than $34.3 million in compensation and medical benefits to eligible individuals living in Massachusetts and more than $6.8 billion nationwide.
###