U.S. Department of Labor Assumes Responsibility For a New Energy Workers’ Compensation Program

Congress passed a major amendment to the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act (EEOICPA) that provides federal compensation and medical benefits to contractor and subcontractor employees of the Department of Energy (DOE) who worked at certain DOE facilities and sustained an occupational injury as a result of exposure to toxic substances. Certain survivors of these workers are also eligible for benefits.

This amendment, which became effective on October 28, 2004, replaces Part D of the EEOICPA, which provided assistance from DOE in obtaining state workers’ compensation benefits. The new program, called Part E, will be administered by the Department of Labor’s Division of Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation (DEEOIC).

The amendment also makes it possible for uranium workers eligible under Section 5 of the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA) to receive compensation under Part E for illnesses due to toxic substance exposure at a uranium mine or mill covered under that Act.

Additional information will be forthcoming.