US Department of Labor to host Traveling Resource Center in Simi Valley, Calif., on Sept. 28 to assist nuclear weapons workers

OWCP News Release: [09/21/2010]
Contact Name: Jesse Lawder Michael Volpe
Phone Number: (202) 693-4659 (202) 693-3984
Release Number: 10-1336-SAN

WASHINGTON —The U.S. Department of Labor will host a Traveling Resource Center on Tuesday, Sept. 28, in Simi Valley, Calif., to provide information about two new classes of former employees at the Downey Facility and De Soto Avenue Facility, both located in Los Angeles County, Calif., that were recently added to the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act's Special Exposure Cohort. Stationary resource centers are based in 11 locations nationwide and provide in-person and telephone-based assistance to serve individuals regardless of where they live. The department's Traveling Resource Center takes these services on the road to assist workers in the EEOICPA claim filing process.

The EEOICPA provides compensation and medical benefits to employees who became ill as a result of working in the nuclear weapons industry. A worker who is included in a designated SEC class of employees, and who is diagnosed with one of 22 specified cancers, may receive a presumption of causation under the EEOICPA. On July 13 and 14, the secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services designated the following two classes of employees as additions to the SEC: all employees of the Department of Energy, its predecessor agencies, and their contractors and subcontractors who worked at the Downey Facility in Los Angeles County, Calif., from Jan. 1, 1948, through Dec. 31, 1955, and who worked at the De Soto Avenue Facility in Los Angeles County, Calif., from Jan. 1, 1959, through Dec. 31, 1964, for at least 250 workdays occurring either solely under this employment or in combination with workdays within other classes of employees in the SEC. The designation for the Downey Facility became effective on Aug. 12 and the designation for the De Soto Avenue Facility became effective on Aug. 13. The Labor Department's role is to adjudicate these claims based on the new SEC class definitions as determined and introduced by HHS.

To date, more than $1.6 million in compensation and medical benefits has been paid to eligible Downey Facility claimants and $15.9 million has been paid to De Soto Avenue Facility claimants under the EEOICPA. More than $6.1 billion has been paid nationwide. For additional information about the upcoming Traveling Resource Center or to schedule an appointment for claim-filing assistance, please contact the department's California Resource Center toll-free at 866-606-6302. This event is open to the public and pre-registration is not required.

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