OWCP News Release: [07/09/2015]
Contact Name: Ann Mangold Laura McGinnis
Phone Number: (202) 693-4679 (202) 693-4653
Email Address: mangold.ann.r@dol.gov mcginnis.laura.k@dol.gov
Release Number: 15-1343-NAT

WASHINGTON — Former employees of the Grand Junction Facilities site in Grand Junction, Colorado, and the Dow Chemical Co. site in Pittsburg, California, may qualify for a presumption of causation if they are included in a designated Special Exposure Cohort class of employees and diagnosed with one of 22 specified cancers. The change comes after the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services amended its Special Exposure Cohort in May 2015.

For nuclear weapons workers applying for compensation under the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act, a presumption of causation can facilitate the process. The EEOICPA provides compensation and medical benefits to employees who became ill as a result of working in the nuclear weapons industry. Survivors of qualified workers also may be entitled to benefits.

The SEC now includes the following workers:

To date, $19.7 million in EEOICPA compensation and medical benefits has been paid to 143 Grand Junction Facilities site claimants, and $1.6 million has been paid to eight Dow Chemical Co. claimants, while more than $11.6 billion has been paid nationwide. For additional information or to schedule an appointment for claim-filing assistance, contact the Labor Department’s Denver Resource Center toll-free at 866-540-4977 or the California Resource Center toll-free at 866-606-6302.

###