Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act (EEOICPA)

The U.S. Department of Labor reported it paid more than $5 billion in compensation and medical benefits to more than 52,600 claimants nationwide under the “Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act” (EEOICPA).

This milestone coincides with the eighth anniversary of the Labor Department’s administration of the EEOICPA, providing compensation and medical benefits to employees who became ill while working in the nuclear weapons industry.

The Labor Department began administering Part B of the EEOICPA on July 31, 2001. Part B covers current or former workers who diagnosed with cancers, 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, designated Atomic Weapons Employers or beryllium vendors.

The EEOICPA also provides additional compensation to uranium workers who worked at Section 5 uranium mines, uranium mills and ore buying stations covered under the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act. Certain survivors of nuclear weapons industry workers are also eligible for benefits under Parts B and E.

Since 2001, the Labor Department delivered compensation to more than 37,200 claimants under the Act’s Part B provisions.

Part E, created by an amendment to the Act on October 28, 2004, provides federal compensation and medical benefits to contractors and subcontractors of the Department of Energy who worked at covered facilities and sustained an illness as a result of exposure to toxic substances. Under the Labor Department’s administration, the Part E benefit payout has exceeded $1.6 billion.

During fiscal year 2009, the Labor Department continued to assist the nuclear weapons community by expanding its claimant services and outreach initiatives across the country.

The department’s Traveling Resource Center was in Washington, Pa., last week to inform workers and their survivors about new special exposure cohorts at Vitro Manufacturing and Westinghouse Atomic Power Development Plant.

The Traveling Resource Center goes monthly to Kayenta, Ariz., and Shiprock, N.M., to assist individuals filing claims under the EEOICPA. Eleven stationary resource centers continue to play an active role in outreach efforts and provide personal assistance to claimants with filing claims, conducting occupational health interviews and answering questions concerning medical bills.

For additional information about how to file a claim under the EEOICPA, call 866-888-3322 toll-free.

Author: Robert Elliott, J.D.

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