Changes to be explained in DOE compensation program

Suzanne Struglinski

Tuesday, March 15, 2005 | 9:17 a.m.

Labor Department town hall meetings on the Energy Employee Occupational Illnes Compensation Program Act will be 6 p.m. today and 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. Wednesday at Texas Station. The Resource Center is at Flamingo Executive Park, 1050 E. Flamingo Road, Suite W-156. Call (866) 697-0841.

WASHINGTON -- Former Energy Department employees with questions on the change in the federal sick workers compensation program can get answers straight from the source tonight and Wednesday.

The Labor Department took over a portion of the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program originally controlled by the Energy Department in January. Congress approved a law last year to make the change after numerous complaints on the Energy Department's control of the project.

John Vance, the Labor Department's branch chief for outreach and technical assistance will hold three town hall meetings in Las Vegas starting tonight to answer questions about the change. Vance has been visiting states with Energy Department facilities, such as the Nevada Test Site, where workers may have become ill based on their work there.

The biggest difference as a result of the change has to do with the benefits. Under the new program, those eligible for payment will receive compensation or reimbursement for medical expense directly from the department. Under the old program, the Energy Department would help qualified workers navigate the state's worker compensation program.

As of March 10, just over 26,000 cases from the Energy Department have been moved to the Labor Department, according to the program's statistics. It has paid out 188 claims totaling $23.5 million. There is no breakdown of the claims by state, Vance said, so he could not say if any of these claims had been paid in Nevada. Under the old program, about 2,000 claims had been filed from Nevada resident from only 985 had received a final decision.

Under the law, people who are sick from their work at government nuclear facilitie are eligible. Applicants must have a disease that may have been caused by a toxic substance they were exposed to during their employment such as asbestosis, liver disease or heavy metal poisoning.

Vance said the department has received a lot of questions since the change went into effect and the town hall meetings are designed to answer as many as possible. Those unable to attend can visit the Resource Center in Las Vegas or call (866) 697-0841 for help.