Energy Employees 

Occupational Illness 

Compensation 

Program Act (EEOICPA) 

and the 

Radiation Exposure 

Compensation Act 

(RECA)

OFFICE OF THE OMBUDSMAN 

For EEOICPA

United States Department of Labor
The Energy Employees 

Occupational Illness 

Compensation 

Program Act (EEOICPA 

or the Act), provides 

compensation and 

medical benefits to 

eligible Department 

of Energy (DOE) 

nuclear weapons 

workers (including 

federal employees, 

contractors and 

subcontractors) 

and compensation 

to certain eligible 

survivors.
Part B of the EEOICPA potentially covers:

• DOE employees, its contractors and 

subcontractors, and atomic weapons 

employees with radiation induced-cancer.

• DOE employees, its contractors and 

subcontractors, and designated beryllium 

vendors employees who develop chronic 

beryllium disease or beryllium sensitivity 

due to exposure to beryllium while working 

at a covered DOE facility or for a covered 

beryllium vendor.

• DOE employees, its contractors and 

subcontractors who develop chronic 

silicosis and were present for at least 

250 work days during the mining of tunnels 

at a DOE facility in Nevada or Alaska for 

tests or experiments related to atomic 

weapons testing. 

Workers (and eligible survivors) who 

received $100,000 under Section 5 of the 

Radiation Exposure Compensation Act 

(RECA) are also eligible for compensation of 

$50,000 under Part B.

Part E of the EEOICPA potentially covers:

• DOE contractors and subcontractors, and 

RECA Section 5 uranium miners, millers, 

and ore transporters, for any diagnosed 

medical condition linked to toxic 

exposures at a covered RECA Section 5 

facility or DOE facility. 

Workers who received $100,000 under 

Section 5 of RECA and compensation 

under Part B of the EEOICPA are presumed 

to meet the causation criteria under Part E 

for the same medical condition(s) accepted 

under Part B. 
The Radiation Exposure 

Compensation Act (RECA)

The Radiation Exposure Compensation Act 

(RECA) provides payments to individuals 

who contracted certain cancers and 

other diseases as a result of exposures 

to radiation released during aboveground 

nuclear weapons tests and/or during 

employment in uranium mines. RECA was 

amended in July 2000 to add uranium mill 

workers and ore transporters.

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) 

administers RECA and provides fixed 

payments for the following:

• Downwinders—individuals residing or 

working “downwind” of the Nevada 

Test Site

• Onsite Participants—onsite workers 

participating in aboveground nuclear 

weapons tests

• Uranium Miners, Millers, and Ore 

Transporters

RECA Section 5 uranium 

miners, millers, ore 

transporters, as well as 

eligible survivors may 

qualify for additional 

compensation under 

the EEOICPA.
What are Sections 4 

and 5 of RECA?

RECA SECTION 4 

Claims Related to Open Air 

Nuclear Testing

• Downwinders

• Onsite Participants

RECA SECTION 5 

Claims Relating to Uranium Mining

• Uranium Miners 

• Uranium Millers

• Ore Transporters

• Pursuant to 42 U.S.C. §7385j of 

EEOICPA, if you accept a RECA 

Section 4 award as a “downwinder” 

or “onsite participant,” you are not

eligible to receive payments under 

EEOICPA for cancer.

• However, if you accept a RECA Section 

4 award, you may be eligible for 

compensation for a non-cancerous

condition, provided you meet the criteria 

as a DOE contractor or subcontractor 

under Part E of EEOICPA. 

• If you reject payment offered under 

RECA Section 4 to pursue an EEOICPA 

claim for cancer and your EEOICPA 

claim for cancer is denied, you may 

re-file under the Radiation Exposure 

Compensation Program.
Benefits under Part B 

of the Act for RECA 

Section 5 Workers

In order to be eligible for Part B 

compensation/benefits, the RECA 

Section 5 worker or their survivors must 

have received a $100,000 award under 

Section 5 of RECA. If eligibility under 

Part B of the Act is accepted, an 

additional payment of $50,000 is 

provided to the worker or eligible 

survivor. In addition, workers are eligible 

for medical benefits associated with the 

EEOICPA accepted condition(s).
Benefits under Part E 

of the Act for RECA 

Section 5 Workers

RECA Section 5 miners, millers, and 

ore transporters are potentially eligible 

under Part E of the Act if their illness is 

determined to be related to exposure 

to a toxic substance while employed 

at a covered RECA Section 5 facility 

or a covered DOE facility. An award of 

$100,000 under Section 5 of RECA is not 

required in order to be eligible for benefits 

under Part E of EEOICPA.

• When a worker’s RECA Section 5 

medical condition is approved under 

Part B, it is also automatically accepted 

under Part E of the Act. Following the 

acceptance of the Part E claim for the 

medical conditions(s), the claimant may 

file a claim for impairment and/or wage 

loss compensation under Part E.

• Unlike a claim by a RECA Section 5 

worker, a RECA Section 5 survivor claim 

is not automatically accepted under Part 

E. Survivors must submit the required 

documents to establish their eligibility 

under Part E of the Act.

To pursue compensation 

benefits under the EEOICPA, 

you must file a claim with 

the Department of Labor. 

This includes individuals 

who previously filed a claim 

under RECA.
CONTACT INFORMATION

U.S. Department of Justice

Radiation Exposure Compensation 

Act (RECA)

DOJ, RECA: 1-800-729-7327

Email Address: Civil.RECA@usdoj.gov

Website: www.justice.gov/civil/common/reca.html

Address:

Radiation Exposure Compensation Program

P.O. Box 146

Ben Franklin Station

Washington, DC 20044-0146

Brochure prepared by

The Office of the Ombudsman

Email: OMBUDSMAN@DOL.GOV

Website: WWW.DOL.GOV/EEOMBD

Address

OFFICE OF THE OMBUDSMAN

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

ROOM N-2454

200 CONSTITUTION AVE., NW

WASHINGTON, DC 20210

Toll Free Phone Number 1-877-662-8363

Fax Number 202-693-5899