Department of Energy Support to the 

Energy Employees Occupational Illness 

Compensation Program Act (EEOICPA)

Office of Environment, Health, Safety and Security

April 2021
COVID-19 Update

• The DOE EEOICPA Operations were initially impacted significantly during 

the start of the pandemic in 2020

• Currently most DOE sites have few if any late records requests from NIOSH 

or DOL, but there are a few exceptions including the Nevada National 

Security Site and the Y-12 National Security Complex

• Challenges these sites face include:

– Some DOE sites still in a “maximum telework” situation where all but essential 

employees are teleworking, 

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COVID-19 Update

(cont.)

– Some DOE sites rely heavily on Federal Records Centers, and most of 

those have been closed or at a very reduced capacity (less than 20%) 

since the start of the pandemic

– Sites may not have enough classification reviewers onsite (this is more 

relevant for site research projects but can sometimes impact 

individual claims)

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DOE’s Core Mandate

Work on behalf of the program claimants to 

ensure that all available worker and facility 

records and data are provided to DOL, NIOSH, 

and the Advisory Board.

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DOE Responsibilities

• Respond via the SERT system to DOL and NIOSH 

requests for information related to individual claims 

(employment verification, exposure records).

• Provide support and assistance to DOL, NIOSH, and 

Advisory Board on large-scale research and site 

characterization projects through records research and 

retrieval efforts at various DOE sites. 

• Conduct research, in coordination with DOL and 

NIOSH, on issues related to covered facilities 

designations.

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Individual Records

• Claimants often worked at multiple DOE sites, for multiple 

contractors and subcontractors, and in different jobs or 

divisions over a career. 

• For a typical request for a worker’s records, DOE may have 

to go to many different site departments and within those 

departments many different records sources or databases. 

• For example, one DOE site routinely checks approximately 

40 different sources for responsive records, including 

hardcopy paper records, microfilm, microfiche, databases, 

and scanned electronic records. 

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Large-Scale

Research Projects

• Large-scale research projects are driven by the needs of DOL 

and NIOSH. 

• Recent data capture requests for the following DOE sites:

– Fermilab

– DOE Office of Legacy Management

– Los Alamos National Lab

– Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant

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Document Reviews

• DOE committed to providing documents to NIOSH, DOL, and 

the Advisory Board, but must do so in a responsible manner.

• DOE HQ reviews NIOSH generated reports but DOE field sites 

review the DOE source documents

– The average turnaround time for reports reviewed at DOE HQ is 

typically about 8 workdays. (but there are fewer reports and 

they are typically shorter)

– The turnaround time for source documents reviewed in the field 

can vary considerably because there can be hundreds of 

documents requested and thousands of pages to review. 

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Facility Research

Research and maintain the Covered Facilities Database

• Database of over 300 facilities covered under EEOICPA. This 

includes DOE facilities, AWEs and Beryllium Vendors whose 

employees are eligible for benefits under EEOICP.

• Full listing can be found at:

https://ehss.energy.gov/Search/Facility/findfacility.aspx

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Former Worker Medical 

Screening Program

• Mission: To identify and notify former workers at risk for 

occupational disease and offer them medical screening that 

can lead to treatment.

• Program now serves all former workers from all DOE sites in 

locations close to their residences.

• Published an annual report.

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Former Worker 

Program

FWP website: 

• http://energy.gov/ehss/services/worker-health-andsafety/former-worker-medical-screening-program

FWP brochure: 

• http://energy.gov/ehss/downloads/former-worker-medicalscreening-program-brochure

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Questions?

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