Good News for Cold War Energy Workers

This is a story that I haven't had time to keep up on. Happily, Workers Comp Insider is following the good news.

After four years of failure by these departments to get compensation to deserving workers who had been made ill working on our nuclear energy program, the DOL seemed to have made progress, but the DOE just couldn't get out of its own way. Whatever the reasons, it was not getting the job done, and sick workers were paying for it.

Last month, Congress decided to use some common sense and did the right thing for the workers. It took responsibility away from the underperforming DOE and gave it to the DOL.

Congress also eased the criteria for qualifying for benefits; workers no longer have to have cancer to get paid; exposure to any hazardous substance now qualifies. Moreover, the payment process has been streamlined.