The Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act (EEOICPA) was passed in October 2000 in order to provide monetary compensation and medical benefits to atomic weapons workers who developed cancer as a result of radiation exposure, as well as to workers employed by atomic weapons producers who have developed chronic beryllium disease. Under this law, claims can be filed in one of two ways: (1) submitting a claim under the Individual Dose Reconstruction Program, or (2) submitting a claim under a Special Exposure Cohort.

Current or former workers or survivors may be eligible for benefits if the employee suffered radiation induced cancers, beryllium diseases or silicosis AND were exposed to radiation, beryllium or silica while working in the nuclear weapons industry for the Department of Energy or its contractors, or for a designated AWE or beryllium vendor. Silicosis is only covered for employees who worked during mining of atomic weapons test tunnels in Nevada or Alaska.

The following work sites in Western New York covered by the program include:

For more information on filing potential claims under EEOICPA or the Special Exposure Cohort (SEC) program, the attorneys at Lipsitz,  Ponterio & Comerford recommend that you visit the following websites:

Division of Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation (DEEOIC):
www.dol.gov/owcp/energy

NIOSH Radiation Dose Reconstruction Program:
www.cdc.gov/niosh/ocas

Special Exposure Cohort – Specified Cancers:
www.cdc.gov/niosh/ocas/ocassec.html#cancers

For eligibility criteria call the Division of Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation (DEEOIC)Toll-Free: 1-866-888-3322. 

The Western New York Department of Labor EEOICPA branch:
6000 North Bailey Avenue
Suite 2A, Box #2
Amherst, NY 14226
Phone: 716-832-6200
Fax: 716-832-6638