Workers at Hanford are likely to learn today about site contractors’ plans for furloughs if the ongoing federal government shutdown is not soon resolved. At a meeting earlier this week, site contractors told the Hanford Atomic Metals Trade Council that employees will be receiving “release” notices today, which would go into effect at midnight on Oct. 20, according to a posting on the HAMTC website. The exact number of workers to be affected remains unclear, though those contractors that appear to be planning for furloughs include CH2M Hill Plateau Remediation Co., Washington Closure Hanford, Mission Support Alliance and Washington River Protection Solutions, according to HAMTC. “From what I was told, this would be applicable for all the contractors who have employees on a regular site schedule. For those who work shift work, or on 4×10’s or 12’s, the effective date is going to be different. But the intent is to capture all employees prior to Monday the 21st,” HAMTC President Dave Molnaa said in a written response yesterday. “WRPS is in a different funding situation but they are still going through with their plans for tomorrow with the B/U [bargaining unit employees],” Molnaa said.
DOE did not comment directly on Hanford contractors’ furlough plans yesterday, but a Department spokesperson said in a statement, “This lapse in appropriations has serious impacts on the Department’s ability to carry out its mission. As a result of the nature of DOE funding, the Department will be able to operate for a short period of time. However, if a resolution is not achieved in the near term, the Department will be forced to take further action to shutdown nonessential operations, resulting in employee and contractor furloughs. It is our hope that this will ultimately be unnecessary and that Congress will come to a quick resolution.”
