HANFORD WORKERS GET REPRIEVE FROM FURLOUGHS

Hanford workers received a reprieve Wednesday as furlough and temporary layoff notices were expected to start going out about noon. Instead, employees received a message from Department of Energy management saying that if Congress passes a spending bill this week, no furloughs and temporary layoffs are expected. DOE officials in Washington, D.C., told Hanford contractors Wednesday morning not to issue furlough and layoff notices, said Dave Molnaa, president of the Hanford Atomic Metal Trades Council. He had been told earlier in the week to expect notices to be issued for 2,300 HAMTC workers to be off work by Oct. 21. Although DOE had said nothing publicly about Hanford furloughs, the Tri-City Development Council was anticipating thousands more nonunion workers to be furloughed.“We understand the uncertainties you are experience due to the ongoing lapse in appropriation,” the memo sent to Hanford employees said. Letting workers know what to expect is a top priority, but the situation in Congress is changing by the hour, it said. Unless told otherwise by a manager, employees of Hanford contractors should continue to report to work as usual, it said. Some employees already had been told informally by managers that they should expect to be furloughed.