Richland, Washington · 1943–present (cleanup)
Hanford workers may be entitled to federal compensation and free in-home care
Hanford produced the plutonium for the first atomic bomb and much of the Cold War arsenal. It remains one of the most contaminated sites in the country, and generations of Tri-Cities families worked there.
Also known as: Hanford Nuclear Reservation · Hanford Works
What the work at Hanford involved
Plutonium production reactors, chemical separations in the canyon facilities, and ongoing environmental cleanup and tank farm operations.
What workers were exposed to
Workers at Hanford encountered a range of hazardous materials, often without being told what they were handling and often without adequate protection:
- Plutonium
- Tritium
- Chemical vapors from waste tanks
- Asbestos
- Beryllium
Illnesses commonly linked to Hanford
These are among the conditions most often connected to work at this site. This is not a complete list — many other cancers and chronic illnesses qualify, and a condition caused by an approved condition (a “consequential illness”) can also be covered.
- Lung cancer
- Thyroid cancer
- Leukemia
- Chronic beryllium disease
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
See the full picture of which illnesses qualify.
The Special Exposure Cohort — why this matters at Hanford
Multiple Special Exposure Cohort classes have been approved for Hanford workers across several covered time periods.
If you fall inside an approved class and you have one of the specified cancers, the Department of Labor does not require dose reconstruction — your illness is presumed to be work-related. Whether you are inside a class depends on your job, where on the site you worked, and your exact dates.
Learn what a Special Exposure Cohort means for your claim →
If you already filed and were denied
A denial is not the end. Many claims from Hanford workers were denied at first and approved later on appeal, often because employment records or exposure evidence were incomplete the first time around. Here is how the appeals process works.
For surviving spouses and children
You do not lose the claim when the worker passes away. Surviving spouses, and in some cases children and other family members, can file for compensation under both Part B and Part E. If your husband or your father worked at Hanford and died of a covered illness, please call us.
Common questions from Hanford families
What does it cost to work with Energy Employee Services?
Nothing. Not now, not later. Energy Employee Services is an authorized provider under the EEOICPA program and is paid directly by the U.S. Department of Labor. We will never send a bill to you or your family for any of our services.
Can my family be paid to take care of me?
Yes — and this is the benefit most families have never heard of. If your Department of Labor approved conditions create a medical need for help with everyday tasks, your family members can be compensated for providing that care, for up to 12 hours per day. Bathing, meals, housekeeping, driving you to appointments, companionship. Care many families are already giving for free.
We work with your physician and the DOL to get that benefit approved. Read more about paid family caregivers.
Do I have to be homebound to get in-home care?
No. This surprises almost everyone. Unlike Medicare, the EEOICPA program does not require homebound status. If your approved conditions create a medical need for help at home, you may qualify for in-home care even if you still drive, still go to church, and still get out of the house.
How many hours of care can I receive?
Up to 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, for your covered conditions — for as long as the medical need continues. The level of care is set by your treating physician based on medical necessity, not by a benefit cap.
Who pays for the care?
The U.S. Department of Labor, through the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program. The program covers 100% of the cost of care for approved conditions — no deductibles, no copays, no coinsurance. It is entirely separate from Medicare and Medicaid, and it does not replace them.
Other covered facilities
Not sure if you qualify? Find out — it costs nothing.
Call or text and speak with a benefits consultant. If it makes sense, we will come to your home and sit down with you and your family. There is no paperwork on your end, and no bill — ever.
Monday–Friday, 9am–6pm EST · We come to you · Family welcome