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Federal Officials To Hold Local Meeting About Compensation For Radiation Exposure

Federal officials will be in Rochester later this week to help former workers in the nuclear weapons industry find out about compensation they may be eligible for.

The U.S. Labor Department says that from the 1940s through the 1980s, workers in the nuclear weapons industry may have been exposed to radiation while performing their jobs. That includes 15 facilities in Western New York, including an atomic energy project at the University of Rochester. After World War II, that operation focused on the biomedical aspects of nuclear energy.

Rachel Leiton, director of the energy compensation program for the U.S. Department of Labor, says over the years, the government has received about 74 claims from people who had worked with the program at the U of R, and thousands of claims across New York State.

“We really are about trying to get people who deserve this money or benefits that they deserve or need, that’s what we’re all about here at department of labor trying to administer these claims, so, that’s why we’re doing this.”

Leiton says not only the former energy project workers but their survivors may also be eligible for compensation.

They have to prove their health was impacted by the work they were doing. The labor department will hold an informational session on Thursday, starting at 9:30 a.m., at the Courtyard by Marriott at Corporate Woods in Brighton.

Randy Gorbman is WXXI's director of news and public affairs. Randy manages the day-to-day operations of WXXI News on radio, television, and online.