Mission Support Alliance has approved 12 voluntary layoffs, leaving 38 involuntary layoffs required to reach its previously announced target of 50 jobs cut.
The Hanford contractor had hoped that most of the layoffs would be voluntary, but this is its third round of cuts in the past 12 months.
Mission Support Alliance, which provides support services across Hanford, announced in December that it would lay off up to 50 employees, including employees of its key subcontractors, by Feb. 2.
The Department of Energy had approved up to 100 layoffs at Mission Support Alliance in the fiscal year that began in October, but the contractor's immediate plans are for half that.
The layoffs were approved as part of a broader initiative to help Hanford contractors deal with budget uncertainties, allow more efficiencies in work and make sure they have the right mix of skills for work planned in 2012.
The majority of other layoffs at Hanford in the past year, totaling more than 2,000, were linked to the end of federal economic stimulus money. Hanford received $1.96 billion over about 30 months.
Mission Support Alliance laid off 125 workers in March and 276 workers in September. Although it did not receive economic stimulus money directly, it supported work of contractors that did add Recovery Act staff, including providing information technology service and training.
The Mission Support Alliance cuts now are targeted to specific union and nonunion jobs that span a broad range, including chemical technologists, health physics technicians, auto mechanics, electrical and mechanical engineers, training specialists and clerks.
Several applications for voluntary layoffs by workers with jobs not on the target list were denied.
Nonunion workers sel-ected for involuntary layoffs will be picked using a rating and ranking process. Most union workers will be selected for layoffs based on a seniority system as outlined in collective bargaining agreements.
Mission Support Alliance did not release its total number of workers Wednesday.
