Update: Hanford work ordered to continue, with or without fed shutdown

Hanford nuclear reservation workers are being told to report to work as usual after Thursday even if the federal government shuts down.

However, by Thursday afternoon a shutdown, at least before December, looked unlikely.

Friday, Oct. 1, is the start of fiscal 2022 for the federal government.

By Thursday afternoon both the U.S. Senate and House and passed short-term bills to keep the federal government funded after midnight Thursday through early December. The bill still needed the president’s signature.

If the bill had not been approved, about 11,000 Hanford site workers were expected to be paid with money budgeted for fiscal 2021 that has not yet been spent.

The Department of Energy sent a message to federal employees Wednesday saying that “in the event of a lapse in appropriations, all DOE employees should continue to report to work according to your usual work schedule.”

For most Hanford workers that means returning to work Monday, Oct. 4, because many work 10-hour days Mondays through Thursdays.

Contractors, who employ the majority of Hanford workers, also were sending similar messages to their employees on Wednesday.

“Congress is working to approve funding for the federal government beyond September 30, 2021,” said a message to employees of Washington River Protection Solutions, the Hanford tank farm contractor.

“Should Congress not approve funding to continue beyond that date, all employees should plan to continue their normal work activities and report to work or teleworking as scheduled,” the message said.

Without action by Congress, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security, or CARES, Act also could expire Thursday night.

It allowed Hanford workers to be paid if they had to quarantine after possible exposure to the coronavirus even if they could not work from home.

Instructions to quarantine could can from the Hanford occupational medicine provider, a county health district or a doctor after contact tracing shows they might have been exposed.

Now they may have to use sick leave or go without pay if they have to quarantine and CARES Act provisions are not extended.

If they have symptoms and are diagnosed with COVID-19, they can use their sick leave just as for any other illness.

About $2.5 billion is spent each year at Hanford near Richland in Eastern Washington.

Cleanup of radioactive and other hazardous chemical waste and contamination is underway after the site was used from World War II through the Cold War to produce about two-thirds of the nation’s plutonium for its nuclear weapons program.

This story was originally published September 29, 2021 at 5:33 PM.