NIOSH division in charge of screening for miner lung diseases restored
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (WBOY) — Several jobs at the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) in Morgantown have been officially restored following certification earlier this week that Reductions in Force (RIF) at the institution would not happen. So what's next?
On Monday, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services sent out a court document certifying that the RIFs have been rescinded, a move that fully restores the Respiratory Health Division (RHD). This move is in compliance with a court injunction ordered in mid-May as part of a larger case against the cuts.
The plaintiff's original suit sought the restoration of RHD, saying that RHD facilitates federally mandated coal miner lung screening programs and job transfer rights. The plaintiff's legal counsel, Samuel Petsonk, told 12 News that even despite this restoration, he is still concerned that NIOSH still doesn't have the ability to perform all of its federally mandated services as well as it did before the RIFs. He added that his office and client are weighing their options.
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The rescinded RIFs for RHD accounted for 51 RHD employees, while hundreds of other NIOSH employees were originally impacted.
The President of the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Local 3430 Cathy Tinney-Zara, which represents the Morgantown NIOSH office, told 12 News that they were pleased with this rescinding of the RIFs, but that there are components of NIOSH still missing, such as the Health Effects Laboratory Division, which does research focused on evaluating, controlling, and preventing workplace safety and health hazards.
Tinney-Zara added that AFGE is waiting for the Supreme Court decision on the broader legality of the federal downsizing.
In the statement to 12 News, she said: 'While we await the court's decision, we are ready to return to work and continue our mission of protecting the health and safety of America's workers. We firmly believe that the value we provide to the government, to workers, and to their families will be recognized.'
Tinney-Zara added that NIOSH's efforts 'significantly' reduce financial burdens on the federal government by lowering Social Security payments, workers' compensation claims and healthcare expenses. She said that 'by keeping the workforce safer and healthier, we not only save money but also safeguard lives.'
You can read the full document certifying the restoration of RHD below.
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Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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