MORGANTOWN, WV (LOOTPRESS) — After weeks of uncertainty, more than 100 employees at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) facility in Morgantown are set to return to work — permanently.
U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., shared the news Tuesday via social media, following a conversation with Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
“My understanding from @SecKennedy is that over 100 Morgantown employees will be returning to the job permanently,” Capito posted. “The health and safety of our WV workers, including our miners, is of the utmost importance and I will always advocate for their wellbeing.”
The announcement marks a hopeful turn in what has been a rocky period for the Morgantown NIOSH facility. In early April, approximately 200 employees were notified they would be laid off. Capito later revealed that some employees connected to the Coal Worker Health Surveillance Program and the Fire Fighters’ Fatality Investigation and Prevention Program had been temporarily reinstated at the beginning of May.
However, many workers remained in limbo, facing permanent job loss in June — until now.
This decision to reinstate a significant portion of the workforce is seen as a win for worker safety and a key federal health facility that plays a vital role in monitoring and preventing occupational health hazards, especially in industries central to West Virginia’s economy, like coal mining.
Senator Capito has been vocal in her efforts to protect jobs and maintain NIOSH’s presence in the state, emphasizing the agency’s importance in supporting the wellbeing of West Virginia’s labor force.
More details are expected in the coming weeks regarding which positions will be restored and how the reinstatements will be phased in.
