What is Part B Special Exposure Cohort Status?

Part B cancer claims are processed in 1 of 2 ways depending on the years worked, the facility, and the type of cancer a person has.  Certain facilities are designated as Special Exposure Cohort facilities (SEC). This means you have at least one of the 22 SEC cancers and have worked for a specific period of time at one of the SEC work sites. The SEC was established by the Act/EEOICPA.

Claims compensated under the SEC do not have to go through the dose reconstruction process. This means that a particular site had missing or no radiation information for NIOSH to properly determine the amount of exposure someone received.  Some SEC sites were approved at the inception of the program, others developed along the way; even today some sites are under investigation.  At times, NIOSH will identify a potential SEC site, while other sites are approved or denied through the SEC petition process.

Petitions are reviewed and researched by NOISH to determine whether or not the petition qualified for SEC status petition process.  NIOSH is aware that the SEC petition process can sometimes seem complex and confusing. Joshua Kinman is their SEC Petition Counselor.  Mr. Kinman works with petitioners in overcoming any frustrations or confusion that they may feel when submitting an SEC petition. He is available to help individuals interested in the petition process to add classes of employees to the SEC (513-533-6831 or toll-free 1-877-222-7570, or by email at [email protected]).

If your Part B SEC cancer claim was previously denied, and the site or sites you worked at later become an SEC eligible site, the DOL will automatically review the case again.  If you become aware of the SEC addition, before notified by the DOL, you can request a reopening of your denied claim immediately based on this new class of workers.