FAQs: Work History Phone Call

The phone call is an opportunity for you to provide NIOSH with additional information on your work activities which may have contributed to your radiation exposures. In some cases, we know that the energy employee may have experienced additional situations that might have contributed to his/her radiation exposure that are not described in the radiation exposure information we receive.

Our contractor, Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU), is responsible for conducting the phone calls. ORAU has been instructed to conduct the phone calls in the order that we have received the cases whenever possible.

The phone call takes about an hour, on average, to complete.

No, you do not have to participate in the phone call. While we encourage all claimants to participate in the phone call, participation is voluntary. Claimants are not expected to answer or know all of the information in the questions. These questions cover a broad range of information. Also, we do not want or expect claimants to search for any of this information.

Please call ORAU toll-free at 1-800-790-ORAU (1-800-790-6728) and ask to speak to a work history phone call scheduler. Let them know that you do not wish to have a work history phone call.

Yes, if you choose to participate in the phone call, the information you provide will be treated in a confidential manner unless otherwise compelled by law. The information you provide to ORAU will be shared with staff working for NIOSH and the Department of Labor, both of whom have roles in administering this program.

If you have any special needs for the phone call, ORAU will make arrangements to meet those special needs. No matter what the circumstance, we will provide each claimant with an opportunity to participate.

To help you prepare for the phone call, we provide each claimant with a copy of the questions we would like to discuss so that you know what to expect during the call. While looking over the questions, claimants can jot down any thoughts they may have. We do not expect the claimants to fill out the questions and return them to us. We will take the information from the claimants over the phone. In addition, you are not expected to answer or know all of the information in the questions. These questions cover a broad range of information. Also, we do not want or expect claimants to search for any of this information.

When you have reviewed the questions and feel that you are ready to schedule your phone call, please call ORAU toll-free at 1-800-790-ORAU (1-800-790-6728) and ask to speak to the work history phone call scheduler.

For additional information on the phone call (including a list of information to be covered during the interview), please see the Phone Call with Claimants page of our website.

No, please DO NOT send this questionnaire back to us; we will take this information by phone. We provide the questions we would like to discuss so that you know what to expect during the call. While looking over the questions, you can jot down any thoughts you may have.

When you have reviewed the enclosed questions and feel that you are ready to schedule your phone call, please call ORAU toll-free at 1-800-790-ORAU (1-800-790-6728) and ask to speak to the work history phone call scheduler.

The best time to call to schedule a phone call is from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Eastern time. However, we have found that calls placed between 8:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. may experience a shorter wait time for you in scheduling the interview. Keep in mind that this initial call is simply to SCHEDULE your interview.

After the phone call to discuss your work history has been completed, a summary report will be prepared and sent to you for your review. Your review will help us ensure the information accurately reflects what you provided to us during the phone call.

The report summarizes the information you provided to ORAU during your phone call to discuss your work history. You will receive this report after the phone call has occurred.

The purpose of the phone call summary report is to provide you with an opportunity to review the information you provided to us. Your review will help us ensure the information accurately reflects what you stated during the phone call.

We will use this information, along with your exposure monitoring information, to conduct the dose reconstruction for your case.

If you have any corrections or additions to make to the report, please call ORAU toll-free at 1-800-790-ORAU (1-800-790-6728).

You have two weeks to notify ORAU of any corrections or additions so that the changes can be incorporated into your records. Otherwise, we will proceed with the dose reconstruction for your case.

Once your case is ready for dose reconstruction, we will send a letter to you that provides information about NIOSH’s policy of selecting a Health Physicist(s) to work on a dose reconstruction for a case (see Conflict of Interest Letter). This letter states that a dose reconstruction will not be assigned to a Health Physicist who worked at the same covered facility as the energy employee represented in the case.

If you have any additional questions about the phone call to discuss your work history, please call ORAU toll-free at 1-800-790-ORAU (1-800-790-6728).