NIOSH Staff to Temporarily Return to Morgantown Safety Research Facility
Select employees will resume work as discussions continue over recent federal workforce reductions.
- By Stasia DeMarco
- May 01, 2025
Some employees at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) facility in Morgantown are set to return to work temporarily, following federal discussions regarding recent workforce reductions.
U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito announced Tuesday that limited functions at the Morgantown research center will resume with select staff returning this week. Capito, who chairs the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies, said she has been in contact with officials from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) regarding the matter.
“Some NIOSH functions for coal miners and firefighter safety are slated to resume,” Capito said in a statement. “My focus will continue to be on working with HHS on permanently restoring these functions and personnel in the most efficient and effective manner.”
Earlier this month, Capito sent a letter to HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. expressing concern over an April 1 reduction-in-force (RIF) notification affecting HHS agencies and programs, including NIOSH. Approximately 200 positions at the Morgantown site are at risk as part of a broader nationwide reduction affecting around 2,400 NIOSH roles.
NIOSH, which operates under the CDC, conducts research on occupational health risks, including respiratory diseases and traumatic injuries in coal mining and firefighting. The Morgantown facility has long been recognized for its work on Black Lung disease and mine safety studies.
HHS has not yet confirmed a long-term plan regarding the staffing or future scope of the Morgantown NIOSH facility.
U.S. Rep. Riley Moore, also representing West Virginia, submitted a similar letter to HHS last week, urging consideration of the facility’s contributions to national occupational health and safety research.
While some operations will resume temporarily, the status of the broader workforce and long-term activities at the Morgantown center remains under review.
About the Author
Stasia DeMarco is the Content Editor for OH&S.