The company contracted for clean-up at the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant has notified employees of impending layoffs of up to 145 workers.
LATA Environmental Services of Kentucky currently employs 320 people at the Paducah site. The cuts come from the federal sequester and a lack of funding from the Department of Energy, which contracted LATA for the clean-up.
LATA Communications and Outreach Manager Joe Walker said employees who received the notification won’t necessarily be laid off, however.
"The fact that an employee has gotten a notice does not necessarily mean his or her job will be eliminated," Walker said. "It would mean that they work in a particular area where job reductions are being considered."
The announcement comes just days after LATA celebrated the milestone of 2 million safe work hours at the site. LATA began a 5-year, $285 million contract at the site in November 2010, with 650 employees. The layoffs are set to begin July 2.