## Hanford Nuclear Contractor Settles for $5M Over Employee Claims of On-the-Job Napping, TV Watching
A Department of Energy contractor at the Hanford nuclear site has agreed to pay $3.45 million to settle two lawsuits brought by an employee claiming that workers were sleeping and watching television while on the job. The whistleblower, a former employee of the contractor, alleged that workers were paid for hours they did not work, engaging in personal activities during shifts that were supposed to be dedicated to monitoring and maintaining critical nuclear waste cleanup operations. The settlement, which includes legal fees bringing the total payout to approximately $5 million, resolves claims under the False Claims Act. The lawsuits alleged that the contractor knowingly submitted false claims to the government for payment for labor that was not performed. The Hanford site, a former plutonium production complex, is one of the most contaminated nuclear sites in the Western Hemisphere and its cleanup is a multi-billion dollar, decades-long project managed by the DOE. The settlement highlights ongoing concerns about accountability, oversight, and the potential for wasted taxpayer funds in the massive environmental remediation project. The contractor did not admit liability as part of the settlement agreement.
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- **Source**: 
- **Sector**: The Office
- **Tags**: hanford nuclear site, false claims act, whistleblower, nuclear waste cleanup, taxpayer funds
- **Credibility**: unverified
- **Published**: 2026-03-05 22:42:53
- **ID**: 2153
- **URL**: https://whisperx.ai/en/intel/2153