Idaho National Lab Announces Layoffs

Idaho National Laboratory

INL's Materials and Fuels Complex in southeastern Idaho.

Officials with the Idaho National Laboratory say they need to cut 185 employees to reduce costs. 

The Associated Press reports employees at the lab were informed of the job cuts today.  Lab officials will ask for voluntary layoffs before deciding how many pink slips to hand out.

Human Resources Director Mark Holubar tells Boise State Public Radio the layoff process will continue until the end of March.

“This is obviously a very difficult situation for us, and any time that we are talking about the possibility of eliminating somebody’s job it’s not an easy thing,” Holubar says.

The Idaho National Laboratory cut about 100 jobs last year.  INL, which is operated by Battelle Energy Alliance, employs more than 4,000 people.  Thousands more on the site near Idaho Falls are employed by contractors and other agencies.