Oregon Public Broadcasting

The federal government has ordered that about 600 workers at Oregon's Umatilla Chemical Depot be awarded more than $4 million in back pay.

The people worked for EG&G Technical Services, a defense contractor that provides employees in all areas of the Hermiston plant. That's where old chemical weapons are being incinerated.

Richard Longo is the regional director of enforcement for the U.S. Labor Department. He says the agency found that people who worked inside the plant often weren't paid for the time they spent getting into and out of their protective suits.

Richard Longo: "You know, there's been a lot of debate up to the Supreme Court level as to whether this time in compensable or not. So it's something that's been around for awhile."

Longo says the investigation also found some employees weren't paid for lunch breaks that they actually worked.

He says the company cooperated with his agency's investigation.