Thirteen days after being told they were laid off, 32 NREL researchers were told their jobs were awaiting them once again.

NREL, the U.S. DOE's primary national laboratory for renewable energy and energy efficiency research, was informed in November 2005 of a pending $28 million funding shortfall. The slashed funding was created by Congressionally directed earmarks, which reduced the budget available to the U.S. DOE for funding research at NREL.

"When people were asked to scrub budgets, there was the possibility that all would be made whole again by 2007," NREL spokesman George Douglas said.

Despite cost reduction attempts, including reducing contracts, delaying purchases and reducing conference attendance, the layoffs were announced Feb. 7. Of the 32, eight were research staff members and 24 worked in support positions. Douglas told EPM that two of those staff members worked specifically on ethanol-related research, including cellulosic projects.

On Feb. 20, at the direction of U.S. Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman, $5 million was transferred to the Midwest Research Institute, NREL's operating contractor. NREL used the funds to immediately restore all of the jobs cut nearly two weeks earlier. Although not all of the affected employees are returning to NREL, Douglas said the ethanol-related researchers have come back.

The additional funding was released to NREL one day before President George W. Bush became the first president in 28 years to tour the facility. While there, Bush touted his Advanced Energy Initiative, which he first announced in his Jan. 31 State of the Union address.

The research programs that were affected by the layoffs include biomass, hydrogen and basic research. Douglas said returning employees were able to begin work Feb. 27.