Fluor Hanford expects to issue layoff notifications to up to 80 employees on Jan. 19, with the workers' last days on the job being Jan. 29.

This impending layoff round was announced in October.

On Thursday, Fluor President Ron Gallagher sent a memo to all employees to seek people to volunteer to be laid off.

An information session for people interested in taking the offer is scheduled for 7 a.m. Thursday, at 2420 Stevens Center, Richland. Employees have until Dec. 18 to volunteer.

Fluor's managers are supposed to finish reports on their upcoming staff needs Friday.

The impending layoffs are part of Fluor rejuggling its work force as it nears completion of converting scrap plutonium to safer forms at the Plutonium Finishing Plant, and removing spent nuclear fuel from the K Basins.

After that, Fluor will concentrate more on decontaminating and tearing down buildings, plus dealing with contaminated ground water.

Fluor employs almost 4,000 people. The company has laid off 323 employees so far in 2003, and another 281 left for other reasons. Fluor has hired about 260 new employees in 2003.