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OAK RIDGE, Tenn. (AP) — The Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee will offer a voluntary separation package to selected employees as it tries to cut 350 positions in anticipation of federal budget cuts.

Lab director Thom Mason told The Oak Ridger on Thursday that the lab will extend the offer from Oct. 3 to Nov. 16.

The program will include incentives for those choosing to leave.

But if not enough employees take advantage of the voluntary separation, Mason says there will have to be layoffs. Mason says the lab is doing everything it can to adjust costs.

Another voluntary separation package was offered in the spring and 161 employees took advantage of it.

The lab employs about 4,700 people.

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Information from: The Oak Ridger