(Washington, DC) - Congressman Baron Hill is pleased to announce that the U.S. Department of Labor has approved Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) for certain employees of National Office Furniture in Santa Claus.  The TAA Program provides aid to workers who lose their jobs or whose hours of work and wages are reduced as a result of increased imports.  TAA offers a variety of benefits and reemployment services to assist unemployed workers prepare for and obtain suitable employment. Workers may be eligible for training, job search and relocation allowances, income support and other reemployment services.

According to findings by the Department of Labor, the agency’s investigation revealed that workers of National Office Furniture – Santa Claus, who are engaged in employment related to the production of wood office furniture meet the criteria for certification of eligibility for TAA.  Specifically, the criteria met include: a significant number or proportion of works in the workers’ firm have become totally or partially separated; the sales and/or production of wood office furniture by the subject firm decreased during the period under investigation; imports of articles like or directly competitive with wood office furniture produced by National Office Furniture – Santa Claus have increased, both by customers and within the subject firm itself; and, because the increased imports of wood office furniture contributed importantly to the worker group separations and sales/production declines at National Office Furniture – Santa Claus.

“All workers of National Office Furniture – Santa Claus, Santa Claus, Indiana, who become totally or partially separated from employment on or after September 14, 2008, through two years from the date of certification, and all workers in the group threatened with total or partial separation from employment on date of certification through two years from the date of certification, are eligible to apply for adjustment assistance under Chapter 2 of Title II of the Trade Act of 1974, as amended,” writes Elliott S. Kusher, Certifying Officer, Division of Trade Adjustment Assistance, in the Department of Labor’s findings. 

“I’m pleased with the Department of Labor’s decision here,” Hill said.  “This will hopefully help out many workers at National Office Furniture who may have lost their job for reasons completely outside of their control.  As always, my office stands ready to help in any way we can.”