(Washington, DC) - Congressman Baron Hill is pleased to announce that the U.S. Department of Labor has approved Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) for employees of Office Furniture Group Shared Services – Jasper, including on-site leased workers from Action, Inc. and Personnel Management Inc., also of Jasper, who are engaged in employment related to wood office furniture.  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 such workers previously identified 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 workers’ firm is a Supplier or Downstream Producer to a firm that employed a group of workers who received a certification of eligibility and such supply or production is related to the article or service that was the basis for such certification; the workers’ firm is a supplier and the component parts it supplied to the firm just referenced accounted for at least 20 percent of the production of sales of the workers’ firm; and/or a loss of business by the workers’ firm with the other firm contributed importantly to the workers’ separation or threat of separation. 

 “All workers of Office Furniture Group Shared Services, including on-site leased workers from Action, Inc. and Personnel Management Inc., Jasper, Indiana, who became 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. 

“This is good news coming out of an unfortunate situation,” Hill said.  “I’m pleased with the Department of Labor’s finding, and believe it will help many workers obtain the tools necessary to secure another job.  As always, my office stands ready to help in any way we can.”