DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Employment and Training Administration
TA-W-56,798

UNICARE
A SUBSIDIARY OF WELLPOINT HEALTH NETWORKS INC.
CHARLESTOWN, MASSACHUSETTS

Negative Determination Regarding Eligibility
To Apply For Worker Adjustment Assistance and
Alternative Trade Adjustment Assistance

In accordance with Section 223 of the Trade Act of 1974, as
amended (19 USC 2273), the Department of Labor herein presents
the results of an investigation regarding certification of
eligibility to apply for worker adjustment assistance.
The investigation was initiated on March 22, 2005, in
response to a petition filed on behalf of workers of UniCare, a
subsidiary of WellPoint Health Networks Inc., Charlestown,
Massachusetts. The workers were provided various administrative
support activities such as reporting, legal, billing, sales, IT,
and finance.
The investigation found that UniCare is a health insurance
provider. UniCare, a subsidiary of WellPoint Health Networks
Inc., Charlestown, Massachusetts, does not produce an article
within the meaning of Section 222(a)(2) of the Act. In order to
be considered eligible to apply for adjustment assistance under
Section 223 of the Trade Act of 1974, the worker group seeking
certification (or on whose behalf certification is being sought)
must work for a "firm" or appropriate subdivision that produces
an article and there must be a relationship between the workers'
work and the article produced by the workers' firm or
appropriate subdivision. The administrative support workers
described above do not support a firm or appropriate subdivision
that produces an article domestically, and thus the worker group
cannot be considered import impacted or affected by a shift in
production of an article.
In addition, in accordance with Section 246 the Trade Act
of 1974 (26 USC 2813), as amended, the Department of Labor
herein presents the results of its investigation regarding
certification of eligibility to apply for alternative trade
adjustment assistance (ATAA) for older workers.
In order for the Department to issue a certification of
eligibility to apply for ATAA, the worker group must be
certified eligible to apply for trade adjustment assistance
(TAA). Since the workers are denied eligibility to apply for
TAA, the workers cannot be certified eligible for ATAA.


Conclusion
After careful review, of the facts obtained in this
investigation, I determine that all workers of UniCare, a
subsidiary of WellPoint Health Networks Inc., Charlestown,
Massachusetts are denied eligibility to apply for adjustment
assistance under Section 223 of the Trade Act of 1974, and are
also denied eligibility to apply for alternative trade
adjustment assistance under Section 246 of the Trade Act of
1974, as amended.
Signed in Washington, D.C., this 26th day of April, 2005.

/s/ Linda G. Poole
______________________________
LINDA G. POOLE
Certifying Officer, Division of
Trade Adjustment Assistance