DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration

TA-W-70,231

BASSETT FURNITURE
INCLUDING ON-SITE LEASED WORKERS FROM AMERISTAFF EMPLOYMENT AND
STAFFING SOLUTIONS
MAIN OFFICE
BASSETT, VIRGINIA

Certification Regarding Eligibility
To Apply for Worker Adjustment Assistance

In accordance with Section 223 of the Trade Act of 1974, as
amended ("Act"), 19 U.S.C. § 2273, the Department of Labor
herein presents the results of an investigation regarding
certification of eligibility to apply for worker adjustment
assistance.
The group eligibility requirements for workers of a firm
under Section 222(a) of the Act, 19 U.S.C. § 2272(a), are
satisfied if the following criteria are met:
I. The first criterion (set forth in Section 222(a)(1) of the
Act, 19 U.S.C. § 2272(a)(1)) requires that a significant
number or proportion of the workers in the workers' firm
must have become totally or partially separated or be
threatened with total or partial separation.

II. The second criterion (set forth in Section 222(a)(2) of the
Act, 19 U.S.C. § 2272(a)(2)) may be satisfied if either:

(i)(I) there has been a shift by the workers' firm to a
foreign country in the production of articles or
supply of services like or directly competitive with
those produced/supplied by the workers' firm; or
(i)(II) there has been an acquisition from a foreign
country by the workers' firm of articles/services that
are like or directly competitive with those
produced/supplied by the workers' firm.

III. The third criterion requires that the shift/acquisition
must have contributed importantly to the workers'
separation or threat of separation. See Section
222(a)(2)(B)(ii) of the Act, 19 U.S.C. §
2272(a)(2)(B)(ii).

The investigation was initiated in response to a petition
filed by a company official on May 18, 2009 on behalf of workers
of Bassett Furniture, Main Office, Bassett, Virginia. The
workers provided information technology, data entry, and
customer service.
Employees at this location were previously certified for
Trade Adjustment Assistance under TA-W-61,073 based on
increasing company imports of wood furniture. That certification
ended on March 19, 2009.
The worker group includes on-site leased workers from
Ameristaff Employment and Staffing Solutions.
The investigation revealed that workers of Bassett
Furniture, Main Office, Bassett, Virginia who are engaged in
employment related to information technology, data entry, and
customer service meet the criteria for certification.
Criterion I has been met because a significant portion of
the workers were separated from employment during the relevant
period.
Criterion II has been met because the subject firm has
shifted information technology, data entry, and customer
service to China.
Criterion III has been met because the shift of
information technology, data entry, and customer service to
China by Bassett Furniture contributed importantly to worker
group separations at the Bassett, Virginia location.
Conclusion
After careful review of the facts obtained in the
investigation, I determine that workers of Bassett Furniture,
Main Office, including on-site leased workers from Ameristaff
Employment and Staffing Solutions, Bassett, Virginia, who are
engaged in employment related to information technology, data
entry, and customer service meet the worker group certification
criteria under Section 222(a) of the Act, 19 U.S.C. § 2272(a).
In accordance with Section 223 of the Act, 19 U.S.C. § 2273, I
make the following certification:


"All workers of Bassett Furniture, Main Office, including
on-site leased workers from Ameristaff Employment and
Staffing Solutions, Bassett, Virginia, who became totally
or partially separated from employment on or after March
20, 2009, 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."
Signed in Washington, D.C., this 17th day of August, 2009


/s/Richard Church
______________________________
RICHARD CHURCH
Certifying Officer, Division of
Trade Adjustment Assistance