DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration

TA-W-71,075

UMICORE COBALT SPECIALTY MATERIALS NA
A DIVISION OF UMICORE USA INC
INCLUDING ON-SITE LEASED WORKERS FROM OLSTEN STAFFING SERVICE,
WOW SERVICES LLC, AND RICHARD BLAINE
MAXTON, NORTH CAROLINA

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 on June 9, 2009 by company official on behalf of workers of
Umicore Cobalt Specialty Materials NA, A Division of Umicore USA
Inc., Maxton, North Carolina (Umicore). The workers produce
cobalt carbonate and cobalt hydroxide. The worker group also
includes on-site leased workers of Olsten Staffing Services, WOW
Services LLC, and Richard Blaine.
The investigation revealed that workers of Umicore, who are
engaged in employment related to production of cobalt carbonate
and cobalt hydroxide, meet the criteria for certification.
Criterion I has been met because a significant number of
workers at Umicore were threatened to become totally or partially
separated as of July 31, 2009.
Criterion II has been satisfied because the subject firm
has shifted to foreign countries the production of articles like
or directly competitive with articles produced by the workers.
Criterion III has been met because the shift in production
of cobalt carbonate and cobalt hydroxide to Belgium and China by
Umicore contributed importantly to worker group separations at
the Maxton, North Carolina facility.
Conclusion
After careful review of the facts obtained in the
investigation, I determine that workers of Umicore Cobalt
Specialty Materials NA, A Division of Umicore USA Inc., including
on-site leased workers for Olsten Staffing Services, WOW Services,
and Richard Blaine, Maxton, North Carolina, who are engaged in
employment related to the production of cobalt carbonate and
cobalt hydroxide, 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 Umicore Cobalt Specialty Materials NA, A
Division of Umicore USA Inc., including on-site leased
workers of Olsten Staffing Services, WOW Services and Richard
Blaine, Maxton, North Carolina, who became totally or
partially separated from employment on or after September 9,
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."
Signed in Washington, D.C., this 23rd day of September, 2009

/s/ Michael W. Jaffe
__________________________
MICHAEL W. JAFFE
Certifying Officer, Division of
Trade Adjustment Assistance