DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration

TA-W-72,297

NATIONAL OFFICE FURNITURE-SANTA CLAUS
SANTA CLAUS, INDIANA


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:
(1) a significant number or proportion of the workers in such
workers' firm have become totally or partially separated, or
are threatened to become totally or partially separated; and

(2)(A)(i) the sales or production, or both, of such firm have
decreased absolutely; and

(ii)(I) imports of articles or services like or directly
competitive with articles produced or services supplied by
such firm have increased; and

(iii) the increase in imports described in clause (ii)
contributed importantly to such workers' separation or
threat of separation and to the decline in the sales or
production of such firm.

The investigation was initiated in response to a petition
filed on September 15, 2009 by a company official on behalf of
workers of National Office Furniture-Santa Claus, Santa Claus,
Indiana. Workers at the subject firm manufacture wood office
furniture and are not separately identifiable by products
produced.
The investigation revealed that workers of National Office
Furniture-Santa Claus, Santa Claus, Indiana who are engaged in
employment related to the production of wood office furniture
meet the criteria for certification.
Section 222(a)(1) has been met because a significant
number or proportion of the workers in the workers' firm have
become totally or partially separated.
Section 222(a)(2)(A)(i) has been met because the sales
and/or production of wood office furniture by the subject firm
decreased during the period under investigation.
Section 222(a)(2)(A)(ii) has been met because 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. The Department of Labor conducted a survey of the
subject firm's major declining customers regarding their
purchases of wood office furniture during 2007, 2008, January
through April 2008 and January through April 2009. The survey
revealed increased reliance on imports of wood office furniture.
Section 222(a)(2)(A)(iii) has been met 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.
Conclusion
After careful review of the facts obtained in the
investigation, I determine that workers of National Office
Furniture-Santa Claus, Santa Claus, Indiana, who are engaged in
activities related to production of office furniture, 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 National Office Furniture-Santa Claus,
Santa Claus, 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."
Signed in Washington, D.C., this 20th day of October 2009.


/s/Elliott S. Kushner
______________________________
ELLIOTT S. KUSHNER
Certifying Officer, Division of
Trade Adjustment Assistance