DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration

TA-W-72,657

HILTON RESERVATIONS AND CUSTOMER CARE
A SUBSIDIARY OF HILTON WORLDWIDE
HAZLETON, PENNSYLVANIA

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. (Set forth in 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 October 23, 2009 on behalf of workers of Hilton
Reservations and Customer Care, a subsidiary of Hilton
Worldwide, Hazleton, Pennsylvania (Hilton Reservations
Hazleton).
The workers are engaged in activities related to customer
call center support services; including receiving inbound calls
from customers, providing hotels reservations related services
such as answering hotel informational questions, booking
reservations, making changes and cancellations, etc. The
workers are not separately identifiable by products produced.
The investigation revealed that workers of Hilton
Reservations Hazleton, who are engaged in activities related to
customer call center support services meet the criteria for
certification.
Criterion I has been met because a significant proportion
of workers in the workers' firm have become totally or partially
separated during the relevant period.
Criterion II has been satisfied because there has been a
shift in the acquisition of customer call center services by
Hilton Reservations Hazleton to the Philippines.
Criterion III has been met because the shift in
acquisition of customer call center services by Hilton
Reservations Hazleton to the Philippines contributed importantly
to worker group separations of Hilton Reservations Hazleton.
Conclusion
After careful review of the facts obtained in the
investigation, I determine that workers of Hilton Reservations
and Customer Care, a subsidiary of Hilton Worldwide, Hazleton,
Pennsylvania, who are engaged in activities related to
production of customer call center services 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 Hilton Reservations and Customer Care, a
subsidiary of Hilton Worldwide, Hazleton, Pennsylvania, who
became totally or partially separated from employment on or
after October 19, 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 9th day of December, 2009


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