DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration

TA-W-73,308

HOFFMASTER FOOD SERVICE
D/B/A BROOKLACE
A SUBSIDIARY OF HOFFMASTER GROUP, INC.
WEST HAVEN, CONNECTICUT

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 January 20, 2010 by a state workforce office on behalf
of workers of Hoffmaster Food Service, d/b/a Brooklace, a
subsidiary of Hoffmaster Group, Inc., West Haven, Connecticut.
The workers produced disposable paper table top products.
The investigation revealed that workers of Brooklace who
are engaged in employment related to production of disposable
paper table top products meet the criteria for certification.
Section 222(a)(1) has been met because a significant
number of workers have been separated during the relevant
period.
Section 222(a)(2)(A)(i) has been met because the sales
and production of disposable paper table top products by
Brooklace have decreased absolutely during the relevant
period.
Section 222(a)(2)(A)(ii) has been met because customer
imports of articles like or directly competitive with the
disposable paper table top products produced by Brooklace have
increased.
Finally, Section 222(a)(2)(A)(iii) has been met because
the increased customer imports contributed importantly to the
worker separations and sales/production declines at Brooklace.


Conclusion
After careful review of the facts obtained in the
investigation, I determine that workers of Hoffmaster Food
Service, d/b/a Brooklace, a subsidiary of Hoffmaster Group,
Inc., West Haven, Connecticut, who are engaged in employment
related to production of disposable paper table top products
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 Hoffmaster Food Service, d/b/a Brooklace,
a subsidiary of Hoffmaster Group, Inc., West Haven,
Connecticut, who became totally or partially separated from
employment on or after January 15, 2009, through two years
from the date of certification, and all workers in the
group threatened with total or partial separation from
employment on the 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 14th day of July, 2010

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