DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration

TA-W-80,496

BEN MAR HOSIERY
FT. PAYNE, ALABAMA

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 October 7, 2011 by a company official on behalf of
workers of Ben Mar Hosiery, Ft. Payne, Alabama (Ben Mar Ft.
Payne). The workers' firm is engaged in activities related to
the production of socks.
Workers were certified eligible to apply for Trade
Adjustment Assistance (TAA) under petition number TA-W-64,157,
which expired on October 22, 2010.
During the course of the investigation, information was
collected from the workers' firm and the U.S. Census Bureau.
Section 222(a)(1) has been met because 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.
Section 222(a)(2)(A)(i) has been met because the sales of
socks by Ben Mar Ft. Payne have decreased.
Section 222(a)(2)(A)(ii) has been met because aggregate
United States imports of articles like or directly competitive
with the articles produced by Ben Mar Ft. Payne have
increased.
Finally, Section 222(a)(2)(A)(iii) has been met because
increased aggregate United States imports contributed
importantly to the worker group separations and sales declines
at Ben Mar Ft. Payne.


Conclusion
After careful review of the facts obtained in the
investigation, I determine that workers of Ben Mar Hosiery, Ft.
Payne, Alabama, who are engaged in activities related to the
production of socks 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 Ben Mar Hosiery, Ft. Payne, Alabama, who
became totally or partially separated from employment on or
after October 23, 2010, through two years from the date of
certification, and all workers in the group threatened with
total or partial separation from employment on December 20,
2011 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 November, 2011.


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