DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration

TA-W-85,148

LASERWORDS U.S. INC.
MAINE DIVISION
A WHOLLY OWNED SUBSIDIARY OF LASERWORDS PVT. LTD.
A WHOLLY OWNED SUBSIDIARY OF SPI GLOBAL
LEWISTON, MAINE

Notice of Negative Determination
After Statutory Reconsideration

As required by the Trade Adjustment Assistance Reauthorization
Act of 2015 (TAARA 2015), which was enacted as Title IV of the Trade
Preferences Extension Act of 2015, Public Law No. 114-27, section
405(a)(1)(A), the investigation into this petition was reopened for a
reconsideration investigation to apply the requirements for worker
group eligibility under chapter 2 of title II of the Trade Act of
1974, as amended by the TAARA 2015, to the facts of this petition
(statutory reconsideration).
The initial investigation, initiated on March 14, 2014, resulted
in a negative determination, issued on March 21, 2014, based on the
finding that the subject firm does not produce an article. The
determination was applicable to workers and former workers of
Laserwords U.S. Inc., Maine Division, a wholly owned subsidiary of
Laserwords Pvt. Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of SPI Global,
Lewiston, Maine (Laserwords U.S. - Maine). The workers’ firm is
engaged in activities related to the supply of enrichment, customer
support, marketing services support, content development, testing and
quality assurance, and project management services.
The petition, filed by the State of Maine, states that one (1)
worker who performed “IT services” for the subject form was separated
on December 13, 2013 and provided the following reason for the
worker’s separation: “IT services for which this employee provided
are now provided by location in India.” The petition also states
that neither the subject firm nor any part of the subject firm is
closing. The petition did not include additional information or
supporting documents.
Based on information reviewed during the reconsideration
investigation, the Department determines that, with respect to
Section 222(a) and Section 222(b) of the Act, a significant number or
proportion of the workers, as defined in 20 CFR 90.2, at Laserwords
U.S. - Maine have not become totally or partially separated or
threatened to become totally or partially separated. Specifically,
during the one year period prior to the petition date (March 13,
2014), fewer than three workers at Laserwords U.S. - Maine were
totally or partially separated or were threatened to become totally
or partially separated.
Finally, the group eligibility requirements under Section 222(e)
of the Act, have not been satisfied either because the workers’ firm
has not been publically identified by name by the International Trade
Commission as a member of a domestic industry in an investigation
resulting in an affirmative finding of serious injury, market
disruption, or material injury, or threat thereof.

Conclusion
After careful review, I determine that the requirements of
Section 222 of the Act, 19 U.S.C. § 2272, have not been met and,
therefore, deny the petition for group eligibility of Laserwords U.S.
Inc., Maine Division, a wholly owned subsidiary of Laserwords Pvt.
Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of SPI Global, Lewiston, Maine, to
apply for adjustment assistance, in accordance with Section 223 of
the Act, 19 U.S.C. § 2273.

Signed in Washington, D.C. this 22nd day of March, 2016

/s/Del Min Amy Chen
______________________________
DEL MIN AMY CHEN
Certifying Officer, Office of
Trade Adjustment Assistance





DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration

TA-W-85,148

LASERWORDS U.S. INC.
MAINE DIVISION
A WHOLLY OWNED SUBSIDIARY OF LASERWORDS PVT. LTD.
A WHOLLY OWNED SUBSIDIARY OF SPI GLOBAL
LEWISTON, MAINE

Negative Determination Regarding Eligibility
To Apply For Worker Adjustment Assistance
And Alternative Trade 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.
Workers of a firm may be eligible for worker adjustment
assistance if they satisfy the criteria of subsection (a) and (b)
of Section 222 of the Act, 19 U.S.C. § 2272(a) and (b). For the
Department of Labor to issue a certification for workers under
Section 222(a) of the Act, 19 U.S.C. § 2272(a), the following three
criteria must be met:
(1) 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 such workers' firm, or
an appropriate subdivision of the firm, have become totally or
partially separated, or are threatened to become totally or
partially separated
(2) The second criterion (set forth in Section 222(a)(2) of the
Act, 19 U.S.C. § 2272(a)(2)) may be satisfied in one of two
ways:
(A) Increased Imports Path:
(i) sales or production, or both, at the workers' firm must
have decreased absolutely, AND
(ii) imports of articles like or directly competitive with
articles produced by such firm or subdivision have
increased; and
(iii) the increase 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 or subdivision.

(B) Shift in Production Path:
(i) there has been a shift in production by such workers'
firm or subdivision to a foreign country of articles like
or directly competitive with articles which are produced
by such firm or subdivision; and
(ii)(I) the country to which the workers' firm has
shifted production of the articles is a party to a free
trade agreement with the United States;
(II)the country to which the workers' firm has
shifted production of the articles is a beneficiary
country under the Andean Trade Preference Act, African
Growth and Opportunity Act, or the Caribbean Basin
Economic Recovery Act; or
(III)there has been or is likely to be an increase in
imports of articles that are like or directly
competitive with articles which are or were produced by
such firm or subdivision.

For the Department to issue a secondary worker certification
under Section 222(b) of the Act, 19 U.S.C. § 2272(b), to workers of
a Supplier or a Downstream Producer, the following criteria must be
met:
(1) a significant number or proportion of the workers in the
workers' firm or an appropriate subdivision of the firm
have become totally or partially separated, or are
threatened to become totally or partially separated;

(2) the workers' firm is a Supplier or Downstream Producer to
a firm that employed a group of workers who received a
certification of eligibility under Section 222(a) of the
Act, 19 U.S.C. § 2272(a), and such supply or production
is related to the article that was the basis for such
certification; and

(3) either
(A) the workers' firm is a supplier and the component parts
it supplied to the firm described in paragraph (2)
accounted for at least 20 percent of the production or
sales of the workers' firm; or
(B) a loss of business by the workers' firm with the firm
described in paragraph (2) contributed importantly to the
workers' separation or threat of separation.


Section 222(c) of the Act, 19 U.S.C. § 2272(c), defines the
terms "Supplier" and "Downstream Producer."
The investigation was initiated in response to a petition
filed on March 14, 2014 by a State Workforce Agency on behalf of
workers of Laserwords U.S. Inc., Maine Division, a wholly owned
subsidiary of Laserwords Pvt. Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of
SPI Global, Lewiston, Maine (Laserwords). The workers' firm is
engaged in activities related to the supply of enrichment, customer
support, marketing services support, content development, testing
and quality assurance services and project management services.
The petitioner alleged that one worker was separated due to a
shift in the supply of information technology services to India.
During the course of the investigation, information was
collected from the workers' firm.
The investigation revealed that Laserwords does not produce an
article within the meaning of Section 222(a) or Section 222(b) of
the Act. In order to be considered eligible to apply for
adjustment assistance under Section 223 of the Trade Act of 1974,
the worker group seeking certification (or on whose behalf
certification is being sought) must work for a "firm" or
appropriate subdivision that produces an article.
The definition of a firm includes an individual proprietorship,
partnership, joint venture, association, corporation (including a
development corporation), business trust, cooperative, trustee in
bankruptcy, and receiver under decree of any court.
During the investigation, the Department of Labor obtained
information that revealed that the workers' firm did not produce an
article; rather, the workers' firm supplied services related to
enrichment, customer support, marketing services support, content
development, testing and QA services and project management.
In order for the Department to issue a certification of
eligibility to apply for alternative trade adjustment assistance
(ATAA), the worker group must be certified eligible to apply for
trade adjustment assistance (TAA). Since the workers are denied
eligibility to apply for TAA, the workers cannot be certified
eligible for ATAA.

Conclusion
After careful review of the facts obtained in the
investigation, I determine that all workers of Laserwords U.S.
Inc., Maine Division, a wholly owned subsidiary of Laserwords Pvt.
Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of SPI Global, Lewiston, Maine, are
denied eligibility to apply for adjustment assistance under Section
223 of the Trade Act of 1974, and are also denied eligibility to
apply for alternative trade adjustment assistance under Section 246
of the Trade Act of 1974.

Signed in Washington, D.C., this 21st day of March, 2014


/s/Del Min Amy Chen
______________________________
DEL MIN AMY CHEN
Certifying Officer, Office of
Trade Adjustment Assistance