DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration

TA-W-85,670

VERIZON COMMUNICATIONS
LIVESOURCE DIRECTORY ASSISTANCE OPERATORS
ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA

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 November 25, 2014,
resulted in a negative determination, issued on December 20, 2014,
that was based on the firm not producing an article. The
determination was applicable to workers and former workers of
Verizon Communications, LiveSource Directory Assistance Operators,
Erie, Pennsylvania (herein referred to as “Verizon”). The workers’
firm is engaged in activities related to the supply of
telecommunications services, specifically call center services
handling 411 and directory assistance incoming calls.
The petitioner alleges that, “Calls that were processed may
now be handled by foreign call centers such as Makati,
Philippines.”
Based on information reviewed during the reconsideration
investigation, the Department of Labor determines that there was no
shift in services to a foreign country by Verizon and no increase
imports of like or directly competitive services to a foreign
country.
With respect to Section 222(a)(2)(A)(ii) of the Act, the
investigation revealed that Verizon has not increased imports of
like or directly competitive call center services. Verizon does
not import like or directly competitive call center services.
With respect to Section 222(a)(2)(B) of the Act, the
investigation revealed that Verizon did not shift the supply of
like or directly competitive services to a foreign country or
acquire services from a foreign country. The call center
services, like or directly competitive to the services supplied
by Verizon will stay within the United States.
With respect to Section 222(b)(2) of the Act, the
investigation revealed that Verizon is not a Supplier or a
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).
Finally, the group eligibility requirements under Section
222(e) of the Act, have not been satisfied either because Criterion
(1) has not been met since the workers’ firm has not been publicly
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 of the facts obtained in the
investigation, 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 Verizon Communications,
LiveSource Directory Assistance Operators, Erie, Pennsylvania, who
are engaged in activities related to the supply of
telecommunications services, specifically call center services
handling 411 and directory assistance incoming calls, to apply
for adjustment assistance, in accordance with Section 223 of the
Act, 19 U.S.C. § 2273.
Signed in Washington, D.C. this 24th day of November, 2015

/s/Hope D. Kinglock
______________________________
HOPE D. KINGLOCK
Certifying Officer, Office of
Trade Adjustment Assistance








DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Employment and Training Administration
TA-W-85,670

VERIZON COMMUNICATIONS
LIVESOURCE DIRECTORY ASSISTANCE OPERATORS
ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA

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 November 25, 2014 by the International Brotherhood of
Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 1637 on behalf of workers of
Verizon Communications, LiveSource Directory Assistance Operators,
Erie, Pennsylvania. The workers' firm is engaged in activities
related to the supply of call center services.
The petitioner alleges that, "Calls that were processed may
now be handled by foreign call centers such as Makati,
Philippines."
During the course of the investigation, information was
collected from the workers' firm and the petitioner.
The investigation revealed that Verizon, 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
call center services.
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 Verizon
Communications, LiveSource Directory Assistance Operators, Erie,
Pennsylvania engaged in activities related to the supply of call
center services, 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 30th day of December, 2014

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