UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration

TA-W-96,580

SONOCO PRODUCTS
PLASTICS/PERIMETER OF THE STORE
YAKIMA, WASHINGTON

Certification Regarding Eligibility
To Apply for Trade Adjustment Assistance for Workers

In accordance with Section 223 of the Trade Act of 1974, as amended (“Act”), 19 U.S.C.
§ 2273, the Department of Labor (“Department”) herein presents the results of an investigation
regarding certification of eligibility to apply for Trade Adjustment Assistance (“TAA”) for workers.
The investigation was initiated in response to a TAA petition dated October 26, 2020 and
filed on October 29, 2020 by a State Workforce Office, on behalf of former workers of Sonoco
Products, Plastics/Perimeter of the Store, Yakima, Washington (hereafter referred to as the “worker
group”). In accordance with 20 C.F.R. 618.110 a worker group is defined as, “…inclusive of
teleworkers and staffed workers.”
The worker group is engaged in activities related to the production of PET packaging
containers and are not separately identifiable by product.
The petition alleged that worker separations, or threats thereof, were due to foreign trade
because, “ITC injury based on affirmative decision NO. 73L-TA-L455 and L457 involving imports
of Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) sheet from Korea and Oman”.
The International Trade Commission (ITC) found that an industry in the United States is
materially injured by reason(s) of imports of Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) sheet from Korea
and Oman. The ITC’s determination(s) was published in the Federal Register on September 10,
2020.
During the course of the investigation, the Department collected information from the
petitioner(s), the workers’ firm, and other relevant sources.
The group eligibility requirements for workers of a firm under Section 222(e) of the Act,
19 U.S.C. § 2272(e), are satisfied if the following criteria are met:
Member of Domestic Industry Criterion
(1) the workers’ firm is publicly identified by name by the International Trade Commission
as a member of a domestic industry in an investigation resulting in—
(A) an affirmative determination of serious injury or threat thereof under section 202(b)
(1);
(B) an affirmative determination of market disruption or threat thereof under section
421(b)(1); or
(C) an affirmative final determination of material injury or threat thereof under section
705(b)(1)(A) or 735(b)(1)(A) of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. 1671d(b)(1)(A) and
1673d(b)(1)(A));
The Department determines that the member of a domestic industry criterion has been met.

Timely Petition Filing Criterion
(2) the petition is filed during the 1-year period beginning on the date on which—
(A) a summary of the report submitted to the President by the International Trade
Commission under section 202(f)(1) with respect to the affirmative determination
described in paragraph (1)(A) is published in the Federal Register under section 202(f)
(3); or
(B) notice of an affirmative determination described in subparagraph (B) or (C) of
paragraph (1) is published in the Federal Register; and
The Department determines that the timely filing of a petition criterion has been met.
Employment Criterion
(3) the workers have become totally or partially separated from the workers’ firm within—
(A) the 1-year period described in paragraph (2); or
(B) notwithstanding section 223(b), the 1-year period preceding the 1-year period
described in paragraph (2).
The Department determines that the employment criterion has been met.
Conclusion
After careful review of the facts obtained in the investigation, I determine that workers
of Sonoco Products, Plastics/Perimeter of the Store, Yakima, Washington, who are engaged in
activities related to the production of PET packaging containers meet the worker group certification
criteria under Section 222(e) of the Act, 19 U.S.C. § 2272(e). In accordance with Section 223 of
the Act, 19 U.S.C. § 2273, I make the following certification:
“All workers of Sonoco Products, Plastics/Perimeter of the Store, Yakima, Washington,
who became totally or partially separated from that employment on or after September 10,
2019, through September 10, 2021, 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 19th day of November, 2020




______________________________
HOPE D. KINGLOCK
Certifying Officer, Office of
Trade Adjustment Assistance