UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration

TA-W-96,608

METHODE ELECTRONICS
NORTH AMERICAN AUTOMOTIVE DIVISION
CARTHAGE, ILLINOIS

Certification Regarding Eligibility
To Apply for Trade Adjustment Assistance for Workers

In accordance with Section 223 of the Trade Act of 1974, as amended (“the 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 November 10, 2020 and
filed on November 12, 2020 by a Company Official, on behalf of workers and former workers of
Methode Electronics, North American Automotive division, Carthage, Illinois (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 supply of services for tooling design
and build, fabrication, materials planning and logistics, finance, quality, engineering and clerical
and are not separately identifiable by service.
The petition alleged that worker separations, or threats thereof, were due to foreign trade
because, Services have been shifted to a foreign country. Initial shift moving to Mexico began in
2008 and are being finalized with the closing now of the facility and it's remaining employees in
Carthage on the estimated date of [May 3, 2021].
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(a) of the Act,
19 U.S.C. § 2272(a), are satisfied if the following criteria are met:
Employment Criterion
(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.
20 C.F.R. 618.225(b)(2)(i)(B) states that an “analysis of separation data must generally
consist of a: “(1) Comparison of employment on the petition date to employment on the date that is
1 year prior to the petition date; (2) Review of employment activity during the 1-year period prior
to the petition date; and (3) Review of evidence provided by the workers’ firm regarding actual and
threatened separations that occur, or are scheduled to occur, after the petition date.”
The Department determines that the employment criterion has been met.
Shift/Acquisition Criterion
(2)(B)(i)(I) there has been a shift by the workers’ firm to a foreign country in the production
of articles or the supply of services like or directly competitive with articles which
are produced or services which are supplied by such firm; or
(II) such workers’ firm has acquired from a foreign country articles or services that
are like or directly competitive with articles which are produced or services which
are supplied by such firm;
According to 20 C.F.R. 618.225(b)(2)(ii)(B), “Analysis of shift data must generally consist
of a: (1) Comparison of shift/acquisition data on the petition date to shift/acquisition data that is
1 year prior to the petition date; (2) Review of shift/acquisition activity during the 1-year period
prior to the petition date; and (3) Review of evidence provided by the workers’ firm regarding shift/
acquisition activity scheduled to occur after the petition date.”
The Department determines that the shift criterion has been met.
Contributed Importantly Criterion
(ii) the shift described in clause (i)(I) or the acquisition of articles or services described
in clause (i)(II) contributed importantly to such workers’ separation or threat of
separation.
Sec. 222(c) of the Trade Act and 20 C.F.R. 618.110 defines contributed importantly as “a
cause that is important but not necessarily more important than any other cause.”
According to 20 C.F.R. 618.225(b)(2)(iii), “(A) Analysis of impact of shift activity on
worker separations must generally consist of determining: (1) Whether there are one or more events
or factors that sever or lessen the causal nexus between the shift activity and worker separations
or threat of separation; (2) What percentage of the workers’ firm sales or production declines was
attributable to the firm’s shift activity; (3) Whether operations at the workers’ firm domestic facility
or facilities decreased at the same or at a greater rate than operations at the foreign facility or
facilities; and (4) Whether there are other events or factors that mitigate or amplify the impact
of shift activity on the workers’ firm. (B) The impact may be determined using a quantitative or
qualitative analysis.”
The Department determines that the contributed importantly criterion has been met.
Conclusion
After careful review of the facts obtained in the investigation, I determine that workers
of Methode Electronics, North American Automotive division, Carthage, Illinois, who are
engaged in activities related to the supply of services for tooling design and build, fabrication,
materials planning and logistics, finance, quality, engineering and clerical 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 Methode Electronics, North American Automotive division, Carthage,
Illinois, who became totally or partially separated from employment on or after November
10, 2019 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 18th day of December, 2020.


__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
/s/ HOPE D. KINGLOCK
Certifying Officer, Office of
Trade Adjustment Assistance