Certified
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TAW-96904  /  Smart Energy, Elster Water Co. (Ocala, FL)

Petitioner Type: Workers
Impact Date: 05/13/2020
Filed Date: 05/14/2021
Most Recent Update: 06/29/2021
Determination Date: 06/29/2021
Expiration Date: 06/29/2023

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Employment and Training Administration
TA-W-96,904
SMART ENERGY, ELSTER WATER CO.

INCLUDING WORKERS WHOSE WAGES WERE REPORTED THROUGH HONEYWELL

OCALA, FLORIDA
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 May 13, 2021 and
filed on May 14, 2021 by Workers, on behalf of workers and former workers of Smart Energy,
Elster Water Co., including workers whose wages were reported through Honeywell, Ocala, Florida
(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 residential water meter
customization, including: programming, wiring additions, and moistures sealing; commercial
water meter customization, including: programming, wiring and modual additions, and special
requirements; production planning, including: shipping/receiving, IT debugging and programming,
warranty administration, and preproduction testing and are not separately identifiable by product.

The petition alleged that worker separations, or threats thereof, were due to the shift of
operations (production and services) to a foreign country (Mexico).

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 Smart Energy, Elster Water Co., including workers whose wages were reported through
Honeywell, Ocala, Florida, who are engaged in activities related to the production of residential
water meter customization, including: programming, wiring additions, and moistures sealing;
commercial water meter customization, including: programming, wiring and modual additions,
and special requirements; production planning, including: shipping/receiving, IT debugging
and programming, warranty administration, and preproduction testing 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 Smart Energy, Elster Water Co., including workers whose wages were
reported through Honeywell, Ocala, Florida, who became totally or partially separated from
employment on or after May 13, 2020 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 29th day of June, 2021.

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