Petitioner Type: State
Impact Date:
Filed Date: 02/10/2022
Most Recent Update: 04/28/2022
Determination Date: 04/28/2022
Expiration Date:
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Employment and Training Administration
TA-W-98,194
AMY'S KITCHEN, INC.
POCATELLO, IDAHO
Negative Determinations Regarding
Eligibility To Apply for Worker Adjustment
Assistance And Alternative Trade Adjustment
Assistance
TRADE ADJUSTMENT ASSISTANCE
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 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 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 theAct, 19 U.S.C. § 2272(a)(1)) requires that a significantnumber or proportion of the workers in such workers' firm, oran appropriate subdivision of the firm, have become totallyor partially separated, or are threatened to become totallyor 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 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 Trade
Adjustment Assistance for Workers (TAA) and Alternative Trade
Adjustment Assistance (ATAA) petition dated February 9, 2022, and
filed on February 10, 2022 by a State Workforce Office, on behalf
of former workers of Amy's Kitchen, Inc., Pocatello, Idaho
(hereafter referred to as the "group of workers"). In accordance
with 20 CFR 618.110 group of workers is defined as, ""¦including
teleworkers and staffed workers."
The group of workers is engaged in activities related to the
production of organic and vegetarian frozen food and dry goods.
The petition alleges that worker separations, or threats
thereof, were due to "Amy's Kitchen has experienced a number of
layoffs in 2021-2022 at the Pocatello, [Idaho] manufacturing
plant. Imports of frozen specialty food products like those cooked
and packaged at the Pocatello plant have increased in 2020 and
2021 (see attachments)."
During the course of the investigation, the Department
collected information from the petitioner(s), the workers' firm,
and other relevant sources.
With respect to Section 222(a)(2)(A)(i) of the Act, the
investigation revealed that the workers' firm has not experienced
a decline in the sales or production of organic and vegetarian
frozen food and dry goods during the period relevant to the
investigation (February 2021 through January 2022 compared to the
period of February 2020 through January 2021).
With respect to Section 222(a)(2)(B) of the Act, the
investigation revealed that the workers' firm did not shift
production of organic and vegetarian frozen food and dry goods, or
articles like or directly competitive, to a foreign country.
With respect to Section 222(b)(2) of the Act, the
investigation revealed that Amy's Kitchen, Inc., Pocatello, Idaho
is not a Supplier 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).
With respect to Section 222(b)(2) of the Act, the
investigation revealed that Amy's Kitchen, Inc., Pocatello, Idaho
does not act as a Downstream Producer to a firm (or subdivision,
whichever is applicable) 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).
ALTERNATIVE TRADE ADJUSTMENT ASSISTANCE
In order for the Department to issue a certification of
eligibility to apply for Alternative Trade Adjustment Assistance
("ATAA"), the group of workers must be certified eligible to apply
for Trade Adjustment Assistance ("TAA"). Because the group of
workers are denied eligibility to apply for TAA, the group of
workers cannot be certified eligible for ATAA.
Conclusion
After careful review of the facts obtained in the
investigation, I determine that all workers of Amy's Kitchen, Inc.,
Pocatello, Idaho engaged in activities related to the production
of organic and vegetarian frozen food and dry goods are denied
eligibility to apply for adjustment assistance under Section 223
of the Trade Act of 1974, as amended, and are also denied
eligibility to apply for alternative trade adjustment assistance
under Section 246 of the Trade Act of 1974, amended.
Signed in Washington, D.C. this 28th day of April, 2022
/s/ Hope D. Kinglock
_______________________
HOPE D. KINGLOCK
Certifying Officer, Office of
Trade Adjustment Assistance