JENKINS ANNOUNCES ASSISTANCE

 TO MORRILL MOTORS EMPLOYEES

Decision will allow separated employees to apply for training and financial assistance

WASHINGTON - Congressman Bill Jenkins announced today that the Department of Labor has reconsidered an initial denial of assistance for the Morrill Motors facility in Sneedville and approved their application for Trade Adjustment Assistance.

"I am pleased the Department reconsidered this request and approved the assistance," Jenkins noted.  "The initial denials of this request were based upon some inaccurate information about foreign competition and a review of the wrong time period that skewed the decision against Morrill."

Congressman Jenkins wrote a letter to Labor Secretary Elaine Chao in February asking for an administrative review of the initial decision.  Morrill Motors also appealed the decision.  After an expedited review process, Richard Church, the Certifying Officer in the Division of Trade Adjustment Assistance, approved the certification.

Jenkins added, "This decision doesn't ease the pain of the loss of this facility in Hancock County, but it will help those employees affected by the loss with various forms of assistance during this transition period."

Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) and Alternative Trade Adjustment Assistance (ATAA) help trade-affected workers who have lost their jobs as a result of increased imports or shifts in production out of the United States.  Certified individuals may be eligible to receive one or more program benefits and services depending on what is needed to return them to employment.  For more information, the Labor Department website provides information at:

http://www.doleta.gov/tradeact/benefits.cfm