In wake of today's announcement that WestPoint Home in Biddeford will lay off all second-shift employees, U.S. Senators Olympia J. Snowe and Susan Collins today pledged support for the 42 employees who will lose their jobs Friday. Senators Snowe and Collins will work with the U.S. Department of Labor and Maine Department of Labor to ensure that these workers get the assistance they need.
“This is unfortunate news for the Biddeford workers who will be adversely impacted by these layoffs,” said Snowe and Collins in a joint statement. “We will do everything in our power to ensure that these employees get the critical assistance they need to stay on their feet during these difficult times.”
Should a Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) petition be filed by the WestPoint Home workers or the Maine Department of Labor, Senator Snowe and Collins will work to expedite the request for assistance. The TAA program helps workers who lose their jobs or whose hours of work and wages decrease as a result of increased imports. If the TAA petition is approved, displaced WestPoint Home workers will be eligible for employment training in another job or career, income support, job search allowance, and relocation services for individuals who obtain jobs outside of their normal commuting area.
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