The state Department of Labor has certified that former employees of Hartford’s Sorenson Lighted Controls, who worked in the manufacturing of indicator lights, are eligible to apply for federal Trade Adjustment Assistance.
In addition, former employees of Interplex Technologies Corp., located in North Haven, and former employees of Pfizer, Inc., (Global Reference Standards Division) located in Groton, were also declared eligible.
Sorenson Lighting Control closed production at its Wes-Garde subsidiary in Hartford at the end of the year with 50 employees losing their jobs, according to the Hartford Courant. http://www.courant.com/business/hc-wes-garde-hartford-20160115-story.html Those jobs were relocated to Mexico and Asia.
The department is mailing an eligibility notice regarding the benefits to all affected employees and is providing information on how to apply for benefits. Employees eligible to apply for federal benefits are those who are or will be totally or partially separated from employment due to lack of work on or after Oct. 14, 2014 and on or before Dec. 13, 2017.
Available assistance may include training, income support in the form of Trade Readjustment Allowances (TRA), and job search and relocation allowances for qualified workers who seek or obtain employment outside their normal commuting areas. Individuals 50 years of age and older who return to lower-paying work may be eligible to receive Reemployment Trade Adjustment Assistance (RTAA) wage subsidies.
Workers who believe they may qualify, yet do not receive eligibility information are urged to contact their nearest American Job Center for information and assistance. Information about federal Trade Adjustment Assistance can be found on the Department of Labor’s website at www.ct.gov/dol and entering “Trade Act” in the search bar.
The Trade Adjustment Assistance Program is a federal program that provides a path for employment growth and opportunity through aid to US workers who have lost their jobs as a result of foreign trade.
