Displaced Bartlesville workers eligible for Trade Act program

OKLAHOMA CITY – Displaced workers of Conoco Phillips Bartlesville Shared Services Corporate Staff including on-site leased workers from Teksystems, Primary Services, LP, and the Key Group DBA Key Personnel Bartlesville, OK, have been ruled eligible for the Trade Act program by the U.S.Department of Labor.

Established by the Trade Act of 1974 (19USC 2273), Trade Act benefits provide assistance to those who lose jobs or significant work hours because of increased imports or a shift in production out of the country. The Trade Readjustment Assistance (TRA) program provides additional unemployment compensation to individuals who are in full time Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) occupational training.

The goal is to help laid-off workers return to suitable employment as quickly as possible. In order to

seek certification as a Trade-Impacted Company, workers must meet three criteria:

1) Workers must be laid off or threatened with layoff;

2) Sales or production for the employer must have decreased; and

3) An increase in imports of products like or directly competitive with products made by the firm must

contribute to layoffs or the threat of layoffs.

Applicants who qualify for TAA and TRA have a limited amount of time after certification or qualifying separation from adversely affected employment to apply for benefits.

The state may also grant a waiver of training enrollment to suspend this qualification for some individuals.

The USDOL report concludes “all workers of Conoco Phillips Bartlesville Shared Services Corporate Staff oncluding on-site leased workers from Teksystems, Primary Services, LP, and the Key Group DBA Key Personnel Bartlesville, OK, who became totally or partially separated from employment on or after May 23, 2015, through

two years from the date of certification (06/16/17) are eligible to apply for Trade Adjustment Assistance …”

Separated employees who want to apply for Trade Act benefits should contact their nearest Workforce

Oklahoma Center at 1-888-980-WORK (9675).