Opinion ID: 175980
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Use of the same plant

Text: The regulation's use of the word plant is potentially misleading. The term originated in the manufacturing context of the original labor-law cases involving successorship. Because the terminology is manufacturing-specific, it is arguable that this factor does not apply to non-manufacturing contexts, but that view would be too narrow. The appropriate inquiry is whether the new employer uses the same facilities. The term plant is simply a carry-over from the manufacturing context, and there is nothing in the statute, the regulation, or in their history or purposes to suggest that this factor applies only to some places of employment. Accordingly, the courts properly have understood this factor to concern the use of the same physical facilities. See Cobain, 2007 WL 1589533, at  (considering whether the new employer used the same buildings and facilities); Rhoads, 956 F.Supp. at 1253 (considering whether the new employer used the same facilities). Considering whether the new employer continued to use the same facility, we conclude that this factor is neutral. Dollar Tree used the same location and building shell as Factory 2-U's former store, which points in favor of successorship. On the other hand, Dollar Tree spent weeks renovating the interior to meet its own design specifications. So, although the new store was in the same physical location, the interior had been substantially renovated, nullifying the effect of this factor.