KILLINGTON, Vt. (AP) – Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders is asking the federal government to investigate layoffs at the Killington ski resort to determine if the resort is going to use foreign guest workers to replace full-time employees who lost their jobs.

Sanders said that to qualify to hire temporary foreign workers, employers such as Killington had to certify capable U.S. workers were not available.

“I am writing to request that the Employment and Training Administration conduct an investigation to make sure that Powdr Corp., the new owner of the Killington and Pico Ski Resorts, and Killington Ltd. are in full compliance with all of the applicable laws and regulations pertaining to the H-2B visa program,” said Sanders in a letter to Labor Secretary Elaine Chao.

The Utah-based Powdr Corp., which bought the Killington and Pico resorts last month, has not said how many workers were laid off. Before the layoffs, Killington employed about 200 people in the off season.

Killington spokesman Dave Rathbun said he didn’t know of any plans to replace fired workers with foreign workers.

“I just have a hard time believing that in the state of Vermont there aren’t people who are more than qualified to be snowboard or ski instructors,” said Sanders. “I have a hard time believing that there aren’t young people available to be snowmakers or to be ski tow operators.”