Trade Adjustment Assistance
Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) provides support to laid-off workers and downsizing businesses impacted by jobs leaving the USA or foreign products or services making it hard to compete.
Workers may be eligible for services and benefits which could include some or all of the follow:
- Re-employment services
- Job Search allowances
- Relocation allowances
- Funded training
- Weekly Trade Readjustment Allowances for eligible workers who have exhausted their Unemployment Compensation benefits and are in training
- Alternative Trade Adjustment Assistance/Re-employed Trade Adjustment Assistance
- On-the-job training
Determining Company Eligibility
The U.S. Department of Labor looks at several direct and secondary factors that impact layoffs, including:
Did – or will – the company:
- Shift work to another country?
- Contract for products or services from another country?
- Complete with imported products or services?
- Supply to or buy from a company that is impacted by foreign competition?
Examples
“Manufacturing Sector”
- An aerospace supplier moves all or partial production to Mexico
- A paper mill competes with imported Canadian product
“Secondary”
- An up or downstream supplier closes because a major client relocated to Canada
- A trucking firm loses business when a mining company shifts work overseas
Worker Eligibility
When a layoff or work reduction occurs, a petition for TAA must be filed with the U.S. Department of Labor and the state TAA Coordinator by one of the following:
- A group of two or more workers
- A certified union official or representative
- An official of the employer/firm
- A One-Stop agency or partner agency
- A State dislocated worker TAA unit staff
To be eligible for TAA benefits, applicants must meet three requirements:
- Have lost their job or had their work hours reduced to 80 percent or less and lost 20 percent or more in wages.
- Belong to a group of employees certified by the U.S Department of Labor. This means that an investigation has found that increased imports "contributed importantly" to the loss of jobs or reduction in hours and wages.
- Have been laid off or partially separated on or after the impact date and before the termination or expiration date of the certification. The layoff or partial separation had to be caused by lack of work.
Applicants, meeting these requirements, should email the State Coordinator at Mayra.Marquez-Rios@tn.gov.
To reach the TAA Petition website location, click button above or click here.
Federal Regulation Materials
Materials have been provided to further support those assisting trade customers.
- TAA Program Manual
- Trade Law (20 CFR 618)
- TAA Federal Guidance
| Related Links |
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| TAA Petition Forms |