3. WHAT IS TRADE ADJUSTMENT
ASSISTANCE (TAA)?
The Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) Program is
a federal program that assists US workers who have
lost their jobs as a result of foreign trade.
4. The TAA program
seeks to provide these
trade – affected workers
with opportunities to
obtain the
skills, resources, and
support they need to
become reemployed.
WHAT IS THE GOAL OF TAA?
5. A petition must be filed with the US Department of Labor by or on behalf
of a group of workers who have experienced a job loss as a result of
foreign trade.
After the Department of Labor Investigates the facts behind the petition, it
determines whether statutory criteria are met.
If the Department grants the petition to certify the worker
group, individual workers may apply for TAA benefits and services
through their State Workforce Agency.
HOW DOES THE TAA PROGRAM WORK?
6. PETITION NUMBERS
1. After receiving a valid petition, the Office of Trade Adjustment Assistance
(OTAA) assigns the petition a five digit case number.
2. Workers with petition numbers between 70,000 and 79,000 may be
approved on a full-time or part-time basis and are eligible for up to 156 weeks
of training.
3. Workers with petition numbers less than 69,999 and greater than 80,000 may
only be approved on a full-time basis and eligible for 130 weeks of training.
7. 2010 Texas Data
131 TAA petitions were certified.
12,893 estimated Texas workers were covered by new
certifications.
$26,627,497 in federal funds allocated to Texas to provide
benefits and services.
8. TOP TAA
CERTIFICATIONS
Approximately 700 Hewlett Packard workers
Approximately 700 Flextronics International workers
Approximately 600 Freescale Semiconductor workers
9. WHO DO
TAA participants come from a variety
of backgrounds and industries, and
therefore many enter the program with
WE
a wide array of skills and experience.
SERVE?
The majority of TAA participants who The TAA program
enter the program face similar
has been developed
challenges in obtaining
reemployment, which can include no
through
education beyond high school, job legislation, regulation,
skills solely in the manufacturing and administrative
sector, and an average age of 46 with guidance to best serve
over 12 years of experience in a the needs of this
specified job that may no longer exist. unique population.
10. SIX TAA APPROVAL CRITERIA
1. There is no suitable employment available within the local
commuting area or in an area where the worker is willing to relocate.
2. The affected worker would benefit from training.
3. There is a reasonable expectation of employment upon completion
of training.
4. Training reasonably available from a private or public school
regulated by a state agency or accreditation board.
5. The affected worker is qualified to undertake and complete the
training.
6. The training is available at both a reasonable cost and at the lowest
cost available for the occupation.
11. …This cannot be and will not be a subsidy
program of government paternalism. It is
instead a program to afford time for American
initiative, American adaptability and American
resiliency to assert themselves… Trade
Adjustment Assistance… is designed to
strengthen the efficiency of our economy, not
to protect inefficiencies.
- President John F. Kennedy
12. HOW DO TAA SERVICES RELATE TO
COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES?
Colleges and universities provide the essential
training needed for these workers to transition into
suitable employment.
13. CASE MANAGEMENT
ROLE OF TWC CASE MANAGER
Verify eligibility
Approval/Denial process: All on a case – by – case basis
Provide guidance on training programs while ensuring all
approved training programs meet TAA approval criteria
15. After student has met with TAA case manager, the student must meet
with academic advisor/program coordinator for acceptance process and
selection of occupational training.
After student has selected the occupational training, case manager must
ensure training program meets TAA approval criteria.
Once training is approved, case manager will issue approved Individual
Training Account documentation to colleges.
WHAT IS THE PROCESS OF APPROVING TRAINING
AT COLLEGE FOR TAA ELIGIBLE WORKERS?
16. WHAT PAPERWORK IS REQUIRED FOR
TRAINING APPROVAL?
Academic advisor/program coordinator submits the total cost and
curriculum to case manager.
Signed training vouchers for credit courses must be submitted to case
manager, per semester (refer to Training Voucher sample).
Training vouchers for non-credit course programs can be submitted for
the length of program. Advising report must be submitted to case
manager for assessment purposes (Accuplacer, THEA, prior college
transcripts). These assessments will be used in determining if the student
will be successful in the program that has been selected.
17. CASE MANAGEMENT
ROLE OF ACADEMIC ADVISOR – PROGRAM COORDINATOR
•Determine college readiness – (TSI Requirements)
•Provide guidance on acceptance process of college
•Provide cost and curriculum to case manager once student
has selected the occupational training of interest
•Provide academic progress to case manager each semester
(credit courses) or monthly (non-credit courses)
18. TAA APPROVED TRAINING
CURRICULUM
•The training program must be amended and
approved prior to any changes in the curriculum.
•TWC will not pay for classes that are not required
to complete the training program.
•Case manager must be notified immediately if
student withdraws from training.
19. SELF - FINANCING
•Self-financing from personal or family resources is not
permitted. This includes student loans, since they have to be
repaid.
•Since scholarships and government grants do not have to be
repaid, they are not considered self-financing.
•Funds from Pell grants are retained by the worker for
personal living expenses unless the worker voluntarily requests
use of Pell grants to lower the cost of training that would
otherwise be denied because of unreasonable cost.
20. Helpful TAA Links:
U.S. Department of Labor: www.doleta.gov/tradeact
Petition Filing Information: www.doleta.gov/tradeact/FAQ.cfm
Texas Workforce Commission: www.twc.state.tx.us
Job Search: www.workintexas.com
Labor Market Information: www.bls.gov; www.careerinfonet.org
22. Susan worked at her job for approximately 30 years prior
to her layoff, and was extremely worried to be “60 years
old, without a job, and only have a high school degree.”
Through TAA, Susan is now in training to become a
medical administrative assistant. “The program is a
blessing for me… it has made a difference, it gives me
more dignity. I don’t know where a lot of us would be
without that education” - Susan B.
