The Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) program was created to provide benefits and services to workers who become unemployed due to the impact of foreign trade. The TAA program seeks to ensure that U.S. workers who are adversely affected by trade have the skills, resources, and support they need to become reemployed in sustainable employment. TAA Benefits include:
Employment and Case Management services, includes such services as skill assessments, career counseling, information on training and supportive services.
Training: Up to 156 weeks of full-time or part-time training is available to return trade affected workers to sustainable employment.
Trade Readjustment Allowances: Provides up to 156 weeks of cash payments for eligible workers enrolled in full-time training within 26 weeks of separation or certification, whichever is later.
Health Coverage Tax Credit: Provides a tax credit covering up to 80% of an eligible participant’s monthly premium for qualified health insurance.
Reemployment Trade Adjustment Assistance: Provides a wage subsidy for up to 2 years that is available to workers age 50 or over who are reemployed at a reduced salary.
Job Search Allowance: Provides an allowance for the costs of a job search outside the trade affected worker’s local area.
Relocation Allowance: Provides an allowance for costs of relocating to a job outside the trade affected worker’s local area.
Modifications to the Trade Act Participant Report will occur in FY 2010 and provide additional data on benefits and services.
Benefits & Services
Petition Data:
After a petition is filed on behalf of a group of workers, each petition is investigated to determine whether statutory criteria are met. The petition data provides a breakout of number of petitions filed, certified and denied by individual state or national totals. Data available also includes the number of estimated workers covered by such petitions, the basis for the decision, the congressional district of the subject firm, and the average processing time.
Petitions
Data on Outcomes:
The Trade Act Participant Report (TAPR) is an exiter report that provides the outcome measures for the TAA program. Three measures are currently used to measure performance outcomes for TAA participants: Average Earnings; Reemployment Rate; and Retention Rate. In FY 2010, the TAPR is being modified to comply with new statuary requirements in the 2009 Amendments, and will provide additional information on TAA program participants once that data is available.
Outcomes
