What Is Trade Adjustment Assistance?
• The Federal Trade Act provides several benefits under the Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) program. • Trade Readjustment Allowances (TRA) is one of the benefits covered under TAA. • TRA provides additional income support to individuals who qualify after their regular unemployment benefits are exhausted. • TRA is available to those workers who are adversely affected from a trade-impacted employer. • The trade-impacted employer must be covered under a certification of group eligibility. • Certification of group eligibility is a group of workers of a firm or subdivision of a firm that have been certified by the U.S. Department of Labor as eligible to apply for TAA benefits. • Contact the Kansas Unemployment Call Center or Workforce Center if you think you may qualify for these benefits.
Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) is a program administered by the U.S. Department of Labor for workers who lose their jobs, or whose hours of work and wages are reduced as a result of increased imports or shifts in company production to foreign countries. TAA includes a variety of benefits and reemployment services to help unemployed workers prepare for and obtain suitable employment. Workers may receive assistance in skill assessment, job search workshops, job development, referral, and job placement. In addition, workers may be eligible for training, job search allowances, relocation allowances, and the HCTC. Trade Readjustment Allowances (TRA) may be payable to eligible workers following their exhaustion of unemployment insurance benefits. Usually, TRA benefits will be paid only if an individual is enrolled in a TAA-approved training program or has a training waiver. Contact the U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration (DOLETA) for more information.
The Trade Adjustment Assistance program was established by Congress in 1974 and placed under the direction of the U.S. Department of Commerce to help American manufacturers who have been hurt by direct import competition. A network of Trade Adjustment Assistance Centers (TAACs) across the country provides services to import-impacted manufacturers in the areas of marketing, production, and management systems.
