Trade Adjustment Assistance Services Provided by the GDOL
The Trade Act provides benefits to workers who become unemployed as a result of increased imports from, or shifts in production to, foreign countries. We provide the benefits and services available under the Trade Act to help trade-affected workers return to suitable employment as quickly as possible.
Benefits and services include:
- Job Search Allowance - payable to reimburse allowable expenses incurred in seeking employment outside the normal commuting area if suitable work is not available in the commuting area.
- Relocation Allowance – reimbursement for allowable expenses incurred when eligible workers accept suitable employment outside their normal commuting area.
- Training – available to eligible workers who do not have the skills to secure suitable employment in the local labor market
On-the-Job-Training, Customized Training, and Registered Apprenticeships are available as alternatives to traditional classroom training.
- Trade Readjustment Allowances (TRA) - income support to individuals while participating in full-time approved training. Under certain circumstances TRA is also available to eligible participants for whom training is not readily available or the training has a delayed start date.
- Alternative Trade Adjustment Assistance (ATAA) or Reemployment Trade Adjustment Assistance (RTAA) - allows workers age 50 or older to accept full-time reemployment at a lower wage and receive a wage subsidy for 50% of the difference in what was earned at the Trade-affected employer and the new employment. Participants eligible for RTAA may also attend training under certain circumstances.
- Reemployment and Case Management Services provide customers the necessary information and support to achieve sustainable reemployment
Additional Services We Provide
- Provide technical support on the Trade Act to employers, GDOL and WIOA staff, training providers, vendors, liable states, individual workers, and worker groups
- Notify affected workers, GDOL staff, and local workforce areas of new or amended Trade certifications and programmatic changes
- Issue eligibility and benefits determinations to Trade-affected workers
- Monitor and assess training participant progress toward completion and industry certification
- Implement Congressional changes to the Trade Act
- Develop and implement State Trade Act policy
- Train GDOL and WIOA staff on Trade Act regulations and State policies
- Develop and implement TAA Unit procedures, documentation, and system transactions
- Analyze and report programmatic information to the U. S. Department of Labor
- Serve as a liaison between petitioners and the U.S. Department of Labor to report or clarify issues related to the filing and certification of Trade Act petitions
- Interface with the IRS for Health Coverage Tax Credit and Pension Benefit Guaranty customers
Contact the Trade Act Program through the Service Directory