Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA)
To be apart of the program, an employer has to ask the U.S. Department of Labor first.
In Pennsylvania, workers affected by trade can get help at PA CareerLink® offices. If your employer is in the program, you can go to your local PA CareerLink® office to learn more and get benefits.
Types of services the program offers
The PA CareerLink® team will give you personal career help to reach your goals. They can test your skills, make a plan for your job search, and give you info on training and jobs.
The TAA program pays for all the costs of training to help workers get a good job that pays well. This includes things like tuition, books, fees, and materials.
There are different types of training programs you can choose from, like:
- Classroom and online classes
- College or other higher education
- Classes to get ready for other classes (like Adult Basic Education or GED)
- Training while you work
- Training made for a certain job or group of jobs
- Apprenticeship programs
If you are in a full-time training course and used up all of your unemployment, you can get TRA. You can get up to 104 more weeks of this money if you start training within 26 weeks after your TAA certification or when you lost your job.
If you're 50 or older and get a new job that pays less than your old one, you might get the RTAA benefit. This helps by paying half of the difference between your old and new paychecks, up to $10,000 or two years, whichever comes first.
If you're okay with looking for a job far from home, the Job Search Allowance can help pay for your travel costs. It gives back 90% of what you spend on things like going to job interviews, up to $1,250.
If you're ready to move for a job far from home, there's help available to pay for your moving costs. The Relocation Allowance covers 90% of what you spend on moving. You also get a one-time payment of $1,250.
Remember to keep in touch with your local PA CareerLink® to know when deadlines are. Make sure you're following the rules to keep getting your TAA benefits.
What to expect if your job is affected by foreign competition
Find out how to apply and what to expect if your job was affected by foreign competition using the guide below.
To be in the TAA program, you must file a petition with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Trade Adjustment Assistance online.
The U.S. Department of Labor decides gives an official decision. When a petition is approved, it's called "certified" and usually includes all workers in the group. This means you can apply for the TAA program. It lasts for two years from the impact date.
A Pennsylvania Rapid Response Coordinator will invite you to a Benefits Rights Interview (BRI) to learn about the services and benefits offered in the TAA program.
Every worker gets instructions on how to apply for the TAA program and Trade Readjustment Allowances (TRA). TRA is weekly money given to workers who are in full-time training. The Unemployment Compensation Service Center (TRA Unit) will check to see if you meet all the rules for TAA and TRA. They'll send you a letter in the mail telling you if you qualify.
Once you're approved for TAA, talk to your local PA CareerLink® right away. There are important deadlines you have to meet when you apply for each service. PA CareerLink® or L&I staff will give you information about TAA benefits and help you with each step.
Don't wait! Make sure you meet these deadlines:
- Start TAA-approved training within 26 weeks after you're approved or after you lost your job.
- Apply for Job Search Allowance within one year (365 days) after you're approved for TAA or after you lose your job. Or apply within six months (182 days) after you finish training.
- Apply for Relocation Allowance within one year and two months (425 days) after you're approved for TAA or after you lose your job. Or apply within six months (182 days) after you finish training.
Workers impacted by trade get help from a PA CareerLink® Career Advisor. They will guide you through getting TAA services and benefits to help you find a new job fast. Your career advisor will help you create an employment plan that can include:
- Career and Training Guidance
- Individualized Employment Plan
- Workshops
- Labor Market Information
- Referral to Supportive Services
- Skills Assessment
Here are the benefits you can get from TAA:
- Training: Up to 130 weeks of classroom or online training in different skills.
- Job Search Allowance: Money to help you look for jobs outside where you usually work.
- Relocation Allowance: Money to help you move for a job outside where you usually work.
- Reemployment Trade Adjustment Assistance (RTAA): If you're 50 or older and find a full-time job that pays less, you might get some help for up to two years.
- Health Coverage Tax Credit (HCTC): This helps pay for health insurance. Remember, you need to apply for these benefits at a PA CareerLink® location on your own.
L&I Program Contacts
- For Trade Adjustment Assistance Program related questions, please contact the Bureau of Workforce Partnership & Operations Trade Act Services team via email at RA-LI-BWPO-TRADE@pa.gov.
- For Trade Readjustment Allowances (TRA) and Unemployment Compensation, please contact the Office of Unemployment Compensation Benefits Policy’s Federal Programs Unit by phone at 717-787-4268.
- For Reemployment Trade Adjustment Assistance or RTAA, please contact the Federal Programs Unit at RA-LIOUCBP-FEDP-ATAA@pa.gov.