Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) Program
NOTICE:
On July 1, 2022, the termination provision under Section 285(a) of the Trade Act of 1974, as amended, took effect. Until further notice, the Department may not issue any determinations and may not accept any new petitions or requests for reconsideration. Requests to amend current certifications may still be filed. Workers who were certified and separated from their job on or before June 30, 2022, may still be eligible for benefits and services and should contact their local PA CareerLink office. See TEGL 13-21 for more details.
The Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) Program allows workers whose jobs have been affected by foreign competition to receive a variety of benefits and reemployment services. The goal of the Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) Program is to assist dislocated workers in obtaining suitable (family-sustaining) employment from a combination of reemployment services and possibly training.
Dedicated personnel will help you through the Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) Program. To learn more about the step-by-step process, please view the Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) Program video series, providing you with a comprehensive overview of what to expect.
The first step is for an employer, three workers, a union representative, or state agency representative to complete a trade petition. Click here to view the trade petition. The petition must be properly completed and filed with the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL) and the appropriate state agency. In Pennsylvania, the unit responsible for receiving Trade petitions is the Department of Labor & Industry's Federal Programs unit (Fax: 717-772-0378). However, the USDOL determines Trade eligibility for each petition.
After you have filed a petition, you can check the USDOL's petition search page here. If you have questions about a pending petition, please call the USDOL at 888-365-6822.
The benefits for workers under the Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) Program include training, job search and relocation allowances, Reemployment Trade Adjustment Assistance (RTAA), and Trade Readjustment Allowances (TRA) income support. All of these benefits have certain deadlines and eligibility requirements.
Training for eligible individuals includes basic skills, GED, prerequisite, apprenticeship, occupational and on-the-job training (OJT).
Job search and relocation allowances help eligible individuals to look for and obtain suitable employment outside of their normal commuting area when suitable employment is not available within their normal commuting area.
The Reemployment Trade Adjustment Assistance (RTAA) program allows older workers (at least 50 years of age) to obtain new employment and receive a wage subsidy which pays 50% of the difference between their previous employment and the new employment.
The Bureau of Workforce Partnership & Operations Trade Act Services (TAS) unit is responsible for the interpretation and enforcement portions of the Trade Act in PA. Questions about TAA benefits (training, job search and relocation allowances, and on the job (OJT) Training, please contact Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) Program Services at RA-LI-BWPO-TRADE@pa.gov. Questions about Reemployment Trade Adjustment Assistance (RTAA) please contact the Federal Programs Unit at RA-LIOUCBP-FEDP-ATAA@pa.gov.
Another benefit, Trade Readjustment Allowances (TRA), extends income support to allow workers to complete training or support them while they look for suitable employment.
To be eligible for these benefits, a worker must file a TAA/TRA claim in the state where he or she established UC eligibility from a certified employer. In Pennsylvania, a worker must contact the Unemployment Compensation (UC) Service Center at 888-313-7284, and request to speak to the Trade unit.
For answers to questions specific to TRA in Pennsylvania, contact the Federal Programs unit at 717-787-4268.
After you have been determined eligible for TAA benefits, you should also contact your local PA CareerLink® by going to www.PACareerLink.pa.gov and selecting the Help button in the top right-hand corner, scroll down to PA CareerLink Offices. Type in your zip code and select miles, click the search button, a list of PA CareerLink offices and contact information will be displayed.
For more information about the Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) Program, visit the United States Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration's website.
You can also learn about the Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) Program, on L&I's Unemployment Compensation website.
TAA Petition Information for Employers
What to Expect with Trade Adjustment...