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TRA - Trade Readjustment Allowances are income support to persons who have exhausted Unemployment Compensation and whose jobs were affected by foreign imports.
The TAA program offers a variety of benefits and services to eligible workers, including job training, income support, job search and relocation allowances, a tax credit to help pay the costs of health insurance, and a wage supplement to certain reemployed trade-affected workers 50 years of age and older.
President Obama signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 ("Recovery Act") on February 17, 2009. The Trade and Globalization Adjustment Assistance Act of 2009, part of the Recovery Act, made changes to the TAA program.
In general, changes to worker benefits and certification criteria apply only to workers covered by petitions filed on or after May 18, 2009. The exception is that the increase in the amount of the Health Coverage Tax Credit (HCTC), which provides a tax credit towards health insurance costs, goes into effect beginning with the month of May 2009 and applies to all recipients, regardless of when their petition was filed.
Eligibility
The Federal Trade Act provides special benefits under the Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) program to those who were laid off or had hours reduced because their employer was adversely affected by increased imports from other countries. These benefits include paid training for a new job, financial help in making a job search in other areas, or relocation to an area where jobs are more plentiful. Those who qualify may be entitled to weekly TRA after their unemployment compensation is exhausted.
Filing A Claim
Contact the State Unemployment Insurance agency or One-Stop Employment Service office and ask for information about filing a Petition for Trade Adjustment Assistance.
The Petition for Trade Adjustment Assistance must be filed with the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL). If DOL approves and certifies the petition, the affected workers will be entitled to file a claim under the TAA program.
Assistance for workers laid off for other reasons may be provided by the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA)
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