Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) ProgramGroup Eligibility and the Petition Filing Process

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Group Eligibility

….is defined as a worker group that is eligible to apply for, and potentially receive, benefits through the Trade

Adjustment Assistance (TAA) Program.

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Group Eligibility (cont)

Under the Trade Act of 2002, eligible trade-affected workers may include those related to:

increased imports of like or directly competitive articles

a shift in production to a foreign country with which the US has a free trade agreement or to another country where there also is a likelihood of increased imports of those articles to the U.S.

supplying articles for firms with TAA-certified workers or additional, value-added production processes for firms with TAA-certified workers.

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Group Eligibility (cont)

Under the Trade Act of 2002, Free Trade Agreement and Trade Beneficiary Countries include the following:

Countries that are a Party to a free trade agreement with the United States Countries that are a beneficiary under the Andean Trade Preference Act Countries that are a beneficiary under the African Growth and Opportunity Act,

and Countries that are a beneficiary under Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery

Act.

Note: A listing of the Free Trade Agreement and Trade Beneficiary Countries can be obtained from the following link: http://www.doleta.gov/tradeact/2002act_freetradeagreements.cfm

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Group Eligibility (cont)

Under the Trade Act of 2009 and 2011, the law provides that workers who have lost their jobs because their company’s decline in production and/or sales was due to increased imports or outsourcing to ANY country may apply for TAA benefits

and services.

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Group Eligibility (cont)Worker Type Eligibility

2002 Law Petitions 50,000 - 69,999 and 80,000 – 80,999 =

Manufacturing sector workers ONLY

2009 Law Petitions 70,000 - 79,999 = Manufacturing, Service and

Public sector workers

2011 LawPetitions 81,000 and above = Manufacturing and Service

sector workers

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Petition Filing

Petitions should be filed simultaneously with the United States Department of Labor (USDOL) and the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (State Trade Act Coordinator).

A petition can be filed by: A group of workers at the trade-affected company

(minimum of three) Company Official Union Official State Workforce Office One-Stop Operator/Partner Other Authorized Representative

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Petition Filing (cont)

The most recent petition form can be located at the link below:

ETA-9042A-1 (Rev. January 2011), Online Petition for Trade Adjustment Assistance and Alternative Trade Adjustment Assistance, available online at www.doleta.gov/tradeact

ETA-9042 (Rev. January 2011), Petition for Trade Adjustment Assistance and Alternative Trade Adjustment Assistance

ETA-9042A (Rev. January 2011), Solicitude de Asistencia Para Ajuste del Comercio y Asistencia Alternativa Para Ajuste del Comercio

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Petition Filing (cont)

In response to the filing of a petition: The USDOL publishes a notice in the Federal Register

and on their website .

The USDOL begins an investigation.

The State initiates rapid response activities and services.

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Petition Filing (cont)

2011 Trade Act AmendmentsPetitions Filed on or after October 21, 2011

and on or before January 19, 2012:

A certification covers all members of a worker group during the period beginning one year before the petition was filed, known as the impact date, and ending two years after the date of the certification. However, the TAA Extension Act of 2011 expands the time frame for certification coverage by making the impact date earlier for certain certifications. All petitions filed with the Department on or after October 21, 2011 and on or before January 19, 2012 that are certified will have an impact date of February 13, 2010.

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Petition Filing (cont)

Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) Extension Act of 2011 – Petitions filed after 2/12/2011 and before 10/21/2011

The changes to group eligibility requirements contained in the TAA Extension Act of 2011 are retroactive to February 12, 2011, and apply to all petitions filed since that time – petitions designated with numbers from 80,000 - 80,999

Denied Petitions Any petition filed after February 12, 2011 and before October 21, 2011, that was denied is currently being reconsidered under the group eligibility provisions of the TAA Extension Act of 2011

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Petition Filing Criteria

Upon receipt of a filed petition, USDOL will begin the investigation process to determine the following:

Employment Levels Company sales and production Company Increased imports Shifts in production Secondary upstream workers, and Secondary downstream workers.

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Petition Certification

If the criteria are met, the USDOL issues a determination of eligibility (certification) within 40 days from the date the petition is submitted.

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Petition Certification (cont’d)

Each certification includes three important dates:The date the petition was certified by the USDOLThe impact date which identifies the day workers become totally or partially separated from the trade-affected companyThe date the certificate expires.

Note: To be covered under a certified petition, the company must verify that the worker’s dislocation is the

result of foreign competition.

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Notifying Regional Workforce Boards (RWBs) and Partners

Upon receiving a Certified Petition issued by the USDOL, the Trade Program Unit sends information to the following partners: Executive Director (in the administrative area where the primary layoff occurred)Local TAA Coordinator(s)Rapid Response CoordinatorDepartment of Education - Workforce EducationDepartment of Economic Opportunity (DEO) Reemployment Emergency Assistance Coordination Team (REACT) UnitOthers as necessary

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Identifying Workers covered under the Certified Petition

Upon receiving notification from the USDOL that the petition has been certified/approved, the SWA and RWB staff will make contact with the employer to obtain the following:

List of all workers who were laid off or whose job was threatened as a result of foreign competition

Note: The list should include workers name, current address and separation date. This will generate a TAA/TRA Notification packet mailed by the Trade Program Unit to each worker identified.

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Trade-Affected Worker Notification Process

The TAA/TRA Notification packet will outline the services and benefits for which the worker may qualify. Documents included in the packet are as follows:

Form ETA 855 (Request for Determination of Entitlement to TAA/TRA)

Form UCB/TRA 344 (UCB/TRA Eligibility Questionnaire) Form UCB/TRA 345 (Notice to TRA Claimant)Note: These forms must be signed, dated and returned to the

Trade Program Unit.

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Comparable Differences

A petition number identifies the trade program guidelines under which a trade-affected worker is covered. North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) * Numbers up to 49,999 = NAFTA/TAA Numbers 50,000 to 69,999 and 80,000 to 80,999 = Trade

Act of 2002 Numbers 70,000 to 79,999 = Trade Act of 2009 Numbers 81,000 and above = Trade Act of 2011

* For those petitions that were certified under the NAFTA, the petition number begins with a letter followed by a four digit number - i.e., N6245

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Time to test your TAA knowledge!

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TAA Knowledge Test!

1) A petition can be filed by:

a) A group of workers (minimum of three)b) Company Officialc) Union Officiald) State Workforce Officee) One-Stop Operator/Partnerf) Other Authorized Representativeg) All of the above

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TAA Knowledge Test (cont)

2) Petitions should be filed simultaneously with:

a) The White House and the State Capitolb) The United States Department of Labor (USDOL) and the

Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO)c) The Regional Workforce Board and the Mayord) None of the above

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TAA Knowledge Test (cont)

3) Each certification (petition) includes three important dates:

a) certification date, impact date and expiration dateb) expiration date, training date, client date, client eligibility date c) Impact date, client enrollment date and today’s dated) None of the above

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TAA Knowledge Test (cont)

4) Workers whose layoff date falls between the impact and expiration dates of a certified petition may be covered under a petition if their job loss was due to foreign trade activity.

a) Trueb) False

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TAA Knowledge Test (cont)

5) TAA Informational Meetings can be customized to meet the needs of the affected workers.

a) True b) False

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TAA Knowledge Test (cont)

6) Regional Workforce Boards and partners should schedule a TAA Informational Meeting with the affected workers to provide information on the following:

a) Services and benefitsb) Local assessment proceduresc) Information on training opportunitiesd) All of the above

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Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA)

For assistance with this program, please contact:

Trade Program Unit 1-800-342-3450

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