USDOL Renews Assistance to Workers Laid Off Due to Foreign Trade

Displaced workers affected by foreign imports have additional opportunities to receive assistance with re-employment, training, job searching, and relocation allowances under the Trade Adjustment Assistance Reauthorization Act of 2015 (TAARA 2015). On June 29, 2015 the act was reauthorized, which not only continues the Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) program for six years, but also is retroactive to workers who were laid off before the reinstatement of the program.

The Tennessee Department of Labor acts as an agent for the United States Department of Labor in providing assistance offered under TAARA 2015. Last year Tennessee had 1,464 participants in the program.

“We’ve sent letters to companies that closed or had mass layoffs, but getting the message to workers when the company’s doors are closed is particularly difficult,” said Robin Wright, TAA Coordinator for Labor and Workforce Development. “It’s a significant opportunity for those who lost work through no fault of their own by bringing free training and support services to the table.”

Workers must apply for a certified TAARA petition and meet the eligibility criteria before receiving benefits. To file a petition, an employer, a union representative, three workers of the company, or a State Representative can log onto the website www.doleta.gov/tradeact and click on the Petition Process link. A petition may be filed on-line, faxed, or mailed to the United States Department of Labor.

Those interested in more information regarding the TAARA Program should contact Robin Wright at (615) 253-6668 or e-mail robin.v.wright@tn.gov.  Local Tennessee American Job Centers are also available to assist with information and computer access at https://www.tn.gov/workforce/topic/find-local-help.

-# # #-