If you’ve lost your job due to increased foreign imports or a shift in production to other countries, you might be eligible for Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) in Texas. This program aims to support workers who have been negatively impacted by international trade. It’s crucial to inquire about TAA eligibility at your local Workforce Solutions office as soon as possible, because there are deadlines for eligibility, training, and benefits.
To qualify for TAA benefits, your layoff must be from a job covered by a TAA certification issued by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL). A petition for this certification can be submitted to the DOL by your former employer, a group of at least three affected workers, or Workforce Solutions office staff.
Staff at your local Workforce Solutions office can inform you whether your company is covered by a TAA certification. If it is, they can provide you with the petition number or the necessary petition forms. The petition number is significant because eligibility and benefits are linked to that specific petition, which reflects current law and regulations.
Trade-affected workers covered by a DOL-certified petition can participate in TAA programs. Eligibility details are specific to each petition number range.
Possible Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) benefits for eligible workers in Texas include:
- Reemployment services
- Job search and relocation allowances
- TAA-paid training for new jobs
- Weekly Trade Readjustment Allowance (TRA), which supplements unemployment benefits.
- Alternative/Reemployment Trade Adjustment Assistance
- Health Coverage Tax Credit (HCTC)
Although the TAA program officially expired on July 1, 2022, under the existing law, the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) continues to determine eligibility and provide services to workers covered under existing certified petitions.
The following sections detail the program’s benefits and requirements for those facing potential unemployment in Texas.
Trade Adjustment Assistance Benefits & Requirements
Here are the key benefits and requirements associated with the TAA program in Texas, designed to help those impacted by trade-related unemployment.
Reemployment Services
Trade-certified workers in Texas are eligible for various services, including job search assistance, skills assessments, and advanced vocational skills training tailored to the needs of Texas employers. They may also receive assistance with transportation reimbursements and childcare while in training, provided through Workforce Solutions offices.
Job Search & Relocation Allowances
If your Workforce Solutions office counselor determines that there is no suitable work available in your local area, you may be eligible for job search and relocation allowances. This means the program can help cover allowable expenses for out-of-town job search trips and moving costs if you relocate for a job.
Job Search Allowances
To receive job search allowances:
- Schedule at least one job interview with a hiring manager in the area of your job search trip.
- Submit a written Request for Job Search Allowance form before each trip.
- Obtain the form from your local Workforce Solutions office and submit it to the TAA State Unit via email at: [email protected] or fax to 512-936-0331.
- Submit your written request no later than 365 calendar days after the date of your trade certification or your most recent trade-affected layoff (whichever is later), or no later than 182 calendar days after completing TAA-approved training.
- Keep receipts from your job search trip and complete the Daily Record/Itinerary provided when your request was approved. Submit both the form and receipts through your Workforce Solutions counselor.
Relocation Allowance
To qualify for a relocation allowance:
- Have a suitable, long-term, verifiable job or a valid job offer in the location you wish to move to.
- Submit a written Request for Relocation Allowance before you begin the move.
- Obtain the form from your local Workforce Solutions office and submit it to the TAA State Unit via email at: [email protected] or fax to 512-936-0331.
- Submit your written request no later than 425 calendar days after the date of your petition certification or your most recent trade-affected layoff (whichever is later), or no later than 182 calendar days after completing TAA-approved training.
- TAA covers the cost of moving household goods and personal property only, as defined in federal regulations. Contact the Trade Services Unit at [email protected] before you begin moving for specific details.
- TAA does not cover moving expenses paid by other sources, such as your employer.
TAA-Paid Training
If your Workforce Solutions counselor determines that suitable work is unavailable, you may be eligible for TAA-approved training to prepare for a new job. Apply for this training as soon as possible to meet TAA deadlines.
How to Apply for TAA Training
Visit your nearest Workforce Solutions office to apply for TAA-approved training. Identify yourself as a trade-affected worker and request to speak with a TAA counselor.
Workforce Solutions staff will assess your job skills, discuss available benefits for TAA participants, and explore your options. If training is needed to secure suitable work, you may be eligible for tuition, fees, and book costs covered by TAA funds.
You will be notified when your training application is approved, and when the training institution confirms your acceptance into an approved program. Training must begin within 30 calendar days of the enrollment date.
Types of TAA Training Available
Training covered under the Trade acts includes classroom training, on-the-job training, customized training designed for specific employers or groups of employers, apprenticeship programs, post-secondary education, prerequisite education or coursework, and remedial education (including GED preparation, literacy training, basic math, or ESL). The state of Texas uses TAA funds to pay the training provider.
To be supported by TAA, training must be fully completed, and all certificates or degrees secured within the maximum timeline allowed under your petition number:
- 80,000 or greater: 130 weeks
- 70,000 through 79,999: 156 weeks
- 50,000 through 69,999: 130 weeks
- Less than 50,000: 104 weeks
Depending on your petition number, you may be approved for part-time or full-time training. Eligibility for other TAA benefits may depend on whether you are in full-time or part-time training; check the specific eligibility requirements for each benefit type.
If your petition number is 70,000 or higher and you are working but threatened with layoff, you may still be eligible to enroll in a TAA-approved training program.
Eligibility for TAA Training
You may be eligible for a TAA-approved training program if your Workforce Solutions counselor determines that you meet the following requirements:
- No suitable employment is available.
- You would benefit from appropriate training.
- There is a reasonable expectation of employment following completion of training.
- Training is reasonably available.
- You are qualified to undertake and complete such training.
- Training is available at a reasonable cost.
Trade Readjustment Allowance
Trade Readjustment Allowance (TRA) benefits are similar to regular unemployment benefits. To receive TRA benefits, you must apply for and exhaust regular and any available extended unemployment benefits first.
Participation in TAA-approved training, or a waiver of the training requirement, is necessary to receive TRA benefits. Some TRA benefits can only be paid while you are actively engaged in TAA-approved training. Therefore, it’s important to start and complete your training promptly while you have TRA benefits available to help cover living expenses.
For more detailed information, refer to Trade Readjustment Allowance Benefits.
Resources
- Workforce Solutions offices
- Trade Readjustment Allowance Application (English)
- Trade Readjustment Allowance Application (Español)
- TAA Handbook (English)
- TAA Handbook (Español)
- U.S. DOL Trade Adjustment Assistance Program
