News Release

Printer-Friendly Version

OPA News Release: [11/04/2002]
Contact Name: Elissa Pruett
Phone Number: (202) 693-4676

Department of Labor Implements TAA Reform Act of 2002 Provisions Today

Workers To Benefit From More Responsive Program and Increased Services

WASHINGTON—Today marks the first day petitions for Trade Adjustment Assistance received by the Department of Labor will be certified and benefits will be made available according to the new Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) Reform Act of 2002. American workers will now benefit from the reauthorization of the TAA program and the program improvements enacted by the legislation.

The Act consolidated the former TAA and NAFTA Transitional Adjustment Assistance (N-TAA) programs into a single enhanced TAA program, eliminating duplicative and sometimes confusing rules and procedures. Some of the changes are designed to speed up benefits and services to trade-affected workers. For example, petition filing now triggers rapid response services for workers in the states where those workers are located. Additionally, the legislation reduces timeframes for decisions on petitions by one-third from 60 days to 40 days.

The legislation also expands the eligibility of workers for TAA assistance to include workers who lose their jobs when their firms shift production either to countries that are parties to a free trade agreement with the U.S., or to countries that are beneficiary countries under certain specified Acts. When production is shifted to any other country, workers are eligible when there has been or is likely to be an increase in imports of the articles produced by the firm that shifted production. The bill expands coverage to certain “secondary” workers as well.

“President Bush has expanded opportunities for American workers through increased trade and the economic benefits that come with opening foreign markets,” said Assistant Secretary of Labor for Employment and Training Emily Stover DeRocco. “For those workers adversely impacted by trade, we have the new, enhanced TAA program that provides more reemployment and training services.”

Examples of enhanced benefits under the new law include the ability of workers participating in training to receive an additional 26 weeks of extended income support, up to a maximum of 104 weeks; and workers requiring remedial education to receive another 26 weeks of income support. Out-of-area job search and relocation allowances are increased from $800 to $1250, while the annual cap on training doubled from $110 million to $220 million.

Those with questions about the new legislation should visit the Web site of the Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration at www.doleta.gov and select “Trade Reform Act of 2002.”

# # #

_________________________________________________________________