To provide the Department's interpretation, under the Trade Act of 1974 and its implementing regulations, of the conditions under which distance training may be a type of training approvable as classroom training.

To inform the workforce investment system of additional changes to the ET406 Handbook not captured in Training and Employment Guidance Letter No.1-02,Change1.

(a) Transmit Wagner-Peyser (W-P) Remployment Services allotments for PY 2004 to State Workforce Agencies(SWAs); (b) Provide guidance and instructions for submittal of a Reemployment Services (RES) plan against that allotment; (c) outline RES plan requirements and submission instructions; (d) Announce an opportunity for up to nine states to voluntarily participate in a demonstration for early implementation of Personal Reemployment Accounts (PRAs).

To provide states with the formula methodology used in developing the Fiscal Year (FY) 2005 base allocations and to describe the process for requesting additional TAA program reserve funds for training, job search allowances, relocation allowances, and administration.

To announce Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval to collect data validation results and provide submission instructions to states concerning the Employment and Training Administration's (ETA) data validation process, for the following programs: Workforce Investment Act (WIA) Title IB, Wagner-Peyser Act/Employment Service (ES), and Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA).

To provide guidance relating to the use of use of State Workforce Agency (SWA) buildings for One-Stop purposes, the effect of such use on pre-existing amortization arrangements, and other matters concerning use of real property by SWAs and the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) One-Stop system

To amend the operating instructions issued in Training and Employment Guidance Letter (TEGL) No. 2-03 and 2-03, Change1, to permit certain worker groups previously certified under the Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) program to now request ATAA program certification.

The Employment and Training Administration (ETA) has contracted with Social Policy Research Associates (SPRA) and its subcontractor, Mathematica Policy Research, to conduct an evaluation of the Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) program. This Training and Employment Guidance Letter is to inform state agencies that SPRA will be contacting 25 randomly selected states to solicit their participation in the study.

To inform the state workforce agencies (SWAs) of their responsibility to provide certain services under the TAA for Farmers program established by the Trade Act of 2002 and administered by the USDA.

To announce the reauthorization of the Work Opportunity Tax Credit and the Welfare-to-Work Tax Credit under the Working Families Tax Relief Act of 2004 (P.L. 108-311) and to transmit a policy clarification regarding acceptance and processing of certification requests for new hires who work in one state but received public assistance benefits in a different state.