TEN_01-21_Attachment_2.pdf

ETA Advisory File Text

Attachment II TAA Program Reversion Demystified 14 Changes Effective under Reversion 2021 Simplified information. See TEGL No. 24-20 Operating Instructions for Implementing the Reversion Provisions of the Amendments to the Trade Act of 1974 Enacted by the Trade Adjustment Assistance Reauthorization Act of 2015 for additional information. II-1 1 Reversion 2021 only affects NEW petitions. Petitions filed on or after July 1 2021 are subject to Reversion 2021. These are the ONLY petitions subject to the Reversion 2021 provisions. There is no change for workers covered by petitions certified on and before June 30 2021. 2 Reversion 2021 provides workers less time to enroll in training. Workers MUST enroll in training within 8 weeks of certification or 16 weeks after layoff instead of 26 weeks . The shorter enrollment in training deadline significant limits enrollment in training as the data shows most TAA participants enroll in training approximately 24 weeks after certification or layoff. 3 Reversion 2021 eliminates TAA-funded employment and case management services. Reversion 2021 eliminates funding for the provision of individualized employment and case management services to workers covered by petitions filed on and after July 1 2021. States are encouraged to provide job placement testing and counseling services to workers covered by petitions filed on and after July 1 2021 by using non-TAA funding sources such as WIOA Dislocated Worker Rapid Response or Wagner-Peyser funds. Initial assessments of workers as part of the initial interview may continue using Trade Act funds. 4 Reversion 2021 eliminates the path to certification for service sector workers. Service sector workers are mostly women and people of color. Under reversion these workers are no longer be eligible under petitions filed on or after July 1 2021. The Department estimates this will affect approximately 48 000 workers annually. 5 Reversion 2021 eliminates a path to certification for workers whose employment shifts to many major U.S. training partners. Reversion limits shift in production eligibility criteria to a specific group of nations. Reversion 2021 does not include the major trading partners i.e. China India and Europe. 6 Reversion 2021 renders Adversely Affected Incumbent Workers AAIWs ineligible. AAIWs will no longer be eligible under petitions filed after July 1 2021. The Department estimates this will affect approximately 8 000 workers annually. 7 Workers will lose the ability to choose Trade Readjustment Allowances TRA Versus Unemployment Insurance. The TRA election provision will not be available to workers covered by petitions filed on or after July 1 2021 which often results in a lower benefit payment. 8 Reversion 2021 restores TRA penalty for individuals working while in training. Workers will no longer qualify for an exemption from a TRA reduction in benefit amount for earnings while in training applies to workers covered by a petition filed on or after July 1 2021. 9 Reversion 2021 eliminates special rules for military service. Reversion eliminates special rules which provide exceptions to deadlines and other limits for veterans covered by petitions filed on or after July 1 2021. 10 Reversion 2021 eliminates good cause and justifiable cause exceptions. States are no longer to make exceptions to participate in the TAA or receive certain benefits even if the worker meets federal good cause and justifiable cause conditions. 11 Reversion 2021 eliminates income support for older workers in enrolled in training. Wage supplements are not available for workers age 50 years and older if they are enrolled in training. 12 TRA types and durations are unchanged Job Search and Relocation Allowances are unchanged. Reversion 2021 makes no changes to TRA Job Search or Relocation Allowances. 13 Waivers eliminated under the 2015 Program remain unavailable under Reversion 2021. There are no changes to types of training waivers recall retirement and marketable skills waivers eliminated under the 2015 Program remain unavailable under Reversion. 14 Reversion 2021 Cuts Training Funds. Training cap reduces to 220 million annually from 450 million annually and is limited to training funds only.