Trade Adjustment Assistance

1. Trade Adjustment Assistance

2. Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) Through the Trade Act of 1974 as Amended by the Trade Act of 2002 Effective November 04, 2002

3. Trade Adjustment Assistance Is available to workers who lose their jobs as the result of: • increased foreign imports, or • a shift in production to certain countries, or • reduced hours of work and wages due to the adverse effect of the above.

4. Goal of TAA To provide assistance to workers affected by foreign imports to return to suitable employment as quickly as possible.

5. Steps to TAA Eligibility • Petition filed by a company official, union, One-stop operators, State Workforce Agencies or dislocated worker units, or at least three affected workers. • Company Federally certified as being adversely affected by foreign imports, or having shifted production to certain countries. • Workers apply for individual certification by completing TAA-855. • Labor Department determines eligibility. • Individual worker notified by mail of eligibility determination for TAA benefits. Certification

6. A denial or negative determination can be appealed (within 21 days).

7. TAA Benefits & Reemployment Services • Income Support (TRA) • Health Coverage Tax Credit (HCTC) • Training • Job search Allowance • Relocation Allowance • Alternative Trade Adjustment Assistance (ATAA)

8. You have the right to apply for TAA benefits • Each TAA benefit has eligibility requirements. • The time limits for you to apply for each TAA benefit is included in this presentation. Take action in a timely way in order to make the most of your benefits.

9. Income SupportTrade Readjustment Allowance (TRA) Is income support for eligible Trade-Impacted workers that immediately follows unemployment insurance

10. TRA Benefit Limits • 26 weeks of Regular Unemployment Insurance. • 26 weeks of Basic TRA. • Up to 52 weeks of Additional TRA if participating in training. • Up to an additional 26 weeks of TRA for Remedial Training. $

11. Prompt Application and Pursuit of Benefits is Vital Many program benefits have deadlines. • TRA and HCTC benefits depend on being enrolled in TAA approved trainingor receiving a Waiver form within: • 8 weeks after the petition certification, or • 16 weeks of the qualifying separation, whichever is later The waiver form will be discussed with you immediately following this presentation.

12. Basic TRA - may be available if: • You are enrolled in TAA approved training by the 8/16 deadline (see next slide), or. • The training requirement is waived, or • You have completed TAA approved training. $ $

13. Training Enrollment Training enrollment (training application accepted by CT Dept. of Labor & you are accepted into the approved program which begins within 30 days of such approval) occurs no later than the latest of: 1. The last day of the 8th week after the week in which the certification was issued 2. The last day of the 16th week after the worker’s most recent total separation

14. Training Enrollment continued 3. 45 days after the later of the dates specified in (1) or (2), if it is determined that there are extenuating circumstances that justify an extension in the enrollment period, or 4. The Monday following the week in which a waiver is terminated.

15. Additional TRA may be available if: • You are still participating in training, and… • You filed your training application within 210 days of your most recent separation or the company certification (whichever is later). $ $

16. TRA Income Support Payments • Claims for TRA Payments are filed by mail (not by telephone). • Payment delivery takes longer than regular unemployment insurance. • Each weekly claim must be accompanied by an additional document.

17. Each weekly claim must be accompanied by either: • Training Attendance form, or… • if not in training, a Job Search Efforts sheet documenting where you looked for work.

18. Job Search Requirements: • Minimum three employer contacts per week. • Contacts can be in person, by phone or by mail. • Contacts must be made on at least two days of each week.

19. When Unemployment Insurance runs out - what is an acceptable job search under TRA? • Unless your job prospects are good, you are required to accept any offer of work which is within your capabilities. • You must consider other types of work, including work below your highest skill level and work which pays lower wages.

20. TRA Job Search Requirements: • Such work must pay at least the State minimum wage. • Such work must be more than your TRA gross weekly benefit amount. • The job must have been offered in writing or listed with the Labor Department. • However, you are not required to accept a rate of pay substantially less than average for that type of work.

21. worker’s name, Social Security number, and dates of week being claimed. the date of contact. company name. company address. person contacted (a name or title is required). how contacted. type of work sought. Result (not hired, not qualified, pending). UC-230 Job Search Efforts Sheet must include the following:

22. CONNECTICUT LABOR DEPARTMENT EMPLOYMENT SECURITY DIVISION UC-230 (REV.1/95) REPORT OF WORK-SEEKING ACTIVITIESSOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER NAME In order to be eligible for TRA benefits, the law requires that you make a thorough work search for each week claimed. You must (a) actively seek work throughout each week, (b) make efforts to find work on at least two (2) days during the week and (c) contact a minimum of three (3) employers each week. The signature of prospective employers is NOT required. I AM CLAIMING BENEFITS FOR THE WEEK BEGINNING _______________________________ AND ENDING __________________________ SUNDAY SATURDAY DATENAME OF EMPLOYER EMPLOYER’S ADDRESS PERSON CONTACTED HOW CONTACTED TYPE OF WORK SOUGHT RESULTS (1) (2) (3) (4) PLEASE NOTE: EFFORTS LISTED ABOVE MUST CORRESPOND WITH SUN.-SAT. DATES OF CLAIM FILED. UC-230 Job Search Efforts Sheet

23. Health Coverage Tax Credit

24. What is HCTC? • A Federal tax credit that pays 65% of the health plan premium for eligible individuals enrolled in qualified health plans. • The remaining 35% of the premium is paid by the eligible individual. Qualified Health Plan Premium Cost

25. HCTC Qualified Health Plans • Federal/State COBRA Continuation Coverage -Contact your current health plan or former employer for information • Health Reinsurance Association of CT -Contact phone number: (800) 842-0004 • Spouse Coverage - if the employer pays less than 50% of the premium and if the premium payments are not made pre-tax • Individual Policy - if the policy began at least 30 days prior to separation from the employer.

26. HCTC Information for You The HCTC QUALIFYING HEALTH PLANS LISTED ON THE PREVIOUS SLIDE ARE PROVIDED FOR YOU TO CONTACT AND EVALUATE

27. How Does HCTC Work? Eligible individuals with qualifying health insurance: Can apply to take the tax credit at the end of the year on their income tax return (even if they did not owe any taxes); or Effective August 1, 2003 can receive Advance HCTC each month.

28. Who is Eligible for HCTC? • Individuals receiving Trade Readjustment Allowances (TRA). • Individuals who would be eligible to receive TRA, but have not yet exhausted their Unemployment Insurance. • Individuals receiving Alternative Trade Adjustment Assistance (ATAA) benefits. • Individuals receiving a Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) benefit payment, and are 55 years or older, and are not eligible for Medicare.

29. HCTC Questions? ALL QUESTIONS MUST BE DIRECTED TO THE IRS HCTC CALL CENTER AT 1 - 866 - 628- 4282

30. TAA Training

31. If suitable employment is not available. Obsolete skills may mean it’s time for a new career. While attending TAA-approved training, you do not have to look for work. Training should be of the shortest duration necessary to enable you to return to work. Skill training must be full time and completed within 104 weeks (130 weeks if remedial instruction is needed). Meet with your TAA rep. Early for planning. TAA Training

32. TAA Training • Must be approved of by the Connecticut Department of Labor. • Must lead toward an occupational goal.

33. TAA Training Requirements • The training is reasonably available from either governmental or private sources. • The training is suitable for the worker and available at reasonable cost. • There is reasonable expectation of employment following completion of the training.

34. Requirements for TAA Training Approval • No suitable employment is available to you. • You have the background, education, skills or experience to succeed in the training. • You have the physical, mental, and financial capabilities to complete the training.

35. Other TAA Benefits

36. Job Search Allowance • If suitable work is not available to you in your commuting area. • Applications must be approved of before you make job search arrangements. • There are time limits for filing job search applications.

37. Job Search Allowance If work for which you are qualified is not available in your area, you may apply for a Job Search Allowance which would pay for: 90% of the cost of necessary job search expenses e.g., transportation costs up to $1,250.

38. You must apply for a Job Search Allowance before the later of: • 365 days after certification or your last total separation, or • 182 days after training is completed, unless the worker received a training waiver.

39. Relocation Allowance • If it is determined that suitable work is not available in your current area of residence, and • You find long term work or a bona fide offer of work within the United States, • You may apply for a Relocation Allowance.

40. Relocation Allowance • Applications must be filed for and approved before the relocation begins. • You may receive only one Relocation Allowance. • The relocation must occur within 182 days after: • the filing of the relocation application, or • the conclusion of TAA-approved training

41. An approved Relocation Allowance would pay: • 90% of the reasonable and necessary relocation expenses, and • A Lump Sum equal to 3 times your former average weekly wage up to a maximum of $1,250.

42. You must apply for a Relocation Allowance before the later of: • 425 days after certification or your last total separation, or • 182 days after training concluded, unless the worker received a training waiver.

43. Alternative Trade Adjustment Assistance (ATAA)

44. What is ATAA? ATAA is a program that provides eligible individuals who obtain new employment with a wage subsidy to help bridge the salary gap between their old and new employment .

45. Who is Eligible for ATAA? To be Eligible for ATAA a worker must: • Be both TAA and ATAA certified • Age 50 or older • Obtain new employment within 26 weeks of his/her separation • Determine retraining is not appropriate

46. Who is Eligible for ATAA? To be Eligible for ATAA a worker must: • Earn $50,000 or less a year (not including overtime pay). • Be employed (by one or more employers) for 35 hours or more per week; • Not return to the employment from which you were separated. (Cannot return to the same division/facility separated from, nor do the same or similar work for the employer in another division/facility.)

47. ATAA Wage Subsidy • The State shall pay 50 percent of the difference between: • the wages received by the worker from reemployment, and • the wages received by the worker at the time of separation. • ATAA payments made to a worker may not exceed $10,000 per worker during a 2-year eligibility period.

48. How will Receiving ATAA Payments effect my other TAA Benefits? You may be eligible to receive: Up to 2 years of tax credit for qualifying health insurance costs. Relocation allowances.

49. If you Receive ATAA Payment(s)-- You Will Not be eligible to receive: TRA payments Training funded through TAA, and Job search allowances

50. Your Responsibilities (A) • Read the information and materials carefully. • Use the services offered by your Job Center and other community resources. • Keep a notebook of your efforts to find work.