Transcript TRA/TAA - State of Connecticut Department of Labor

Trade Adjustment Assistance
Trade Adjustment
Assistance (TAA)
Through the Trade Act of 1974 as
Amended by the Trade Act of 2002
Effective November 04, 2002
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.
Goal of TAA
To provide assistance
to workers affected by
foreign imports to
return to suitable
employment as
quickly as possible.
Steps to TAA Eligibility
• Petition filed by a company official, union, Onestop operators, State Workforce Agencies or
dislocated worker units, or at least three
affected workers.
Certification
• 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.
A denial or negative
determination can be
appealed (within 21 days).
TAA Benefits &
Reemployment Services
•
•
•
•
•
•
Income Support (TRA)
Health Coverage Tax Credit (HCTC)
Training
Job search Allowance
Relocation Allowance
Alternative Trade Adjustment Assistance
(ATAA)
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.
Income Support
Trade Readjustment
Allowance (TRA)
Is income support for eligible TradeImpacted workers that immediately
follows unemployment insurance
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.
Prompt Application and Pursuit
of Benefits is Vital
Many program benefits have deadlines.
• TRA and HCTC benefits depend on being
enrolled in TAA approved training or
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.
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.
$
$
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
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.
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).
$
$
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
UC-230 Job Search Efforts
Sheet must include the following:
• 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).
CONNECTICUT LABOR DEPARTMENT
EMPLOYMENT SECURITY DIVISION
REPORT OF WORK-SEEKING ACTIVITIES
UC-230 (REV.1/95)
SOCIAL 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
DATE
RESULTS
NAME OF EMPLOYER
EMPLOYER’S ADDRESS
PERSON CONTACTED
SATURDAY
HOW CONTACTED
TYPE OF WORK SOUGHT
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
PLEASE NOTE: EFFORTS LISTED ABOVE MUST CORRESPOND WITH SUN.-SAT. DATES OF CLAIM FILED.
UC-230 Job Search Efforts Sheet
Health Coverage Tax Credit
(HCTC)
What is HCTC?
• A Federal tax credit that pays
72.5% the health plan premium
for eligible individuals enrolled in
qualified health plans.
• The remaining 27.5% of the
premium is paid by the eligible
individual.
Qualified
Health
Plan
Premium
Cost
HCTC Qualified Health
Plans
•
•
•
•
Federal/State COBRA Continuation Coverage if you are paying more than 50% of the cost of
coverage. Contact your current health plan or
former employer for information.
Health Reinsurance Association of Connecticut contact phone number: (800) 842-0004
Spousal Coverage - if your spouse pays more
than 50% of the cost with after-tax dollars
Individual Policy - if the policy began at least 30
days prior to separation from the employer.
HCTC Information for
You
The HCTC QUALIFYING HEALTH
PLANS LISTED ON THE
PREVIOUS SLIDE ARE
PROVIDED FOR YOU TO
CONTACT AND EVALUATE
How Does HCTC Work?
Eligible individuals with qualifying
health insurance can:
–Apply to take the tax credit at the end of
the year when filing a federal income
tax return (even if they do not owe any
taxes); or
–Enroll to receive the HCTC monthly as
their premiums become due.
Who is Eligible for HCTC?
• Individuals receiving Trade Readjustment
Allowances (TRA), including certain individuals
whose TRA is interrupted due to a break in training.
• Individuals who would be eligible to receive TRA
but have not yet exhausted their Unemployment
Insurance and meet eligibility deadlines for
enrollment in TAA approved training or receive a
waiver from training.
• Individuals receiving Alternative Trade Adjustment
Assistance (ATAA) benefits, also called
Reemployment TAA.
• Individuals receiving a Pension Benefit Guaranty
Corporation (PBGC) benefit payment who are 55
years or older and not eligible for Medicare.
HCTC Questions?
ALL QUESTIONS MUST BE
DIRECTED TO THE IRS HCTC
CALL CENTER AT
1 - 866 - 628- 4282
TAA Training
TAA Training
• 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
• Must be approved of by the Connecticut
Department of Labor.
• Must lead toward an occupational goal.
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.
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.
Other TAA Benefits
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
Alternative Trade
Adjustment Assistance
(ATAA)
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 .
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
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.)
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.
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.
If you Receive ATAA
Payment(s)-You Will Not be eligible to receive:
–TRA payments
– Training funded through TAA,
and
–Job search allowances
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.
Your Responsibilities (B)
• See your TAA representative
early to explore your benefits
and their requirements.
• Apply for benefits within the specified time
frames.
• Keep your TAA representative informed of
and changes in your training program or
employment status.
To find employment make
effective use of:
• Re-employment
Services.
• Trade Adjustment
Assistance
Benefits.
• Other programs or
community
services.
TAA Benefits are unique and are not
available to most job seekers.
Use yours wisely!