Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA)

About This Program

Trade Adjustment Assistance provides income support, job retraining, job search assistance, and relocation allowances to workers who have been directly hurt by international trade — specifically those who lost jobs or had hours and wages significantly reduced because their employer shifted production abroad or because competition from imports caused a layoff. TAA is the federal government's primary acknowledgment that trade policy creates economic losers, and an attempt to soften those losses for affected workers. To access TAA benefits, workers must be covered by a certification. Either the employer or a group of three or more affected workers can file a petition with the Department of Labor. If the petition is approved, workers at that employer and location become eligible for TAA benefits. Workers must then apply individually through their state workforce agency. Benefits include Trade Readjustment Allowances (TRA) — income support payments available after unemployment insurance is exhausted — plus funding for retraining at an approved institution, job search travel reimbursement, and in some cases relocation assistance if jobs are not available in the local area. TAA also provides tax credits for health insurance premiums for some former workers who are not otherwise covered. TAA has been periodically reauthorized by Congress with changes to eligibility and benefits. Check with your state American Job Center for the current program status and eligibility rules, as these can shift with reauthorization cycles.

Eligibility Requirements

Related Programs