ATTENTION! We are currently providing benefits & services under the termination provisions of the Trade Act. No new petitions are being certified at this time. Workers certified under previous petitions are eligible to apply for training, out-of-area job search, and out-of-area relocation benefits. RTAA, TRA and HCTC are not currently available.

TAA benefits are provided according to the version of the law that was in force at the time the applicable petition was certified; there are small differences in the benefits provided by the different laws. For information on how to determine which law your petition falls under, please refer to the program's FAQ page.

Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) Program

The Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) Program helps workers who lose their jobs due to foreign competition, including work being moved outside of the United States. TAA program benefits and services make it easier to move past the disruption caused by your layoff, easier to develop in-demand skills, and easier to land a good-paying, full-time job.

The process begins with a petition, which may be filed by the employees, a union representative, the company itself, or sometimes job center staff. The U.S. Department of Labor reviews the petition and investigates whether jobs have been or will be lost because the company is outsourcing work to another country, or losing business because of foreign imports. If the U.S. Department of Labor certifies your group, TAA program benefits and services become available. The next step is for you to complete a TAA program application, so the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD) can determine your individual eligibility and provide program benefits and services through the state’s job center locations.

To find out more information on how to start the petition process for your company or to check if your company was certified, visit the U.S. Department of Labor's website and search for your company’s name.

Am I Eligible?

To be eligible for the TAA Program, you must:

1. Be a worker who lost your job at a company and location that has been certified by the U.S. Department of Labor as a trade-affected employer.
2. Apply for the TAA program, to determine your individual eligibility for benefits and services.

NOTE: You must also apply for Unemployment Insurance (UI), even if you don't expect to get any payments, because TAA benefits are processed through the UI system.

What Laws Apply?

The TAA program was established in 1974 by the Federal Trade Act. This law has since been amended in 2002, 2009, 2011, 2015, and Reversion 2021. The relevant federal statutes & regulations can be found on the U.S. Department of Labor's website.

Application Process

Benefits & Services

Forms

For more information, see your Benefit Rights & Obligations or your Participant Handbook.