Trade Adjustment Assistance provides re-employment assistance to workers who have been negatively impacted by foreign trade. Through job referrals, training, and income support, this program is designed to help workers find new jobs.

Benefits and Services

TAA certified workers may be eligible for the following benefits and services:

• Skills assessments, career counseling, and labor market information
• Up to 130 weeks of training
• Income support
• Job search allowance
• Relocation allowance
• ATAA (wage subsidy)

Details of the TAA benefits and services listed above are also available.

Program Eligibility

To qualify for benefits, affected workers must file a petition with the U.S. Department of Labor (US DOL) within a year of the layoff. US DOL will initiate an investigation to determine if certain trade-related circumstances were met. These factors include the following:

• An increase of imported articles or services
• A shift in production to or an acquisition of services or articles from any foreign country by a company
• An employer losing business from a customer with TAA-certified workers

US DOL must approve the petition in order for a group of affected workers to be eligible for TAA benefits and services. Workers must qualify separately for each benefit, and they will be notified of their potential eligibility by the N.C. Division of Employment Security.

How to Apply

Petitions can be filed online or by mail. The petition can be downloaded here and may be filed by one of the following parties:

• Two or more workers in the same firm or subdivision
• The worker’s employer
• A union official or other duly authorized representative of such workers
• State workforce agencies

For More Information

Find your nearest NCWorks Career Center. You can also call the Trade Adjustment Assistance Unit at 984-236-4249.