Trade Readjustment Allowance (TRA) is income support payments to individuals who have exhausted their unemployment benefits and whose jobs were affected by foreign imports as determined by a certification of group coverage issued by the Department of Labor.
Special benefits under the Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) program are provided to those who were laid off or had hours reduced because their employer was adversely affected by increased imports from other countries. These benefits include paid training for a new job, financial help in making a job search in other areas, or relocation to an area where jobs are more plentiful. Those who qualify may be entitled to weekly TRA after their unemployment benefits are exhausted. Apply for Trade Adjustment Assistance
To qualify for Trade Readjustment Allowance (TRA) you must have been laid off or put on a reduced work schedule on or after the impact date and before the date when the certification ends.
In addition, during the 52-week period ending with the week in which you were first laid off, or put on a reduced work schedule, you must have worked at least 26 weeks in which you earned wages of $30.00 or more in each week for the certified employer.
Up to seven weeks of certain employer authorized leave and up to 26 weeks of disability leave compensated under a workers' compensation law can be used towards meeting the wage qualifying requirement.
For the purposes of qualifying for TRA under petitions not in the 70,000 series, the program requires enrollment in full-time approved training (or waiver) occur by the latter of 16 weeks after separation or eight weeks after certification. For petitions in the 70,000 series the enrollment in training or waiver must occur within 26 weeks after separation or within 26 weeks after certification, whichever is later.
Before you may receive any TRA, you must exhaust all your rights to unemployment compensation benefits. You must be enrolled in or have completed a TAA approved training program unless the training requirement is waived.
How Much Will You Receive?
Your weekly TRA amount will generally be the same as the unemployment compensation amount you were receiving immediately before you exhausted your first rights to such benefits and became eligible for TRA benefits.
Your TRA benefits will be reduced by any earnings or other income you receive in the same way that such earnings and income would have reduced your weekly unemployment benefits.
Break in Training
If you have more than a 30-day break in your TAA training (not counting national and state holidays and weekends), TRA benefits are not payable. TRA benefits will resume when your full-time approved TAA training starts again.
Job Search Requirements
If you complete training or receive a waiver from training, you must actively seek full-time employment to receive Basic TRA benefits.
Forms
Select from the links below to view, download and print the following forms:
Basic TRA
Benefits of 26 times your weekly amount may be paid after exhausting regular Unemployment Insurance if you have been granted a waiver or enrolled in full-time TAA approved training within the applicable deadlines. Benefits paid on federal extensions in your first benefit period are deduced from Basic TRA entitlements.
Additional TRA
Those in full-time TAA approved training may receive 52 weeks of additional TRA after exhausting Basic TRA (78 weeks for those covered by petitions in the 70,000 series).
Remedial TRA
Up to 26 weeks further may be paid if remedial or prerequisite training is needed.
