The Trade Act of 1974, as amended, is a Federal program establishing the Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) program which provides reemployment assistance to workers in firms affected by foreign trade (e.g. production has been/is being shifted to a foreign country, services are being outsourced to a foreign country, increased imports of articles or services, loss of business with a TAA-certified firm).
Services For Those That Qualify May Include:
Program benefits may include:
- Up to 130 weeks of approved TAA training, including all tuition, fees, and books.
- Income support while enrolled in approved training through the Trade Readjustment Allowance (TRA) benefit.
- Work based training, including on the job training and registered apprenticeships.
- Wage subsidies for workers 50 years or older, and earning less than $50,000 per year in qualifying reemployment.
- Job search allowances, TAA can assist with the cost of travel, lodging and meal expenses for workers traveling to interviews outside their commuting area.
- Relocation allowances for workers who accept a new position outside of their commuting area which can cover up to 90% of the allowable costs for qualifying relocations.
Who can participate?
Participants would be those who were part of a layoff that was certified as being foreign-trade-related by the United States Department of Labor. You would be notified of your eligibility by Iowa Workforce Development and the Trade Department, along with receiving your corresponding petition number.
How to Get started
Register on IowaWORKS.gov, to have access to all of our online services, including career assessments, skills matching, resume and cover letter creation, and automated job searches.
If you believe that you were or will be part of a layoff that would have qualified for the Trade Act, or you were previously made aware of a qualifying petition from your employer, please reach out to us via our online form.
Additional information
For additional information regarding the petition process, benefits and services please visit the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration website.
Contact information
For general questions please contact us via our Workforce Services Form.