Located in:
- Program-specific Requirements for Adult, Dislocated Worker, and Youth Activities under Title I-B
The Unified or Combined State Plan must include the following with respect to activities carried out under subtitle B--
a. 2. D. Describe How the State Provides Early Intervention (e.g., Rapid Response) to Worker Groups on Whose Behalf a Trade Adjustment Assistance (taa) Petition Has Been Filed. (section 134(a)(2)(a).) This Description Must Include How the State Disseminates Benefit Information to Provide Trade-affected Workers in the Groups Identified in the Taa Petitions with an Accurate Understanding of the Provision of Taa Benefits and Services in Such a Way That They Are Transparent to the Trade-affected Dislocated Worker Applying for Them (trade Act Sec. 221(a)(2)(a) and Sec. 225; Governor- Secretary Agreement). Describe How the State Will Use Funds That Have Been Reserved for Rapid Response to Provide Services for Every Worker Group That Files a Taa Petition.
Current Narrative:
Coordination with Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA): Members of the Rapid Response team also im—plement processes to initiate Trade Adjustment services on behalf of affected firms and workers. Team members assist firms and/or affected employees in submitting trade petitions. Affected workers are pro—vided with cursory information about TAA during regular Rapid Response session and are apprised of in—formational activities that will take place if the firm is certified for trade adjustment assistance. Rapid Re—sponse and CareerCenter staff members are trained to provide information and ongoing services to trade affected workers and to work collaboratively with staff of the Adult and Dislocated worker programs to coordinate services for trade eligible participants. Prospective participants are informed about timeframes and deadlines and options for weekly TAA benefits and other services such as Alternative Trade Adjustment Assistance, Reemployment Trade Adjustment Assistance and TAA Relocation Allowance. Informational materials are provided directly to affected workers for whom a trade petition is pending; these materials explain what the Trade Adjustment Assistance program is and outline the prospective benefits the program can provide and the criteria that affected workers must meet to avail themselves of the services. Once their firm has been certified a series of forums are provided to affected workers to explain the program in full and to answer questions and schedule next steps. Firms that have been affected are also referred to employer trade adjustment assistance for firms and other services as appropriate. Local areas in need of additional Rapid Response funds to serve affected workers while a trade petition is pending can make a formal request for additional funds using a process identified in Policy PY13—11. This policy identifies the requirements of the Rapid Response Additional Assistance (RRAA) funds which state that funds requested can only be used for program and not administrative costs and that Local Areas must have expended at least 70% of local area DW funds and document that they have insufficient funds to serve the newly affected population. The RRAA funds may be used to bridge funding gaps pending approval of a trade petition. Local areas may also apply for RRAA funds when the local area has experienced a steady in—crease in the number of unemployed individuals within a 120 day period due to natural disasters, plant closings, mass layoffs, or other events that don’t qualify for a Trade Petition or a National Dislocated Worker Grant.