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:
When the Trade Adjustment Assistance petition is filed, the Office of Workforce Development (OWD) Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) Coordinator notifies the appropriate local Trade Act representative(s), the OWD State Trade Act staff, Employee Transition Team (ETT) Coordinators, appropriate Workforce Coordinator(s), the Division of Employment Security (DES) Trade Readjustment Allowance (TRA) Coordinator, OWD WIOA Dislocated Worker Coordinator and all appropriate supervisors.
The Workforce Coordinator schedules a rapid response meeting. They invite the local Trade Act representative and a DES representative to provide information on the TAA program and Unemployment Insurance (UI). The local Trade Act representative provides information relating to TAA benefits and services including criteria and timeframes. The DES representative provides information on UI and TRA including how to file a UI and TRA claim. The Workforce Coordinator provides the potentially trade-affected employer with informational handouts on Trade Act benefits and services, Job Center services and supportive service information.
Once an employer’s petition is Trade Act certified, the OWD TAA Coordinator obtains a list of affected workers from the trade-affected employer. Notification letters are sent to the workers informing them of the petition certification. The notification letter includes instructions on how to file a Trade Act claim with DES, access Trade Act benefits and services from the Missouri Job Centers, and includes a Trade Act informational pamphlet.
The state will use funds that have been reserved for rapid response to provide services for every worker group that files a TAA petition to: 1) print and distribute Trade Act informational pamphlets; and 2) for local Trade Act representative(s) wages, fringe benefits and travel expenses for outreach so they may attend the rapid response meeting and provide information relating to TAA benefits and services including criteria and timeframes.