Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) is a benefit for individuals who have lost their jobs because of trade with foreign countries. Employers and unions file a petition with the Department of Labor (DOL) to have their employees TAA-certified. TAA offers an income supplement (called Trade Readjustment Allowance (TRA)), assistance in skill assessment, job search workshops, job development or referral, and job placement. In addition, workers may be eligible for training, job search allowance, relocation allowance, and other reemployment services.

TAA recipients:

• receive money from their state, either a Trade Readjustment Allowance (TRA) or Unemployment Insurance (UI) in lieu of TRA while otherwise eligible for TRA, and
• also must meet eligibility deadlines for enrollment in TAA-approved training or receive a written waiver to maintain HCTC eligibility.

The HCTC is also available to Alternative and Reemployment TAA recipients.

Alternative Trade Adjustment Assistance (ATAA) is a wage subsidy benefit designed for workers with hard-to-transfer skills. To be eligible for this Department of Labor program, workers must meet certain eligibility criteria.

ATAA recipients:

• are at least 50 years old,
• lost a job at a trade-affected company,
• have another job where they earn less money, and
• receive a wage supplement from their state to make up for their lower income.

Reemployment Trade Adjustment Assistance (RTAA) is a benefit program effective for workers' petitions received between May 18th, 2009 and February 14, 2011.  

RTAA recipients:

To find out if your company is TAA/ATAA/RTAA-certified by the DOL, or to find the status of a petition you submitted, visit the DOL Certification Search Site and search using your company’s name.

If your company is already TAA, ATAA or RTAA-certified, view the TAA Information Guide to find out what you need to do next to receive the HCTC.

Return to the Eligibility Requirements and How to Receive the HCTC page.
Return to the HCTC Program home page.
Go to the HCTC Quick References page to view a glossary of terms, FAQs and additional resources.