What is TAA?

The Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) is a federal reemployment program of the United States Department of Labor (USDOL). The program helps workers who have lost jobs, work hours, or wages. TAA also helps workers whose job was moved to a location outside the U.S. or was impacted by increased imports. If you qualify, you may receive program benefits and services, depending on what kind of help you need to find work.  All services for which you qualify are available at no cost.

                               

 

How do I know if I qualify?

To see if you qualify to receive TAA, you should have worked for one of the employers identified below during the timeframe listed.

There are over 900 employers that are eligible! 

Click on your local area on the map to view a list of eligible employers near you!

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What benefits may I qualify for?

REEMPLOYMENT SERVICES

Reemployment services may be available to you from the TAA program directly or from other organizations in the SC Works System. 

Services include:

• Assessments. Comprehensive and specialized assessments may be done to determine your skill level and service needs. 
• Individual Employment Plan (IEP). The IEP is a plan developed between you and your case manager to set your employment goals and the steps you need to take to reach them.
• Career Counseling. A counselor assists with your job search, gives you information about types of jobs which match your skills, what skills employers want, and if needed, training for you to learn those skills. 
• Soft Skills/Prevocational Services. These workshops teach interviewing techniques, résumé writing, and online job searching.
• Co-Enrollment with Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). As a trade-affected worker, you may enroll with our partner program, WIOA.  When you enroll, WIOA will give you even more help toward your reemployment goals and follow up services that TAA does not provide.

TRAINING

• Remedial, GED/High School Diploma
  • for individuals who do not have a GED or high school diploma,
  • have limited English proficiency, or
  • have basic-skills deficiency, as determined by documented assessments.
• Occupational Training
  • Certificate
  • Diploma
  • Degree
• Work-Based Training
  • On-the-job-training
  • Apprenticeship
  • Customized training

Prior to being approved for any training, a TAA Workforce consultant will assess your situation. The information you fill in on the training request application will help the consultant know what work-skills training you need.

To be approved for job training, you must meet all six of the following conditions set by the federal government:

• There is no suitable employment available in your commuting area. Suitable employment is employment that pays at least 80% of your past trade-impacted wage and involves a skill level at least as great as that of the trade-impacted employment. (Documentation may be required)
• You would benefit from appropriate training.
• There is a reasonable expectation of employment following successful completion of the training.
• Training is reasonably available and/or accessible to you at an approved governmental or private training or education provider.
• You are qualified to undertake and complete the training.
• The training is suitable for you and available at a reasonable cost.

*Note: Additional requirements apply to OJT, apprenticeships, and customized training.

 

How Do I Register for TAA?

For more information, please email TradeInfoSC@dew.sc.gov. 

Please include “Reemployment Services” in the subject line of the email. In the body of the email, include, your full name, your former employer, and your phone number. A TAA Workforce Consultant will call or email you to schedule an appointment to assess your eligibility for the TAA program.

 

Who do I contact to Apply for TAA?

If you do not have access to email or the internet, you may contact your TAA workforce consultant listed below.

TAA Workforce Consultant	Phone Number	Email
Amy Durant	(843) 519-1241 cell: (843) 250-4185	ADDurant@dew.sc.gov

 

 

TAA Success Stories

J. Gilleece

J. Gilleece was employed with Parker Hannifin in Beaufort, South Carolina for just under 13 years, making a great wage for the area at $22.36 per hour, when he was laid off in February of 2016. There were minimal jobs available in manufacturing in the local area, and Mr. Gilleece wanted to continue in the workforce.  He realized that he needed to obtain occupational training to gain new skills to make himself more marketable to secure a job making a wage comparable to the wages he earned at Parker.  He utilized the benefits of the TAA program and applied for occupational training and was approved to obtain an Associate’s Degree in Computer Technology at the Technical College of the Lowcountry.  He began training in August of 2016 and completed all of the required coursework for his training within the 130 weeks allowed to obtain occupational training.  He started out full time but secured full time employment about a year after he began his training.  He wanted to continue his training, but did not want to pass up the opportunity to accept the job that he was offered, because this employer offered him a wage higher than the wages that he made at Parker.  He accepted the offer from Geismer, a new employer in Beaufort SC, and continued his training part time.  He managed to work a full time job and attend training, and completed his training in December of 2018, all while maintaining a 3.89 grade point average.

Mr. Gillece was very appreciative for the opportunity afforded to him as a recipient to the TAA program and was thankful for the support and encouragement that he received along the way.

 

SC Works Success Story: C. Caldwell

Ms. C. Caldwell was a Senior Associate Assembler at Cardinal Health in Fort Mill, South Carolina before being laid-off in January 2021. At the time of separation, the Cardinal Health petition had not yet been approved but eventually was a few weeks after her layoff. After the petition was certified, it took months before Ms. Caldwell responded to outreach efforts.  Eventually she did and reached out to her local SC Works office regarding TAA services. She met with a TAA Workforce Consultant and enrolled in the program in May 2021. Prior to her enrollment in the TAA program, Ms. Caldwell had enrolled in a Medical Assisting program at her local technical college. She had previously attended York Technical College years earlier and had earned college credits toward her training interest. 

Knowing that she could potentially receive assistance to resume her studies at York Tech., Ms. Caldwell worked diligently with her TAA Workforce Consultant to ensure that she understood the requirements in order to provide all necessary documentation to complete her training application for submission and consideration. Once her training was approved, she was able to continue her studies despite maneuvering through a pandemic and working part-time. Not only would she receive assistance for tuition and books, she also qualified for transportation assistance. The added transportation benefit was helpful to her in combating the rising fuel prices. 

Ms. Caldwell worked very hard in her studies and was able to complete training in July 2022. Utilizing the skills and knowledge she learned in approved TAA training program, she was able to pass the American Medical Technologists (AMT) certification examination.

As of September 2022, she is employed as a Certified Medical Assistant earning wages higher than the wages she received from the Trade-affected employer.