The US Department of Labor has announced initial funding allocations for Trade Adjustment Assistance for states to assist workers who lose their jobs due to outsourcing and foreign trade. Vermont will get nearly $14 million to cover jobs lost to foreign competition.
This announcement includes two funding levels for states under the program: one under the current, expanded level of authorized funding, and one at a reduced level that will take effect on Jan. 1, 2011, if Congress fails to renew the expanded TAA program authorized by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. If the expanded program is not renewed, states stand to lose approximately $267 million in initial allocations, and thousands of workers could be excluded from the program. Additional reserve funding would be lost as well.
"The Recovery Act has allowed us to serve more Americans through the Trade Adjustment Assistance program, giving workers access to essential services in a time of need," said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis. "Returning TAA to pre-expansion funding levels and eligibility guidelines would leave a staggering number of workers in states across the country without access to this important program."
TAA provides workers with the opportunity to obtain the skills, resources and support needed to gain re-employment. Funds are used to provide career training, employment and case management services, and to pay for associated administrative costs. States will receive funds according to these allocations once the department receives its fiscal year 2011 congressional appropriation.
The Recovery Act included a major expansion and reform of the TAA program, and authorized an increase in the maximum amount of TAA funds that may be used for training nationwide, from $220 million to $575 million. If Congress does not renew the expanded program before Jan. 1, 2011, funding will revert to pre-Recovery Act levels, and service industry workers will no longer be covered by the program.
Funds announced today are the initial allocations for fiscal year 2011 for both the expanded and reduced levels. The remaining funds are being held in reserve by the Labor Department for distribution as needed throughout the year.
State
Total FY 2011 TAA Initial Allocation $575 Million Training Level*
Total FY 2011 TAA Initial Allocation $220 Million Training Level*
Alabama
$8,754,884
$3,539,184
Alaska
$541,773
$0
Arizona
$3,032,300
$1,278,272
Arkansas
$9,741,945
$3,749,887
California
$13,135,465
$5,724,425
Colorado
$3,690,552
$1,565,884
Connecticut
$4,014,079
$1,596,745
Delaware
$616,408
$481,944
District of Columbia
$0
$0
Florida
$3,375,973
$1,269,050
Georgia
$10,127,786
$4,466,586
Hawaii
$0
$0
Idaho
$6,139,516
$2,645,829
Illinois
$16,828,636
$6,776,605
Indiana
$23,734,414
$9,085,254
Iowa
$7,258,088
$2,439,507
Kansas
$1,397,111
$743,098
Kentucky
$11,628,652
$4,678,271
Louisiana
$1,977,091
$959,206
Maine
$4,789,892
$1,782,059
Maryland
$976,878
$603,513
Massachusetts
$8,977,944
$4,130,816
Michigan
$57,129,772
$21,353,658
Minnesota
$8,244,122
$3,133,521
Mississippi
$3,455,817
$1,438,379
Missouri
$13,408,136
$5,651,273
Montana
$3,461,566
$1,454,567
Nebraska
$1,159,748
$716,459
Nevada
$502,420
$0
New Hampshire
$1,462,784
$770,937
New Jersey
$3,895,246
$1,949,997
New Mexico
$3,129,322
$1,420,353
New York
$11,329,275
$4,189,378
North Carolina
$39,199,147
$16,295,004
North Dakota
$653,372
$0
Ohio
$26,862,367
$9,191,913
Oklahoma
$3,218,115
$1,644,148
Oregon
$15,804,810
$5,794,776
Pennsylvania
$22,116,022
$9,410,643
Puerto Rico
$488,909
$0
Rhode Island
$3,208,666
$1,463,611
South Carolina
$12,569,797
$5,602,451
South Dakota
$1,955,398
$802,322
Tennessee
$8,317,583
$4,003,082
Texas
$15,077,456
$6,208,649
Utah
$3,765,926
$1,529,840
Vermont
$873,842
$528,898
Virginia
$9,750,747
$3,715,915
Washington
$11,989,030
$4,682,929
West Virginia
$4,537,397
$1,975,437
Wisconsin
$18,656,325
$7,755,725
Wyoming
$0
$0
Total
$446,962,500
$180,200,000
*Includes training, administrative and case management funds
U.S. Department of Labor releases are accessible on the Internet at http://www.dol.gov. The information in this news release will be made available in alternate format (large print, Braille, audiotape or disc) from the COAST office upon request. Please specify which news release when placing your request at 202-693-7828 or TTY 202-693-7755. The Labor Department is committed to providing America's employers and employees with easy access to understandable information on how to comply with its laws and regulations. For more information, please visit http://www.dol.gov/compliance.
Meanwhile, Solis today issued the following statement on the extension of the expanded Trade Adjustment Assistance program:
"Last year, through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, Congress made the wise decision to expand Trade Adjustment Assistance eligibility to service sector workers adversely impacted by trade. Prior to that, the program focused solely on workers in the manufacturing sector. The expanded program offers a crucial lifeline to many working families whose breadwinners lost their jobs through no fault of their own.
"In fact, between May 2009 and the end of September, more than 155,000 Americans who may have otherwise been ineligible for assistance were certified to receive the income support and training that they desperately needed. TAA benefits can help participants keep food on the table for their families, and training ensures they are prepared for new employment opportunities.
"Unless Congress takes action, however, the expanded TAA program will expire at the end of 2010. That could leave a great many trade-impacted workers across the country without needed support and services. And it would undermine the progress we are making as a nation toward economic recovery.
"It also merits underscoring that those who receive TAA have lost jobs through no fault of their own and many are actively pursuing training for new careers. In other words, these are experienced workers, firmly committed to putting in the effort to get back on their feet. As a group, they have strong work records, and they are a tremendous asset to our economy. Continuing to help them gain the skills needed to enter good jobs contributes to the overall health of our economy, and it just makes sense.
"As this issue comes to a head over the coming weeks, federal legislators will have an important choice to make. I urge them to keep in mind that America's families still need our help, to make the responsible decision and to extend the expanded TAA program. It is also my hope that Congress acts on our no-cost technical fixes to the TAA Community College and Career Training Program that will help this new program succeed and benefit a broader population of unemployed workers."
State
Total Workers Certified Since Recovery Act Expansion
Workers Covered Under New Provisions Since Recovery Act Expansion
Percent of Workers Under New Provisions Since Recovery Act Expansion
Alabama
8,800
3,906
44.39%
Alaska
3
3
100.00%
Arizona
8,372
4,832
57.72%
Arkansas
3,507
717
20.44%
California
23,678
16,223
68.52%
Colorado
3,069
2,330
75.92%
Connecticut
3,066
1,762
57.47%
Delaware
1,276
8
0.63%
DC
0
0
0
Florida
5,447
2,398
44.02%
Georgia
4,682
1,511
32.27%
Hawaii
43
43
100.00%
Idaho
1,971
1,489
75.55%
Illinois
18,581
6,067
32.65%
Indiana
15,016
2,969
19.77%
Iowa
4,119
1,323
32.12%
Kansas
1,554
950
61.13%
Kentucky
8,087
3,252
40.21%
Louisiana
1,661
66
3.97%
Maine
2,446
771
31.52%
Maryland
971
599
61.69%
Massachusetts
8,228
5,375
65.33%
Michigan
45,330
13,296
29.33%
Minnesota
7,246
3,452
47.64%
Mississippi
2,492
913
36.64%
Missouri
7,458
2,771
37.15%
Montana
616
276
44.81%
Nebraska
1,154
724
62.74%
Nevada
87
34
39.08%
New Hampshire
1,021
801
78.45%
New Jersey
5,465
4,817
88.14%
New Mexico
2,400
1,558
64.92%
New York
10,415
5,401
51.86%
North Carolina
17,373
8,731
50.26%
North Dakota
905
905
100.00%
Ohio
31,465
7,743
24.61%
Oklahoma
1,668
1,368
82.01%
Oregon
11,361
5,828
51.30%
Pennsylvania
22,152
7,288
32.90%
Puerto Rico
779
0
0.00%
Rhode Island
1,201
528
43.96%
South Carolina
7,127
3,362
47.17%
South Dakota
925
350
37.84%
Tennessee
12,128
3,158
26.04%
Texas
16,655
10,009
60.10%
Utah
3,268
2,186
66.89%
Vermont
893
284
31.80%
Virginia
9,392
3,997
42.56%
Washington
6,300
2,014
31.97%
West Virginia
3,602
2,932
81.40%
Wisconsin
11,926
3,827
32.09%
Wyoming
46
0
0.00%
Total
367,427
155,147
42.23%
U.S. Department of Labor releases are accessible on the Internet at http://www.dol.gov. The information in this news release will be made available in alternate format (large print, Braille, audio tape or disc) from the COAST office upon request. Please specify which news release when placing your request at 202-693-7828 or TTY 202-693-7755. The Labor Department is committed to providing America's employers and employees with easy access to understandable information on how to comply with its laws and regulations. For more information, please visit www.dol.gov/compliance.
Source: U.S. Department of Labor WASHINGTON, Nov. 17, 2010 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --