Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA)-Workforce Investment Act (WIA) Dual Enrollment NEGs
Dual-enrollment projects with single- or multi-company layoffs of more than 50 workers each, and where the Department has determined that workers are TAA-eligible. The following policies and expectations apply to dual-enrollment NEG applications:
- The application and review process for dual-enrollment projects will include consideration of annual planning estimates for expenditure in the year of allotment as issued by the Department for the TAA program. This will strengthen the State's ability to project needs and manage dislocated worker funds, and ETA's ability to evaluate the need for additional funds for TAA-certified dislocated workers.
- The primary purpose of dual-enrollment projects is to provide TAA-eligible dislocated workers with "wrap-around" services that are not available through the TAA program, and where state formula dislocated worker program funds are not sufficient to provide services, such as comprehensive assessment and development of individual re-employment plans, case management, and supportive services (WIA core, intensive, and supportive services).
- Generally, NEG funds awarded for training will be used to fill a temporary gap to ensure that workers, who have been assessed as requiring training to return to the workforce, will have access to such training as soon as possible after dislocation. Systems must be in place to seamlessly accommodate a change in the funding of training, as appropriate.
- Any training to be provided with NEG funds to TAA-eligible workers must qualify under both the TAA and the WIA programs.
- All dislocated workers, including those for whom TAA petitions have been filed, are required to have access to Rapid Response, core and intensive services (paid with WIA or other resources available to a state). This assistance should be available prior to a TAA determination to limit the period of unemployment. Once a worker has been determined as eligible for trade assistance, those services authorized under the Trade Program (approved training, job search and relocation allowances and transportation) should be funded with TAA funds. Participants must sign off on their individual reemployment plans (including training as appropriate).
- Trade Readjustment Allowances (TRA) is also paid under the TAA program. It is the responsibility of state and local program managers to manage WIA and TAA program funds in an integrated manner to best meet the needs of the workers and in accordance with all applicable TAA and WIA regulations. Discretionary funds, including both the TAA reserved funds and NEG resources, may be requested as needed, following applicable application procedures.
- In instances in which a TAA petition has been filed, but no determination has been made, such companies may be included in a NEG application indicating that a petition is pending. In addition, if dislocations impacting TAA-certified workers also qualify for industry wide or community impact projects, those application criteria will also apply (e.g., for a dual-enrollment application that also qualifies as industry-wide, where all layoffs are TAA-certified), an application would be required to have at least one company with 50 or more workers, but other companies could have fewer than 50.
The 70-percent dislocated worker program formula *expenditure rate must be met to apply for this type of NEG application.
*Outlays (expenditures) mean charges made to the project or program. They may be reported on a cash or accrual basis. For reports prepared on a cash basis, outlays are the sum of actual cash disbursement for direct charges for goods and services, the amount of indirect expense incurred, the value of in-kind contributions applied, and the amount of cash advances and payments made to contractors and subgrantees. [29 CFR 97.3]
Relevant Guidance: TEGL 16-03
