Trade Readjustment Allowance (TRA) is part of the Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) program that provides income support through weekly benefits.
Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) helps people who have been laid off because their company moved work to other countries or started importing more products. TAA helps workers while they look for new jobs or get training for a different one. Learn more about TRA by reviewing these questions.
To quality for TRA benefits:
- You must be laid off from a trade-affected employer that is covered under a petition issued by the US Department of Labor.
- You must have worked for the employer at least 26 weeks in one year prior to separation and earned at least $30.00 in each of those weeks.
- You must meet certain critical deadlines for enrollment in approved training.
No, TRA benefits are available to workers who lost their jobs due to their employer being trade affected and who are participating in a training program. TRA benefits are only available after regular unemployment benefits are exhausted.
TRA benefits are calculated using the same wages and formula used to calculate unemployment weekly benefit amounts.
- The weekly benefit amount is calculated by adding the last two quarters of a person's base period, then dividing it by 52.
- The resulting number is weekly benefit amount that a person can receive each week.
Your TRA benefits will be the same amount as your regular unemployment benefits.
Yes, TRA benefits are paid weekly.
Yes, you will have to pay taxes on TRA.
A waiver allows you to continue getting TRA benefits if you are not able to start training on time. You can get a waiver from the Division of Workforce Solutions if needed.
A waiver lasts for 30 days, and you can get up to six waivers.
Yes. You will need to check in with N.C. Division of Employment Security (DES) about your training and eligibility every four weeks.
Yes, you can appeal the denial of benefits. The instructions are located on the determination letter. The most efficient way is to appeal through your MyNCUIBenefits account, or you may mail, fax or email the appeal.
A copy of your monetary determination will be mailed to you about 10 days after you file your claim.
Yes. You are required to search for work until you start your training. After training begins, training attendance verification is required.
Yes, you must submit a certification for each week that you are applying.
You must report how much you earn each week when you are claiming TRA benefits.
Earnings Allowance: There’s a limit on how much you can earn without affecting your TRA benefits. This is called an earnings allowance. If you earn more than the set limit, your TRA benefits will be reduced by the amount you exceed the allowance.