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Doing Business Doing Business with thewith the
TRADE PROGRAMTRADE PROGRAMin Massachusettsin Massachusetts
Deval L. Patrick, GovernorTimothy P. Murray, Lieutenant Governor
Joanne Goldstein, Secretary
Michael Taylor, DirectorDivision of Career Services
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What is the TAA Program?
The TAA program helps workers who have lost their jobs as a result of foreign trade. The program offers a variety of benefits and services to eligible workers, including:
job training income support (TRA) job search and relocation allowances a tax credit to help pay the costs of health
insurance (HCTC) a wage supplement to certain reemployed
trade-affected workers 50 years of age and older (RTAA)
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Some History…
The TAA program was first established by the Trade Act of 1974, and has been amended several times.
It was amended in 2002 through the Trade Adjustment Assistance Reform Act of 2002.
Most recently, it was amended in 2009 through the Trade and Globalization Adjustment Assistance Act of 2009.
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Purpose
The TAA program has and will continue to help workers who have lost their jobs as a result of foreign trade to quickly rejoin the workforce by providing them with the means to attain competitive and marketable skills for today’s increasingly competitive work environment.
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Working Together
Division of Career Services (DCS)
Administers TAA benefits
One-Stop Career Centers (OSCC)
Provide employment and case management
services
Educational Institutions/Vendors
Trains TAA Clients
Division of Unemployment
Assistance (DUA)
Administers TRA benefits
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Basic Overview
Company files a petition DOL investigates the petition. If approved,
DOL issues a certification; a five-digit number is assigned to the certification
Workers are notified about the Trade certification by DCS
Workers go to OSCC for services and case management
Benefits are administered by DCS and DUA
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Old or New?
There are currently two sets of regulations operating concurrently: the 2002 Act and 2009 Act.
2002 Actapplies to…
Workers who are covered by petitions filed before May 18, 2009. Petition numbers are 69,999 and lower
2009 Actapplies to…
Workers who are covered by petitions filed on or after May 18, 2009. Petition numbers are 70,000 and higher
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A New Face to Trade
The Trade Act of 1974 and the Trade Reform Act of 2002, covered workers who produced a product. (Workers with a manufacturing background)
The Trade and Globalization Adjustment Assistance Act of 2009 now covers various other worker groups including: the service industry public employees
Please be aware as the diverse needs of workers from all industries can vary.
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Training Services
Training Under the Trade Program
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Mission of Training
Trade’s Axiom:
The least amount of training at the lowest possible cost in the shortest amount of time to be able to obtain
“suitable employment”.
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6 Criteria for Training-workers must meet these 6 criteria to have training approved under TAA1. There is no suitable employment (which may include technical and
professional employment) available for the adversely affected worker.
2. The worker would benefit from appropriate training.
3. There is a reasonable expectation of employment following completion of such training.
4. Training approved by the Secretary is reasonably available to the worker from either governmental agencies or private sources.
5. The worker is qualified to undertake and complete such training.
6. Such training is suitable for the worker and available at a reasonable cost.
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Suitable Employment
Suitable employment is defined in the Trade regulations as work of an equal of higher skill level and with a wage of at least 80% of the worker’s prior average weekly wage.
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One Training Per Certification
A worker may only be approved for one training program per certification.
Note: A training program may be comprised of several training components (ie, remedial training first, then vocational training or combined remedial and occupational)
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Reasonable Cost
$7,000 for remedial training $17,000 for vocational training $25,000 for degree programs
$30,000 max including travel, subsistence, etc.
Currently in Massachusetts, for NEW contracts that commenced July 1, 2009 and after, a training program (tuition, fees and books) cannot exceed:
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Remedial Training
Examples of remedial training include:
Basic math & writing skills English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Courses leading to a GED Coursework required for entry into a training
program (Pre-requisites)
Remedial training can also occur concurrently with other training.
Remedial training can occur at any time of the training program, but it is encouraged to be taken prior to occupational trainings or degree programs.
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Length of TrainingOld TAA Program(Available to Workers Covered by Petitions with Numbers 69,999 and Lower)
New TAA Program(Available to Workers Covered by Petitions with Numbers 70,000 and Higher)
Up to 104 weeks
Up to 130 weeks if the worker was also enrolled in remedial training
Up to 156 weeks
Training which exceeds the maximum number of weeks allowed may not be paid for under the TAA program.
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Some More Changes
Old TAA Program(Available to Workers Covered by Petitions with Numbers 69,999 and Lower)
New TAA Program(Available to Workers Covered by Petitions with Numbers 70,000 and Higher)
Training may only be approved on a full-time basis
Certified workers may not begin approved training until they have been totally or partially separated from adversely affected employment
Training may be approved on a full-time or part-time basis, although full-time training is required for TRA (cash benefits) eligibility.
Certified workers may begin approved training when threatened with separation from adversely affected employment
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Contractual Considerations
Becoming a Qualified Vendor…
Respond to RFR 09-07 Complete Training Pro Requirements
RFR 09-07◦ Open Enrollment application process◦ 2 year minimum term from 7/1/09◦ 2 optional 1 year terms after the minimal term
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Accessing RFR 09-07
WWW.COMM-PASS.COM
Sequentially click the following◦ Solicitations◦ Browse all open solicitations◦ By entity department
Scroll to “Division of Employment and Training” and select it.
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Accessing RFR 09-07 Continued
Go to Department
Choose RFR 09-07
Select Applicable Header Tabs◦ Specification = The RFR◦ Forms and Terms = Necessary Contract Forms
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Major RFR Requirements:
Affirmative Market Program Certificate of Good Standing Registration with Secretary of State Licensing by the Department of Education Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) Authorization Single Point of Contact ( S.P.O.C.) New Programs
◦ Prompt Pay Discount◦ Dollar Volume Discount
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RFR Payment Request RequirementsPayment requests must be submitted on a timely basis.
◦ There are consequences of not submitting timely payment requests.
Payments must be submitted in accordance with the budget/payment schedules.
◦ Any payments not submitted in accordance with the budget/payment schedules are subject to return.
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Participant Training Approvals
Elements of Participant Approval Notification:◦ Notification Letter◦ Participant List◦ Budget/Payment Schedule◦ Course Description◦ Break in Training Verification◦ Refund Policy
Role of the S.P.O.C.
Transparency of the Participant to the Contract Process
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TrainingProSelecting a Funding Source and Adding a Course
to the Account
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Additional Information on Training ProWebsite: www.mass.gov/dwd/trainingpro
For TAA approval, a course must meet these minimum requirements for performance:
Completion Rate: >/= 70%Entered Employment Rate: >/= 60%
TAA courses do go through an auto-approval process first. If they meet certain criteria then the course is auto approved. If not, the course is put into a pending status for a TAA staff manual determination.
Course approvals are for 1 year. You must resubmit courses for approval the day after they expire. The system at this time will not allow you to do it any earlier.
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Submitting a Payment Voucher to the TRADE UNIT
Are you wondering what happens once you send YOUR invoices in to
the Commonwealth of MA for payment from the Trade Program?
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Submitting a Payment VoucherAccording to Budget Payment Schedule,
vendor submits P.V. to Accounts Payable
Accounts Payable passes the P.V. on to
the Trade Unit
Trade Unit reviews P.V. and data enters payment information
into financial database and sends
back to AP
AP processes payments approved
by the Trade Unit
EFT is sent out to vendors accordingly
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Before the Trade Unit processes a payment, there are number of things that must be
reviewed.
Most recent participant list to be sure that the student being billed for is listed
Budget Payment Schedule to make sure we are being billed as scheduled at time of approval
For community colleges, a course outline is needed to show what classes are being taken and when
Any bookstore Purchase Orders will require receipts as well as a a course outline to be sure we are paying for appropriate items, REQUIRED by all students in training
Please note: Class outlines and book lists are received from counselors prior to training approval.
Some examples of reviewed items include:
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How does Trade’s Quarterly Budget Payment Schedule Work??
Invoice can be sent 4/1/09-
6/30/09
Invoice can be sent 10/1/09-12/31/09
Invoice can be sent 4/1/10-
6/30/10
Invoices can be sent to the Trade Unit via AP at any point within the quarter. Billing does not have
to occur on the last day of each quarter listed.
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Don’t forget about VendorWeb!
Using this web site, vendors to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts can easily and quickly:
◦ Access their payment information ◦ View scheduled payments ◦ View payment history◦ Print the form to request Electronic Funds
Transfer (EFT)◦ And read news and updates of interest to vendors
Visit us at:
https://massfinance.state.ma.us/VendorWeb/vendor.asp
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Contact Information
Accounts Payable: Beverly [email protected]
Contracts: John [email protected]
Myrna [email protected]
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Contact Information
Training Pro Mark [email protected]
Trade Unit (TAA): 617-626-6007
*Please note, this is a mailbox that is checked daily. Your message will be returned by one of our staff members within 24 hours.